As a child, Nick Callegari developed a love of building things from his father, a laborer who never finished high school but was, as Nick describes, “the most talented engineer I know.” What initially began as tinkering in the garage with his father, Nick’s love of building things ultimately earned him a spot on Forbes 30 Under 30 - Manufacturing and Industry list.

Growing up in Deltona, Florida, Nick’s childhood was filled with freedom and curiosity due to the nurturing environment his parents provided, but family finances and lack of safety in the surrounding community contributed to instability.

Luckily, Nick’s intellectual curiosity was noticed early on by his high school counselor, who saw his potential and helped him and his twin brother apply to college through QuestBridge. They both matched to and attended Princeton University on a full four-year scholarship.

Attending Princeton exposed him to “a world of ideas, ambition, and possibility that simply didn’t exist in my hometown,” he says. Now able to delve deeply into his love of building things, he majored in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. His curiosity continued to grow as he received a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley, and later, worked as a Structures Engineer at SpaceX, where he helped to develop many of the interior walls and structures for the Dragon Spaceflight program.

Knowing that only a few lucky astronauts in space would benefit from his contributions at SpaceX, he wondered how he could use his education, training, and experience to make a greater impact on people in need.

This led Nick to apply to and be admitted to Yale School of Management through QuestBridge’s Graduate School Match: MBA. At Yale SOM, Nick discovered a way to meld his engineering background with his desire to create positive social impact. With the mentorship of highly regarded professors in entrepreneurship and innovation, Nick founded a social venture called Impact3D, which aims to 3D print sustainable housing for those experiencing houselessness.

Creating sustainable housing was both a professional and personal endeavor for Nick, as his parents had both experienced houselessness in their younger lives. Nick explains, “Housing is foundational to everything else in life, and I believe that truly solving this can improve outcomes for families, communities, and entire economies.”

Later rebranded to Verustruct, the company — whose mission is to deliver safe, sustainable, and affordable housing at scale using robotics and advanced construction technology — closed on a $2.4 million pre-seed round in September 2025. Verustruct’s headquarters are strategically located in Los Angeles to target sustainable housing in the local area. As the founder and CEO of Verustruct, Nick was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 - Manufacturing and Industry list for 2026.

As Nick reflects on the path his life has taken, he wants other QuestBridge Scholars to understand that their less conventional paths — like his own — can be a strength. “If QuestBridge Scholars are judged by their character, work ethic, and output, I’m confident they stand out — not in spite of their journeys, but because of them.”