Jan Lindstedt, Chairman (Sweden)

Örnsköldsvik, Sweden

Jan has, during the last 25 years, been involved in the development of advanced biofuel technology and the introduction of dedicated vehicles for ethanol in Sweden. Partly as Vice President at SEKAB E-Technology with responsibility to scale up and commercializing the cellulose to ethanol technology. Jan has participated in many applications and projects within EU COM funding system and was initiator of the Biorefinery Demo plant in Örnsköldsvik. Jan has been the General Secretary in the BioAlcohol Fuel Foundation since 1993 until it was, in 2015, merged with the Swedish Bioenergy Association when he became Chairman of the initiative Biodriv within SVEBIO and a member of the Board of Directors. Jan was, during 2003-2007, a member of the Board of Directors at the University of Umeå as the representative for the industry. With a Master of Chemical Science from Chalmers University of Technology, Jan started as an energy and environmental engineer in a pulp mill and moved soon after to a position of site manager for chemical production in Sweden. Today Jan is retired and support new start ups in the first development phases as an advisor. Jan is involved in local politics with industrial development, environment, and the climate as the main focus areas.

Gary Cass, CEO (Sweden/Australia)

Perth, Western Australia

Gary has a BSc in Horticulture specialising in microbiology and over 20 years’ experience working with bacterial nanocellulose. In addition to his expertise in microbiology, he has a broad theoretical and practical knowledge across the biological sciences including environmental conversation and molecular biotechnology. Gary was one of the founding directors of Nanollose Ltd, a fibre technology company that created Nullarbor^TM fibres – the world’s first plant-free rayon. He has been a key collaborator with numerous international arts and sciences projects, including Fermented Fashion, the first dresses in the world made from wine and beer that have been exhibited around the world. Fermented Fashion has gained much media coverage including Aol.com, appeared in the 2014 Ripley’s Believe It or Not and was part of World EXPO 2015 in Milan.

Neil Costley, Non-Executive Director (Australia)

B.App.Sc, GD Bus (Accounting), MBA (Finance), DFP, ADFP, Cert IV FMB, TAASFA

Perth, Western Australia

An accountant with 20 years’ experience in business management and financial services, having been State Manager with AMP for 12 years and Director of his own financial planning company for 6 years. Neil holds numerous qualifications including Graduate Diploma in Business (Accounting) and a Masters in Business Administration with finance major from the University of Western Australia.  He is also an accredited superannuation Trustee with membership of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia. When not working Neil enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, and is an active cyclist, triathlete and surfer. Neil plays golf, enjoys watching AFL and is an inaugural member of the West Coast Eagles. Neil is a long-time supporter of Adult and Teen Challenge, an organisation helping individuals battling drug and alcohol addiction. He has been a Director of the Adult and Teen Challenge Foundation for 15 years, the last couple of years as Treasurer.

Gun Blom Lundgren (Sweden)

Gun has many years of experience in business strategy, development and sales, HR, software and purchasing, including leadership at Swedish, Nordic and International levels with large companies. 5+ years leadership of entrepreneurial investment within a large international company (IBM) and met with more than 1000 startups/scaleups. Gun has worked with several incubators, like Bizmaker in Sundsvall, to support and help smaller companies with a model to ensure a quality and healthy business in a short timeframe. Experience in developing business models and how to create relationships/agreements between large and small companies. Gun is a straight and clear communicator ensuring that partners are speaking the “same” language – understanding how to create a win – win situation. CEO of a start-up, board experience and entrepreneurial funding.

Passion for innovative companies.

Magnus Hörnsten (Sweden)

Magnus has 20+ years experiences in pulp, biorefinery and bio-energy technologies with both theoretical and process engineering skills across these industries. Materials and process technology; R&D & innovation, product development & applications, production, and process design. Technical sales and industrial marketing; marketing strategies, market analysis, and B2B sales. IPR; innovation and IP strategies, I am an inventor and have run my own start-up, I have one granted patent.

Jonas Markusson (Sweden)

Jonas has a Masters in Organic Chemistry, with 12+ years in the chemicals and biofuels industry. Currently employed by RISE in a leadership role dealing with innovation relating to creating, maintaining and pursuing technology partnerships in biorefinery processes. Jonas has experience in building business models, analysing markets and value engineering in biorefining materials. As an analytical person with a business focused mindset, Jonas has a long experience of working towards the European chemical market.