ABOUT US
Our Team
Our team has extensive experience from management positions, technology, business and product development, finance, marketing, media and communication and of course marine science.
Susanne Wedin-Schildt
Founder & CEO
Christina Friberg
Co-Founder & COO
Mafalda de Freitas
Chief Marine Scientist
Vanessa Domingos
Chief Knowledge Officer
Sanne Persson
Chief Social Media- and Community Officer
Kaja Bukovec
Chief Web Officer
Advisory Board and OCC Jury Members
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Anette Nordvall
Keiretsu Nordics
Anette leads the OCC Jury Assembly and is an active early stage tech investor focusing on ICT and deep-tech science based innovation while adding global environmental goals into the mist.
Anette has received multiple recognitions; One of Sweden’s most powerful tech investors 2016, Nordic 100 most influential persons 2018 and mentioned in EBAN 2018 report on 200+ most active Business Angels in Europe. Anette was also crowned “Sweden’s nicests Business Angel” at Venture Cup Sweden 2018. Anette is a Partner at Stockholm Business Angels, Managing General Partner at Nordvest, Venture Partner at Butterfly Ventures, Chairwoman at “We Don’t Have Time”, Managing Partner and founding investor at Cross Nordic Capital and is the Chapter President and CEO of Keiretsu Forum Nordics.
Ann Carpenter
Braid Theory
Ann Lee Carpenter, the co-founder and CEO of Braid Theory, serves as an advisor to deep tech companies in ocean/maritime, transportation and goods movement, and related industrial sectors. She brings more than 30 years of experience in strategic planning, marketing, business development, and community outreach.
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Marcus Hølland Eikeland
Katapult Ocean & Katapult Climate
Angel investor and co-founder of 4 startups. First hire in Katapult, and is leading their efforts in building the most comprehensive impact program in the world as the Program Director. Marcus also lead Katapults first white-label program in Copenhagen from 2018-2019. MSc and MBA.
Rita Sousa
Blue Pioneers Fund
Rita Sousa is Partner at Faber Blue Pioneers Fund, an early-stage Fund, investing in the early stages of high potential deep-tech startups aiming for high positive impact on ocean sustainability and climate action. Rita has been working in VC for 7 years, is a jury member for the EIC/European Commission and has previously worked in energy & utilities, innovation and CRM consultancy. Rita is a Mechanical Engineer (IST), MSc. Energy/Environment (Strathclyde), MBA (AESE/IESE BS) and MiF (Católica BS).
OCC Coaches
Ana Pinela
Beta-i
Ana Pinela works at Beta-i Collaborative Innovation as a Senior Innovation Consultant and Project Leader, where she is currently responsible for coordinating and managing the Atlantic Smart Port Blue Acceleration Network (AspBAN), a project co-funded by the European Union’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). Ana has a Master and a PhD in Marine Sciences and Conservation of Biodiversity and over 15 years of experience working as a Researcher, Consultant and Project manager in international projects. Since 2018, after attending the Blue Growth Summer School of the University of Ghent, she has been focused and dedicated to coordinating and managing projects in the area of the Blue Economy.
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Pedro Cerdeira
Business Plug
Pedro is a mentor, advisor and business angel passionate about the startup ecosystem, bridging the gap between investors and startups and helping companies to scale and develop their business internationally. He has mora than 25 years of experience in the Enterprise IT market, held several senior international business development, sales management and alliances and channel management positions in Oracle, Brocade, EMC2, Compaq/HP, Alcatel and Accenture. He holds a MSc in Computer Engineering, and 2 post-grads, Advanced Management Program for Executives, and Advanced
Program in Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management.
Jim Cooper
Braid Theory
Jim Cooper has over 20 years of experience from start ups, market research, market intelligence and competitive analysis experience. Jim is co-founder and CTO for Braid Theory, an early stage start up advisory and consulting group in California, US with extensive traction in BlueTech.
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Ingrid Maurstad
Katapult Ocean
Ingrid is Commercial Manager in Katapult Ocean and is passionate about ocean impact startups. Before she joined Katpult she worked in Ferd, investing in, and supporting social entrepreneurs. She has also extensive experience from financing and leading social inclusion projects in The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF). Ingrid believes that companies with a positive impact on the world are the future, and that financially sustainable startups can scale great solutions for a thriving ocean.
César Couto Ferreira
Fábrica do Futuro
César is a Viacom and Vice Media Alumni and Co-Founder of Fábrica do Futuro in Porto Alegre, Brazil. This innovation hub mixes culture, arts and technology and has been granted a merit award from the city of Porto Alegre for its work with Innovation and Technology Development of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. César also Co-Founded ONG Instituto Fábrica focused on mental health and education. He is an Advisory Board Member of Enrich in Brazil and Co-Founder of TippingUP media activism organisation focused on SDGs2030. Mentor and advisor of several startups and scale-ups globally. César is a passionate scuba diver who embraces the ocean below the surface.
Advisors
Our competent and experienced advisors supports us on our venture journey.
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Ron Tardiff
World Economic Forum, UpLink Ocean
Ron currently Leads the UpLink Ocean impact pillar of Friends of Ocean Action at the World Economic Forum in Geneva. Prior to this, he worked for nearly two years with the Sustainable Ocean Alliance to build the world’s largest network of young ocean leaders. While engaging and empowering ocean youth from many angles, at the start of the pandemic Ron built the Ocean Solutions Microgrant Program, the first program in the world to provide small grants to youth-led ocean projects on a global scale. The program, now in its second year, has funded nearly 200 projects in more than 50 countries. Ron has conducted research, developed strategy, managed projects, and supported outreach for 11 organizations on issues ranging from fisheries governance to marine education. Ron is a marine ecologist by training with degrees in Marine Sciences, Maritime Studies, Aquaculture, Environment & Society, and is finishing up a Master of Advanced Studies in Sustainable Blue Growth. He has studied all things ocean at 8 universities and research institutions around the world and has lived, worked or studied in 10 countries. Ron is a scientist and policy wonk at heart driven to improve ocean governance and innovation, increase equitable access to marine resources and services, and to conserve and restore ocean biodiversity.
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Sérgio Leandro
SmartOCEAN Peniche and IPL Leira ESTM
Sergio is the Director of the School of Tourism and Maritime Technology of Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (ESTM-IPLeiria) and Scientific coordinator of SmartOcean - Science and Maritime Technology Park, Peniche, Portugal. He is also a member of the MAB UNESCO Portuguese national committee and Co-Manager of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Berlengas. Sérgio is also a member of the MARE research unit, and a principal researcher of FCT Portugal and FEAMP projects within Marine Ecology, Marine Biotechnology, Fisheries and Aquaculture and Ocean Literacy.
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Niklas Knutsson
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
Niklas works as Programme Officer for Trade & Digitalisation at SIDA. Niklas grew up on a peninsula in rural Northeast Sweden and is conscious of the need to find new business models that revive both the biodiversity of the ocean and rural coastal societies. He believes that the development of ecologically, economically and socially sustainable blue business is key to healthy ocean communities, and promotes those business models that are scalable. Before current position, Niklas was based in Lisbon as Secretary General of the Swedish-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce.
Petra Sundell
Upbeater
Petra is an experienced startup evangelist, connector, community- and venture builder. She has a background in business and market strategy and experience from running and expanding a wide variety of startup projects within business, tech, marketing and design - across different industries. She’s a creative visionary and ideator who also possesses executional abilities to turn ideas and concepts into concrete solutions. In her previous roles, amongst others as Venture Lead for an early stage venture builder studio, and as Community Manager for one of Scandinavia's leading startup hubs, Petra has helped over 100 startups grow by connecting them with the right people, creating strategies for growth, attracting investors, and more. She is also used to manage local and global investors relations, facilitate deal flows and matchmaking, and develop and nurture partnerships and collaborations that support the startup ecosystem as a whole. Her background in combination with her deep passion for Future of Work and Education, Mental Wellbeing and Impact driven innovation, led Petra to start Upbeater where she is helping students and startups succeed while making an impact. Now based in Lisbon, her third home close to water, Petra has developed a love for the ocean that has spiked her desire to support more BlueTech innovation for a healthier and more sustainable environment.
Robin Teigland
Chalmers University of Technology and Peniche Ocean Watch
Robin is Professor of Strategy and Management of Digitalization at Chalmers University of Technology. Apart from moving research forward, she has a long track record leading international projects, working with startups, digital transformation and implementation of digital technologies. Teigland is the Director of Ocean Data Factory in Sweden and as co-founder of the Ocean Tech Hub and @penicheoceanwatch, she is actively working to develop the blue circular economy in Peniche. 2017 and 2018 she was listed as one of the most influential women in tech in Sweden. In her free time, Robin enjoys surfing longboards waves and co-running her Ocean Tech Hub coworking/coliving space and Go4Surf school in Peniche, Portugal.
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Carlos Lobo
Lobo, Vasques & Associados
Carlos Lobo is a member of the OCC Executive Board with roots in the Silver Coast of Portugal and a strong advocate for SMART urbanization and digitalization of the Public Sector. Carlos has been a Partner and Manager at the Tax Department of EY Portugal and has held positions as Secretary of State for Tax Affairs, Deputy to the Office of the Minister of Finance and served as an Advisor to the Office of the Minister of Finance. Carlos has a PhD in Law and is a professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon, where he has also held positions as the Vice-rector and Pro-rector. Carlos is the Founding Partner of Lobo, Vasques and Associados in Lisbon.
Victoria Ramm
Material Innovation Initiative
Victoria works as Director of Development at Material Innovation Initiative. Prior to this she worked with development for The Good Food Institute also passionate about replacing animal products with sustainable no-harm innovative products. Victoria brings a unique blend of both nonprofit and startup experience; Her career ranges from years at The Humane Society of the United States, where she managed emerging media communications, advocacy, and fundraising, to technology, where she held various roles in business development. Victoria takes pride in connecting innovative thinkers with innovative projects globally.
Malin Friberg
Arthur D. Little
Malin is a Senior Management Consultant starting at CapGemini and now a trusted Manager within Arthur D. Little's Strategy & Organization Team in Stockholm. Her experience spans across Commercial- and Technical domains delivering Vendor Due Diligence, IPO Prospectus, pre-merger strategy formulation and realization as well as growth strategy design, business plan creation and implementation. She has experience from both buy-side and sell-side with financial modelling and scenario construction. Malin has developed a passion for leading market change through use of state-of-the-art technology. Malin holds a dual M.Sc. Degree in International Business and CEMS International Management at the Stockholm School of Economics and University of Sydney Business School.