Team & Mentors

Environmental engineer with a Master in Sustainability from EPFL, Andrea is an expert in the environmental footprint assessment, specialized in the digital sector.
After a first work experience in the reviewing of the sustainable mobility plan at EPFL, Andrea has joined the Resilio’s team and is now piloting the consulting services of the company. Coordination of Resilio’s consultants, management of the clients and partners' needs, optimization of processes and business development are his everyday challenges.  

Alongside his professional activities Andrea is also animator of the Climate Fresque and of the Digital Fresque, as well as founder of the association Global Earth Horizon Talk, whose mission is to raise public awareness of the problems of climate change and global warming, with particular attention to the political world of COPs.

‍

Bertrand is a seasoned strategist with a Master's in Economics from the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and PMP certification, specializing in guiding complex organizations through transformation and growth.

Drawing on a wealth of international experience, including senior roles in start-ups and asset management in London, Singapore and Switzerland, Bertrand has a proven track record in fostering innovation and building high-performing teams.

A passionate learner with strong analytical and communication skills, he is dedicated to mentoring startups to help navigate challenges and achieve operational excellence.

‍

Bertand Klaiber has 30 years of experience in Cleantech and Medtech industries, where is hold several positions related to engineering and innovation management, strategic marketing and international business development.

In 2012 he co-created the EssentialTech program at EPFL and developed an impact entrepreneurship approach to harness technology and business to drive sustainable development.

From 2015 to 2022 he founded and led as the CEO the startup Pristem (teleradiology services and battery-powered medical X-ray systems), thus gaining experience in the whole life cycle of a startup, from scientific research to fundraising (CHF 18mio), team building, product industrialization, certification and go-to-market.

In 2023 he launched Tech4Regeneration program at EPFL Innovation Park.

Team player, positive and open-minded.

After 12 years at UBS, I joined Banque Pictet & Cie in 2018 and have been a team leader since 2023. As a Wealth Manager, I am dedicated to a client base of entrepreneurs and executives.

I can be an entry point to provide our expertise and network along the entire financial value chain.

Very sensitive and interested in environmental issues, I completed a CAS in SDG Investing in 2021 and am treasurer of Pro Natura Vaud since 2022.

‍

As a startup coach accredited by Innosuisse, Fongit, VentureLab, Star’Terre & Unil HUB, Caroline has been coaching & greatly collaborating with 100+ entrepreneurs for 6 months to 6+ years, & helped 550+ for few hours/months.

She founded ideix, a professional coaching & training agency for entrepreneurs.

With both scientific & business background in ICT & data / agri & foodTech / sustainability, she has a direct experience in developing projects on 10+ countries & coaches specifically in business development, marketing & communication, structuration, cashflow, as well as guide you in the ecosystem & extend your network.

The art of strategically combining her expertise as a linguist, marketing expert and sustainability consultant to build successful brands.

Chantal is Co-founder of Swiss House of Brand and founder of Admarka, co-author of the book “les leviers de croissance à l’ère de l’économie numérique", member of the “Cercle Suisse des administratrices “, member of different Boards, speaker & moderator. 

Céline Renaud is an entrepreneur and speaker who joyfully accompanies others in public speaking and storytelling.

After founding and leading JMC Lutherie for over 15 years — a pioneering lutherie workshop combining sustainability and artistry, fueled by her passions for music, nature, and humanity — she successfully transitioned its ownership to five enterprises in 2020. Within this role, she has delivered over 3,000 talks and performances worldwide, averaging more than 300 engagements annually in recent years. She is also a storyteller, columnist, and author of two books on entrepreneurship.

Prior to this, she spent a decade in luxury watchmaking (in marketing and finance) and industrial enterprises. Additionally, she has been repeatedly nominated as a prominent entrepreneur, recognized among the top 100 personalities in French-speaking Switzerland (L’Hebdo/Le Temps), one of the 100 women shaping the economy (Women in Business), and one of the 20 influential women in Switzerland (Bilan).

During 18 years leading R&D teams to successfully design and transfer to mass production medical devices under the brands Compex and Chattanooga, David acquired extended experiences in customer/business understanding, engineering leadership, R&D organization,and productization.

Over the past 10 years, David had the opportunity to work for big corporations, Nestlé and today Viasat, and the ScaleUp Flyability. He enjoyed supporting the Sartup Lunaphore as Technical Advisor, up to its successful exit.

‍

Dhanesh has been in IT industry for 27 years at global corporate and in entrepreneurship. During his 20 years of corporate career he held senior management positions in global roles at Accenture, Credit Suisse and JP Morgan.

Since over 7 years, Dhanesh is a serial entrepreneur, mentor, and advisor primarily at the intersection of technology platforms for making a positive impact by addressing sustainability challenges.

Dhanesh holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science, enterprise architect and PMI certifications

‍

Cara founded a successful blended climate finance platform in 2015.

In 2018, she was invited to join Clean Energy Ventures (CEV) where she mentors start-ups  funded by CEV at seed and Series A levels.

Cara mentors approximately 40  companies annually for Mass Challenge (MC) Switzerland  as their climate solutions and sustainable manufacturing coach. She supports  MC start-ups to identify KPIs, improve pitches and financial projections and  find paid pilots and investment. This year, Cara supported start-ups to  quantify their impacts on the SDGs. In 2023, she coached 6 of the top 10  start-ups and has received the highest ratings as a coach for 2 consecutive  years. Some of the start-ups that Cara has coached/is coaching include:  LiveGrow Bio, Carbonaught, Gaia Technologies, Databaum, Revocircle and  Instaheat.

‍

Cara is also an Energy and Environment expert for Innosuisse and accredited Special Coach for Sustainable business strategies and impact measurement (SDGs).

Passionate, successful, and seasoned engineering and innovation executive, having led multiple R&D teams around the world, benefiting from a sharp and holistic business understanding to shape and optimize processes, tools, and organizations, to timely deliver and produce new products impacting the business, creating value for all stakeholders.

Took benefit from the above to coach and drive technology startups to success, highly appreciated by owners and shareholders, staying close to small SMEs and research organizations to develop collaborations and a proper agile innovation mindset.

MSc (1986) and PHD (1990) from EPFL, then always active in developing business / products (motors &electronics, sensors, fluidic related products) for OEM customers, working first 10 years for a startup (ETEL), then 10 years for a mid-size and global sensors’ company (LEM), then 12 years for a large multinational (IMI) as Global Engineering Director.

Michel Jaccard is the founder of id est avocats — a certified B Corp, with a CSR certification by EcoVadis, member of the UN Global Compact, and awarded an impact label by the myclimate foundation.

For the past 25 years, Michel Jaccard has been involved in corporate finance and M&A deals in Switzerland and abroad, acting for entrepreneurs and owners, venture capital and private equity firms, industrial buyers and financial sponsors. He also advises purpose driven, hybrid companies and impact investors on governance and sustainability issues.

He is co-creator of the Impact Term Sheet, member of the working group for introduction of a new legal status of Sustainable Enterprise in Switzerland, and also Lecturer at E4S Enterprise for Society Center (UNIL, IMD, EPFL) 

Michel Jaccard holds a Ph.D. in Law from University of Lausanne and a Master of Laws from Columbia Law School (LLM’97). He is CEDR Accredited Mediator and also admitted to the New York Bar.

Pascale Van Landuyt is currently Head of Alliance, industrial liaison program hosted at EPFL. Her mission is to foster the collaboration between companies and all the academic institutions in Western Switzerland, through R&D research agreements, student internships or with start-ups. In this position, she gave support to companies in their innovation journey, including technology scouting, project design and obtaining public funding.

From 2000 to 2012, she was involved in Enterprise Europe Network, with a focus on fostering collaboration between Swiss start-ups and European companies.

Before, she spent 10 years in academic research on implantable biomaterials for orthopaedics at the EPFL and at University of Louvain in collaboration with hospitals and companies. Pascale holds a PhD and is an engineer in Materials Sciences.

Her favorite topics are materials, medtech, biotech, foodtech and sustainability.

‍

After obtaining his doctorate in geochemistry at McGill University in Montreal, Werner worked as a post-doc in the geology department of the University of Lausanne and as assistant professor at the ETH Zurich.

Seeking new challenges, he left the academic world to run the company Swiss Climate in Bern, which specializes in CO2-related issues, between 2008 and 2013. With a view to further developing the concept of CO2 management for SMEs, Werner founded Climate Services in Fribourg in 2013. Over the last 10 years, he supported hundreds of companies as well as public entities in developing an approach to manage the transition to a net zero carbon economy.

Ella is a Professional coach and change management practitioner who holds an MSc in Industrial Process Engineering.

Based on her engineering background with in-depth knowledge of effective organization and cooperation, she supports startups with their innovation projects in a wide range of application areas.

• Ella worked 12 years in the recycling industry as R&D Project/Program Manager and then Product Owner for innovation for a leading R&D company in environmental services.
• She has 4 years experience as Agile Coach and Agile Business Partner for PwC Digital Factory. 
• She founded Synergies Singulières and offers coaching services for teams & managers

Fabrice is an innovator and entrepreneur who makes innovation a force for positive human and environmental evolution. His collaborations with renowned organisations such as Haagen Dazs, L'Oréal's Prestige, Apple, SKY, Nespresso, Google, the United Nations and
Patagonia have received international recognition. He sits on the board of directors of several start-ups and major groups, and lectures at Bocconi, EPFL and HEC universities

As a Digital Transformation Expert and Information Management Expert, I have over 25 years of experience in ICT consultancy, network design, and implementation, software analysis, design and development, and software project management. Throughout my career, I have contributed to various organizations, including the United Nations, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), and FAO - Subregional Office for Southern Africa. I have led teams, implemented software systems, mentored startups, and designed business intelligence dashboards for retailers and supply chain providers.

In my most recent role as a Digital Agriculture Expert for a FAO project, I wrote digital content, conducted digital agriculture training, and served as a mentor and jury member for the Digital Agriculture National Contest.

‍

Géraldine is a Strategy and Sustainability Consultant

In 2019, while Director of Strategy Business Planning Europe for the car manufacturer Nissan, she founded besustainaball to engage companies in reinventing themselves and creating innovative business models for a more sustainable and inclusive society.

Trained in sustainable management, circular economy and climate issues, she guides organisations and their teams in structuring and implementing their sustainability strategy, enabling them to combine business performance with positive impact on ecosystems and human communities.

As a former commercialization fund manager at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL, USA), J.A. specialized in identifying and scoping R&D collaborations between startup tech developers and national lab researchers. J.A. also managed the NREL Investor Advisor Board, curating strategic content and thought leader discussions for 50 influential cleantech VC investors, and brings a unique perspective (and network) to fundraising advise.

‍

At BAC, J.A. looks for game-changing technologies to ‘reinvent cooling to sustain the world,’ and works carefully across business units to evaluate the potential synergies and venture opportunities with hard-tech startup partners.

‍

Katia has more than 20 years of international and more local Supply Chain, Procurement & Project Management experiences.

Katia’s qualifications include a PMP© Certification from the Project Management Institute, an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Lead Auditor Certificate and a Master in Procurement & Supply Chain.

Katia founded her own company a few years ago and now guides SME and startups through their journey, providing pragmatic answers to common challenges such as:

• The ability to anticipate risks and transform them into opportunities.
• Efficient management of increasingly complex projects.
• Change management and resistance elimination.
• Cost transparency throughout the value chain.
• Process & resource efficiency (and waste elimination).
• Use of the quality approach as an asset to increase organizational resilience.
• The transition from training to practice.

‍

Lajla graduated from the EPFL with a MSc in cryptography and security of systems, but her passion for interacting with people worldwide diverted her from the pure scientific career to embrace the world of asset management and venture capital.

She started her professional path in Lombard Odier (equities portfolio management), obtained the CFA certification, and then moved to private investments in Freemont Management.

Subsequently, Lajla joined Swisscom Ventures in order to fully use her technological and financial skills in a Venture Capital fund before joining Logitech as Head of Venture Engagement in 2021. Her goal is to support Logitech's innovation initiatives by leveraging external talent and cutting-edge technologies.

‍

Laura understands international environments, the challenges companies face in rethinking their role in society and recognising the power of diversity.

Her interest in sustainable development has given her a strong direction in her career. Her mission is to support companies of all sizes in their sustainable development approach and to help them communicate honestly and transparently and avoid greenwashing.

Her main areas of expertise are: corporate communication (including executive coaching), sustainability communication, employees and stakeholders engagement strategies, social impact, diversity and inclusion, and creative execution.

Passionate about the forces that are driving change in our society, such as the transition to lower-carbon economy and innovations, I have a dual academic background (engineering/business school) and 16 years of work experience. A few achievements:

• helped a new intrant in the energy sector develop its renewable energy activities on the French market
• defined the growth strategy for a major transportation company in the Americas and assessed new opportunities
• helped launch a tech start up (BtoC, text to speech technology)
• managed business development for a Canadian SME that specializes in advanced healthcare technologies
• worked as a strategy consultant for various large European companies (banks, insurance, telecom…)
• performed due diligences on startups in the energy sector for investment banks
• and finally created my own consulting services (strategy, impact investing and energy transition)

Specialized in technologically and scientifically advanced products for Space applications, for a more sustainable exploration.

Active participation in the development of the company’s business strategy and market assessment. Experiences in satellite structure design, analysis, and tests. Knowledge in Additive Manufacturing (AM) for metals and expertise in 3D printing of polymers.

Member of World Alliance for Efficient Solutions, and expert for the Solar Impulse Foundation.

• MSc in Space engineering at University of Politecnico di Milano with excellence scholarship (2015-2017).
• BSc in Aerospace engineering at University of Politecnico di Milano with Pegasus award 2015.
• Selected student to study abroad (extra-EU scholarship) at City University of Hong Kong under the Material Engineering department.

‍

Luka has over a decade of expertise in Communications, Marketing, and Brand Development, focusing on sustainability, green economy, and climate action. His educational background in Business and Psychology allows him to integrate strategic approaches with behavioural understanding, optimising communication and marketing strategies. He has collaborated with international organisations, UN agencies, governments, and global brands, helping them share their vision and sustainability journeys through creative storytelling and impactful campaigns.

As the Founder of UNUECO Sustainability Communications, Luka helps brands communicate their impact on climate and nature through data-based storytelling. UNUECO’s unique methodology integrates innovation, technology, design, and behavioural sciences, transforming high-quality sustainability data and climate science into captivating narratives.

‍

Marie-Laure Berthié is CEO of Eolus Partners, a financial services company in Switzerland. Eolus’ main activities are:

• Advising family offices on investments in private equity and private debt funds.
• Advising entrepreneurs (SMEs and start-ups) on strategy, business development, board preparation, fund raising. Examples include the fundraising of round A for Ecorobotix (CHF 10.6m, 2018),  Dufour Aerospace (CHF 5m, 2019), Cleangreens (CHF 4 m 2021).
• Marie-Laure is active as a finance coach for Platinn, an association that provides coaching services for SMEs and start-ups in Switzerland. She has coached more than 40 startups for their seed stage / pre-series A fundraising.
• Marie Laure is board member of Schmidt Groupe, mostly supporting the company for its digital strategy and M&A.

‍

Prior to Eolus, Marie Laure Berthié worked at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne as Deputy Vice President for Innovation during 6 years. Before, she was Partner of a Venture Capital fund, Banexi Ventures Partners (Paris) during 7 years, investing in semiconductor and sensors companies. She started her career at IBM Semiconductor as responsible of industrialization of memory technologies and also worked for a consulting company, PRTM, advising Corporates on their innovation strategy.

Marie-Laure has a MBA from INSEAD and a M. Sc in Physics. She is French and Swiss.

‍

A seasoned entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the fields of branding, communication strategy and digital. 

Throughout my professional journey, I have founded 2 communication agencies and co-founded Swiss House of Brands, where I honed my skills in creating impactful and innovative communication strategies for various clients & industries.

I furthered my commitment to sustainability by undertaking a sustainable business management program at the University of Cambridge. 

My passion lies in blending my entrepreneurial spirit with a sustainable mindset and strong communication skills, and I am always eager to explore new opportunities and collaborations that align with these values.

More than 20 years of experience in corporate finance, including the past 5 years as CFO.

More than 20 years ago, Nicolas Since founded SICT that offers a wide range of services from R&D to product engineering, industrialization, and cost-effective, high-quality manufacturing.

Since then, Nicolas supported many startups, SMEs, and large companies to turn innovative concepts and technical challenges into breakthrough industrial solutions and products.

Olivier Chappuis manages the maxon innovation Lab at the EPFL Innovation Park.
The objective of the Lab is to interface and collaborate with the EPFL research labs, startups and the whole rich local ecosystem and beyond.

Olivier has 25+ years of experience in business development and sales of high-tech B2B products on international markets.

He is passionate about open innovation and business development.

He holds a Master in Microtechnology from EPFL and an Exec. MBA from HEC-Lausanne University.

‍

Olivier PAJOT is an experienced innovator, with over 25 years in new product development, currently working as Innovation Cell Manager at Sonceboz, specialized in mechatronic systems.

With a master's degree in energy conversion systems and a doctorate in physics, his expertise covers both theoretical and practical fields.

Involved in the EPFL Innovation Park for 13 years, Olivier is deeply rooted in its collaborative ecosystem.

As a longstanding member of the Venture Kick jury, he actively supports startups, drawing from his vast network and expertise to offer guidance and mentorship.

‍

Pauline graduated from the University of Lausanne with a Masters degree in Arts, in French and English literature. Alongside her studies, she had different part time and volunteer jobs as communications manager, especially in the cultural and startup scene. Amongst her most important projects, she produced a podcast shedding light on multiple Swiss sustainable entrepreneurs in the student’s association Innovation Time Lausanne.

After graduating, Pauline joined the HUB Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the University of Lausanne as communication, community manager and project coordinator. She actively contributed to developing dynamic and innovative communication campaigns, promoting 2 accelerator programs and several events as well as over a hundred entrepreneurial projects. She managed a community of over 3000 people, including a hundred or so new project holders a year.

In the Tech4Regeneration program, Pauline develops the communication and marketing strategy, grows and manages the community, helps organize events, and maintains solid relations with the various stakeholders.

‍

Pietro is a Supply Chain executive with 38 years of transformative experiences in the fast-moving consumer goods industry at both Global and European levels with Procter & Gamble. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a master's in Advanced Technologies. Pietro possesses vast experience in Supply Chain Optimization, Supply Chain M&A, Logistics, and Sustainability. Known for his innovative approach, Pietro is skilled at creating effective business strategies, designing efficient organizations, and developing strong teams. He has a proven track record of enhancing both top and bottom-line results while achieving operational excellence and competitive capabilities. Pietro has led both Global and Regional operations across various P&G Business Units, including laundry detergents, paper, pet care, beauty and fine fragrances products. Since 2016, Pietro has overseen Logistics Operations and Strategic Planning for all P&G product categories in Europe. He has been at the forefront of the P&G Sustainability Logistics Strategy, striving to achieve “Net Zero Emissions” by 2040, integrating sustainability into business strategies.

In addition to his professional career, Pietro has been an active educator in supply chain operational excellence, sustainability, and Corporate Social Responsibility. Since retiring from P&G in July 2024, he continues to impart his expertise through teaching, advisory roles, and mentoring startups in Europe and the USA.

‍

Sandra is a circular economy consultant and founder of GoCircular.

With over 20 years of experience in international corporate companies, she specializes in industrial production, strategic asset management, and process control.

She holds a degree in Micromechanical Engineering and certificates in Circular Economy and Supply Chain Management.

Through GoCircular, Sandra assists companies in realizing the economic and environmental benefits of sustainable practices. She supports them in optimizing their manufacturing processes to minimize energy consumption, material waste, and improve overall efficiency. Additionally, she provides strategic guidance on how to design products and processes that maximize resource efficiency and promote circularity.

‍

Sinan is a project manager and operations manager with a background in political science and a keen interest in technology and innovation. He completed his Master's degree in Political Science at the University of Lausanne, where he developed a passion for new technologies and tech spaces. This interest led him to volunteer in tech project management roles for NGOs focused on peace building.

After his studies,Sinan began his professional journey at the Trust Valley, a center specializing in digital trust and cybersecurity of the EPFL Innovation Park.There he managed the digital self-determination project. His efforts were pivotal in launching the learn.trustvalley.swiss free learning platform.

Currently, Sinan splits his time between two roles at the EPFL Innovation Park. He is a project manager for Tech4Regeneration program, as well as for the Tech4Trust startup accelerator and Trust Village incubator which is related to the Trust Valley. His work involves scouting new promising startups for these programs, attracting hundreds of applicants each year to help them achieve their full potential and oversees daily operations, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and efficiently contributing to the dynamic growth of the innovation ecosystem.

‍

Bachelor in Management and Master in Information Systems at HEC Lausanne

Professional experience in:

• business models,
• strategy and vision,
• financial plans, valuations,
• fundraising,
• energy sector.

I bring a wealth of experience gained in C-level positions across multiple markets and business sectors, as both a corporate leader and entrepreneur.

Worked across international territories, particularly EMEA.

I have built a reputation for operational excellence, having a special talent to develop innovative, transformational strategies which are driven by consumer data and AI, re-define customer experiences and unleash growth. Worked across most industries with a strong emphasis on telecoms, energy, AI, Machine Learning, Big Data and deep tech.

My ability to federate culturally diverse teams, to connect people and make things happen on the ground, has been proved, even in the most challenging environments globally, and recognized across both private and public sectors.

Intellectual stimulation, shaping the future, developing people beyond their own potential and delivering sustainable results are what really excites me professionally. They give me the energy and drive to perform both at a strategic and at an operational level, to stay agile, and to bridge the gap between ideas, concepts and revenue generation.

I lead by inspiration, collaboration and hard work and believe that everything is possible when done with passion, integrity and persistency, being true and consistent to my core values and beliefs wherever I am.

‍

Thomas is leading the Business Development and Business Design at Liip, a Swiss digital agency helping customers overcome digital challenges – from developing award-winning online platforms, mobile apps and online shops, through to coaching sessions for new ways of working.

His purpose is to create digital solutions that add real value to people's everyday life.

He has a background in Computer Science (Master, University of Neuchâtel).

He then started at Liip as a software engineer, and slowly moved to the business side of things (incl. Lean Startup and innovation coaching).

He can provide support to startups in business modeling, marketing, digital topics, as well as organizational matters.

With an engineering master in process safety, environment, health & safety, Thomas is a global head of sustainability.

He is tasked with the responsibility for strategic planning and cultural transformation of the organizations to structure and improve attractiveness and long-term performance.

Thomas held various leadership positions in the energy, chemical and oil & gas industries. Thomas covers the whole spectrum of ESG for any maturity levels, regulations or standards. His impact leads to improved ESG rating, partnerships with various stakeholders for innovation and growth, or social capital management.

‍

Co-founder of Nexthink, a Swiss Unicorn, Vincent played a pivotal role in scaling the company from inception, pioneering the Digital Employee Experience (DEX) market globally.

With a solid foundation at Cisco, where he spent 7 years in systems engineering and product marketing, Vincent seamlessly transitioned from a successful professional cycling career.

Today, he is not only an advisor and investor, supporting entrepreneurs and innovators, but also a passionate mountaineer. Vincent embodies a unique blend of entrepreneurial acumen and adventurous spirit.

More than 15 years of experience in communication (private and public sectors) and sponsorship (PlanetSolar and SolarStratos).

In 2020, I joined my network with my passion for innovation, sustainability and sport and created my company Mana Consulting specialized in communication and sponsoring.

In 2023, willing to help innovative start-ups to develop their business, I began some collaborations and currently help my partners by finding clients for their products/solutions.

‍