Cleantech Group

Alexander Picco

Alexander PICCO joined McPhy in 2020 as Chief Project Management Officer.
He oversees McPhy projects and, in close cooperation with all McPhy departments, ensures that they are completed on time and on budget as well as in line with the high expectations of our customers.
Alexander began his career in 2003 at Siemens AG Power Generation (now Siemens Energy AG) as a Quality Manager and welding engineer on major construction sites. In 2008 he moved to Project Management at Siemens and was involved in international multi-billion-dollar projects.
Due to his more than 17 years of activity in the construction of gas and steam turbine power plants, Alexander has a wealth of experience in the implementation of large EPC projects, as well as a broad technical knowledge and an extensive expertise in site and project management with an international context.

Alexander completed his diploma in engineering and business administration at the university for Applied Sciences and Arts (HAWK) in Goettingen.

Alex Crutchfield

Alex is an Analyst at Cleantech Group and is based in Barcelona, Spain.  He focuses on emerging innovation across all cleantech sectors.​

Alex’s professional background is in journalism and policy research. Prior to Cleantech Group, Alex served as a foreign correspondent in Latin America for The Business Year and published his work in various think tanks including the Spanish Royal Institute of European Studies.​

Alex earned a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Global Affairs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s degree in International Relations from Universidad CEU San Pablo.

Anders Bengtsson

Head of Innovation Hub North, EIT Urban Mobility (Managing Director, Eit Urban Mobility Innovation Hub North ApS) – solving the mobility challenges facing our cities together.
Prior Senior Consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the management and marketing consulting industry.

Andrus Treier

Andrus Treier is the CEO of Environmental Investment Centre (EIC), he has led the organisation for more than four years. EIC is a provider of innovative, smart and impactful solutions in the Estonian environmental landscape. With the support of EIC and various sources of financing, more than 27,000 environmental projects have been carried out with a total of more than 2.9 billion euros in grants. In addition, EIC sets up and leads projects and initiatives to enhance the good state of environment and to search and offer additional funding for environmental actions to meet the climate goals of Estonia.

Previously, Andrus Treier has led the government owned financial institution Kredex, providing guarantees, mezzanine loans and being one of the cornerstone investors in Estonian VC market. He has been a CEO and CFO in multiple companies and worked as an auditor and consultant in an international business consulting firm KPMG. He has a master’s degree in strategic management from University of Tartu.

Anthony DeOrsey

Anthony manages Cleantech Group’s research team, delivering critical insights on new cleantech innovation and opportunities for engagement to Cleantech Group’s clients in the industrial, investment, and policy communities. He is based in the U.S.

Anthony joined Cleantech Group in late 2019 after over 8 years of work in US-China cross-border expansion consulting and start-up venture funding roles, including 5 years living in Shanghai.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of Rhode Island, a Masters in Sustainability from the Harvard Extension School, and he an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

Christer Bergquist

Erika Salmenvaara

Erika Salmenvaara is the CEO of QHeat, a start-up specialized in geothermal energy.

The company has developed a new patented co-axial geothermal heating system with the ability to store heat deep in the ground. The concept is especially designed for large real estate and district heating. QHeat has successfully delivered Finland’s five first co-axial deep geothermal heating plants and targets to enter new markets.

Erika has almost 20 years of experience in the real estate business, especially topics related to strategy, energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainability, and customer experience. Her mission is to speed up energy transition and build distributed energy solutions for a clean future with business focus.

Guido Dalessi

Graduated in Physics (1986), Guido Dalessi started his career in R&D of laser based measuring equipment. In 1996, he joined a high-tech startup, which developed high-tech equipment for optical disc production. As Director Sales & Marketing, Guido initiated the international business activities, established a sales and service network with global coverage, and headed local branch offices in Singapore and Los Angeles.

In 2004, the company was acquired by the public listed Singulus Technologies AG, after which Guido was promoted to Executive Vice President. Two years later the company acquired its main competitor and Guido Dalessi was appointed CEO, where he managed the merge of both enterprises into Singulus Mastering BV. In the 8 years that Guido held this position, the company became global market- and technology-leader in its field.

Guido Dalessi joined Elestor in May 2015, and is also one of the investors.

Holly Stower

Holly is a Senior Associate leading Resources & Environment research at Cleantech Group and is based in the UK. She is focused on emerging innovation and trends, including those in water, waste, the circular economy, natural resources, and corporate sustainability. ​

Prior to joining Cleantech Group, Holly was a Public Affairs & Communications Executive with the Solar Trade Association and the Association of British Insurers. Before this, Holly worked in advocacy for climate and wildlife charities. ​

Holly earned an Undergraduate and a Master’s in Environmental Science from the University of East Anglia.

Howard Palmer

Howard Palmer is a partner in the Corporate Technology group and specialises in advising on M&A transactions and venture capital investments, for both companies and investors. He primarily works with companies in the technology, media and life sciences sectors.

Ian Hayton

Ian is a Senior Associate leading Materials & Chemical research at Cleantech Group and is based in the UK. He is an engineering and business professional with a passion for technology, innovation and the environment. Ian is experienced in strategy, marketing, business support, and R&D activities​.

Prior to joining Cleantech Group, Ian held several roles at Exergy, including Business Process Improvement Manager, Chemical Process Engineer, and Chemical Research Engineer.  ​

Ian earned an MSc degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Manchester​ and a BSc in Biomedical Science from The University of Sheffield.

Johan Söderbom

Kädi Ristkok

I am a driven and passionate advocate for building a sustainable and fair economy. With my expertise in climate policy, management consulting, and green transition strategies, I have actively shaped policies, advised organizations, and co-founded a green labor union to drive positive change in environmentally friendly sectors.

My ability to bridge sectors and foster collaboration between private, public, and third sectors has been instrumental in driving sustainable development and promoting an inclusive economy. My insatiable curiosity and thirst for knowledge make me a lifelong learner, constantly seeking opportunities to broaden my understanding of various subjects.

Kalle Kukk

Karl Pärtel

Karl has focused his career on supporting the cleantech sector by being a co-founder of cleantech startups, accelerators and funds. For the past years, Karl has concentrated on RAIKU’s vision to substitute high carbon footprint packaging materials with a 100% natural and compostable packaging. It is extremely efficient and clean production process saving multiple times of water, energy and forest compared to current alternatives. Most importantly, it creates no harm to environment after its use, wherever it ends up. This radical new approach helps mitigate Europe’s rather low ambitions in packaging recycling as the 2030 goal is only 70% recycling rate.

Ludwig Goris

Obtained a Master in Chemistry (UGent) and a PhD in Physics (Hasselt University) focusing on organic solar cells research. After his post-doctoral scholarship at Stanford University Ludwig re-joined Hasselt University to develop new thin film diamond applications. In parallel, he was actively involved in technology transfer from lab to start-up company. Ludwig joined Capricorn in 2011.

Marek Kiisa

Markku Ylönen

Markku Ylönen is a co-Founder and CTO in Polar Night Energy Oy, which is based in Tampere, Finland. He has a background in power plant engineering, heat transfer physics, and flow dynamics. He has a PhD degree in applied mechanics from a joint doctoral program between Grenoble University and Tampere University. Markku founded Polar Night Energy with Tommi Eronen in 2018, and since them they have been building a success story based on high temperature solid material heat storages.

Marko Virkebau

Martin Schichtel

Martin was born in Saarbrücken, Germany, in 1969. He graduated with a doctorate degree in Chemistry from the University of Saarland with a focus on Nanoparticle Composites and Smart Coatings. Martin founded Kraftblock together with his co-founder Susanne in 2014.

He filed his first patent in 1998 and has 20 years of experience in material development, production and sales. As the Head of the Department of Ceramics he developed the Department of Polymer Nanoparticle Composites at the Institute for New Materials, University of Saarland. Subsequently he headed the Smart Coatings division at ItN Nanovation AG.

Milena Roveda

Nicolas De Witt

Nicolas joined the Paris office’s corporate department as partner in November 2008. Admitted to the Paris and New York Bars, Nicolas specializes in financing transactions for listed and non-listed corporations.

He has extensive expertise in fund raising (from venture capital to LBO transactions) and M&A transactions, advising both French and international clients, investment funds, managers or targets.

For over 15 years now, Nicolas has been advising issuers or banks on stock exchange law, in the context of initial public offerings, rights offering, block sales, public offers to buy or exchange, and delisting on French and American markets.

He also advises issuers as part of tax exemption transactions by public offering without listing.

Nicole Cerulli

Nicole is an Associate, Transportation & Logistics at Cleantech Group and is based in Spain.  She focuses on emerging innovation and trends in transportation and logistics and has experience across all cleantech sectors.  ​

Nicole earned a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies and Sustainable Development from Barnard College and a Master’s in Urban Resilience Design and Management from Universitat Internacional de Catalunya.​

Peter Hellich

Rasmus Udde

We invest in pre-seed & seed electrification startups with at least a little traction to show.

Sebastian Leaper

Seb co-founded Watercycle Technologies while researching for a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Manchester. His passion for sustainability has been with him since school and lies at the heart of the company’s ethos. Driven by curiosity and a desire to create change for the better, Seb hopes to inspire people to work together to build a greener future.

Selene Law

Selene is a Senior Associate leading Energy & Power research at Cleantech Group and is based in the UK. Selene has over ten years of experience working in the energy sector in analytical and journalistic capacities, covering the entire value chain from upstream oil to power and renewables.

Prior to Cleantech Group, Selene worked at S&P Global, Wood Mackenzie and Fitch Research. ​

Selene has a degree in Journalism from Falmouth University in Cornwall, UK, and a postgraduate degree in international relations from the University of Bristol.

Siim Täkker

Sille Pettai

Sille Pettai, CEO and fund manager, has worked at SmartCap since 2016. Sille has a broad experience in investment management positions, e.g. Swedbank Investment Funds and Estonian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association.

Taavi Madiberk

Taavi Madiberk is the CEO & Co-Founder of Skeleton Technologies, a Global Cleantech 100 company and a European leader in high-power, fast-charging energy storage for transportation, grid, automotive, and industrial applications. Skeleton’s supercapacitors and SuperBattery decrease CO2 emissions and fuel consumption, improve power quality, and empower wider electrification of the biggest industries globally, with a clear focus on hard-to-decarbonize sectors.

Skeleton Technologies Group currently employs more than 300 people and has four main locations: its HQ, electrical engineering and module development in Tallinn (Estonia), its supercapacitor manufacturing in Großröhrsdorf (Germany), its materials development in Bitterfeld-Wolfen (Germany), and its future new factory, which will be the largest supercapacitor factory in the world, in Markranstädt (Germany). The company also has offices and subsidiaries in Finland and France.

Taavi co-founded the company at the age of 21 in Estonia. Since its inception, Skeleton has raised over 300 M EUR from public and private investors such as Marubeni Corporation, Innoenergy – Europe’s top cleantech investor – as well as executives from CAF group and co-founders of Adyen, Wise, and Ctek. Skeleton’s customers list includes Siemens, GE, CAF, Skoda Electric, Honda Performance Development, Martinrea Effenco, the European Space Agency, among others.

Tobias Seikel

Tobias Seikel is a senior investment professional with extensive experience in Venture Capital and building startups in the DACH region. He is Co-founder and General Partner at Planet A, believing that it is indispensable to address climate change as well as other pressing environmental issues of our time.

Previously, Tobias acted as Managing Partner at Hamburg based early-stage investor and company builder Hanse Ventures, where he was responsible for the operational management (including the HR activities as well as the trainee program), the business development and the overall project management with the portfolio firms.

Prior to joining Hanse Ventures in its early days in 2011, Tobias worked almost 10 years in publishing. He began his working career as a trainee at Bertelsmann (Gruner+Jahr), moved on to work as the Executive Assistant to the President & CEO of Gruner+Jahr International, before he established the company’s magazine business as Managing Director in Croatia and was then appointed Deputy Managing Director of a Bertelsmann (Gruner+Jahr International) joint venture with Finnish Sanoma Group and Austrian Styria Media Group operating throughout Eastern Europe. Moving back to Germany after more than three years, as Publishing Director of one of Germany’s leading news magazines, stern, and Publishing Director of Europe’s leading art magazine, Art, he was responsible for the magazines’ development and strategic direction from 2008 until 2011.

Apart from his Planet A-related activities, Tobias is a regular mentor and supports several corporations with their advanced training programs or portfolio patronage respectively, such as Google and HMS Hamburg Media School. Furthermore, he acts as a business angel in several startups and as a regular speaker at industry events.

Tobias holds a degree of German Diplomkaufmann, a Diplôme de Grande École as well as a Master of Science from ESCP Europe and speaks several languages.

Yoachim Haynes

Yoachim Haynes is the Vice President of Strategy for EIP’s European Fund where he leads research, innovation, commercialization as well as LP engagement. He works closely with EIP’s global portfolio.

Yoachim has 10 years of experience working with startups, corporations and governments in the energy and climate space. He led the corporate innovation programs at Cleantech Group as a consulting manager where he developed the strategy for, launched, and operated multiple corporate venturing programs, including multi-stakeholder pilot project processes and CVCs. He also delivered clean technology market assessments, market entry strategy and other climate impact projects for governments and corporations. His clients in North America, Europe, and Asia operated across a diverse set of industries including heavy industry (e.g., steel, oil and gas, cement), power generation, real estate, agriculture, mobility and FMCG.  

He has a Bachelor of Science in Earth and Environmental Engineering from Columbia University (Cum Laude, C.P. Davis Scholar, Tau Beta Pi). He now lives in London but has spent most of his life in Trinidad and Tobago where he grew up. 

Zainab Gilani

Zainab is an Associate, Energy & Power at Cleantech Group and is based in the U.S.  She is focused on emerging innovation and trends in Energy & Power and has experience across all Cleantech Group sectors. ​

Zainab has experience working on circular economy solutions including evaluating recycling challenges and reuse systems, identifying collection strategies for marine plastics, and collaborating with informal waste worker collectives. ​

Zainab earned her Bachelor’s degrees in Physics and English from Binghamton University. ​