Now in its third edition, the HackSummit has become an annual highlight for Europe’s impact-driven founders and funders.
In just 4 month’s time, 1500 of the brightest minds in Climate will head to the lakeside city of Lausanne, Switzerland for a full week of jam-packed action, deal-making and events centered around the HackSummit on June 13-14th.
The expectations are high. The 2024 edition has already been tipped by Sifted as a top tech event and by Climate Insiders as a must-attend Climate event.
So to deliver a world-leading Summit, we’re scouring the globe to curate a speaker line up of the most cutting-edge founders, active investors and seasoned experts to join us for panel debates, intimate fireside chats and inspiring keynotes.
Without further ado, it’s time to meet the first confirmed speakers taking to the stage:
Biodiversity
Global biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate. New approaches to accelerate nature-based solutions are gaining momentum and funding to restore biodiversity and ecosystems around the world.
We’ll hear from pioneers and funders at the forefront:
🦋 Zoe Balmforth, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Pivotal Future - bringing 25 years of experience working with businesses, governments and communities to find solutions to biodiversity loss, Zoe co-founded Pivotal to provide the data and evidence that will drive investment into positive outcomes for nature.
🐞 Xavier Lorphelin, Managing Partner of Serena - Alongside his co-founders, Xavier launched Serena out of a shared passion for entrepreneurship, to back innovative entrepreneurs serving a better world. Now a mission-driven firm, Serena focuses on startups fighting climate change, preserving biodiversity, and advancing sustainability and diversity.
🌳 Sonja Stuchtey, Founder of The Landbanking Group - a business builder, serial founder, advisor and investor, Sonja is building on Tech for Good with the world's first platform for Nature Equity management.
🦜 Leo Caprez, Co-Founder at Brainforest - with 15 years of sustainability experience founding several initiatives and working on corporate relations at WWF, Leo Co-Founded the world's first venture studio for forests leveraging science, technology and indigenous knowledge.
🌸 Tim Duehrkoop, Co-Founder and CEO of XILVA - an angel investor and and early partner at Namics AG, Tim has turned his focus to reforestation as a highly scalable, proven solution for removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
Carbon
There's no way we can reach our climate goals without ramping up carbon removal. We are past the point of going for avoidance and reduction vs. removals. We need both.
That’s why carbon removals and reduction will be in the spotlight at the summit, with:
💨 Lubomila Jordanova, CEO and Founder of Plan A - having previously built a track record in investment banking, VC and fintech, Lubomila launched carbon accounting software to help businesses decarbonise and be ESG compliant.
🌾 Felix Harteneck, Co-Founder and CEO of InPlanet - a serial tech entrepreneur, Felix and his team are on a mission to sequester GTs of CO2 while regenerating tropical soils in order to create a livable planet with nutritious food and healthy ecosystems for future generations.
🪨 Jim Mann, Founder and CEO of UNDO - intent on preventing the worst impacts of climate change, Jim is scaling nature-based carbon removal projects with pioneering enhanced rock weathering technology, locking away CO₂ for 100,000+ years while supporting soil health.
Energy
As the largest emitter of greenhouse gasses, the energy sector is ripe for disruption and innovation across smart grids, storage, batteries, renewables and fusion.
To power the debate, industry changemakers and capital allocators will have their say:
⚡ Ramya Swaminathan, CEO at Malta - with a background in investment banking and CEO at a hydropower firm, Ramya led the spin-out of Malta Inc. from Alphabet's Moonshot Factory (formerly Google X) in 2018 and has been the company’s CEO since its founding.
💸 Till Stenzel, Partner at SET Ventures - leveraging almost 20 years of experience as an investor, entrepreneur, consultant and executive, Till is a Partner at SET Ventures focusing on innovation in the energy sector, especially in the German-speaking DACH region.
💰Veronique Hoerdemann, Managing Partner at Future Energy Ventures - with a strong track record in venture capital as well as the energy industry and commodity trading business, Veronique was part of the founding team of innogy Ventures before moving on to the FEV management team.
Biomaterials and Biotech
Going beyond fossil fuels and CO2-heavy construction materials at scale is key to limiting emissions, reducing plastic waste and reducing our reliance on raw materials.
We’ll hear how biomaterials and bioingredients are poised to be a key player in achieving this aim, as frontrunners in the field take the limelight:
🧱 Ginger Dosier, Co-Founder and Board Member at Biomason - an architect, strategist and visionary with a focus on materials for the built environment, Ginger has a passion for implementing biological blueprints to manufacture construction materials more compatible with our planet.
🪙 Fabien Koutchekian, Co-Founder at Genomines - with a double Master's degree from École des Mines d'Alès and Audencia Management School, Fabien first founded a deeptech healthcare startup then teamed up with Dali Rashid to launch Genomines.
🐚 Insiya Jafferjee, Co-Founder and CEO at ShellWorks - with a background in design, manufacturing, engineering, and entrepreneurship Insiya co-founded a techbio company that collaborates with nature to create innovative and uncompromising packaging solutions.
🛠️ Elizabeth Gilligan, CEO at Material Evolution - using waste materials and new ways of creating building materials, Elizabeth is on a mission to rapidly and radically decarbonise the cement industry.
🏠 Kidus Asfaw, CEO and Co-Founder at Kubik - named the Global Startup of the Year 2023, Kidus founded Kubik to turn hard-to-recycle plastic waste into low-carbon, low-cost buildings to give dignity for all through clean and affordable living. Kidus was named one of the 100 most influential climate leaders in business by TIME for his work with Kubik.
🧬 Russ Tucker, Co-Founder and CEO at twig - builder of teams that tackle the world's biggest problems with technology, Russ is Founder of Ivy Farm, a sustainable meat company and twig, an AI-defined bioengineered ingredients company.
AgriFoodTech
Regenerative agriculture and lowering our carbon food-print will take a front seat as investors and startups debate how we can adapt to a changing climate, reduce our impact and ensure food security.
Taking to the stage are:
🚀 Alexandre Bastos, Head of Front End Innovation at Givaudan - With more than 20 years' experience in the food industry, Alexandre has solid experience in FoodTech, venturing, entrepreneurship, strategy development and digital transformation.
🥙 Susana Reber, Startup Acceleration Lead at the Nestlé R+D Accelerator - passionate to positively impact businesses, communities and the planet, Susana connects strategy, innovation and sustainability in her role at Nestlé.
🥗 Jasmin Hume, CEO and Founder of Shiru - Shiru has created a technology that parses the natural world of proteins via AI to create & optimize bio based products across food, cosmetics, agriculture, and materials. Jasmin is both Shiru’s CEO and a Partner at XFactor Ventures, investing in transformational women-led companies.
🌾 Adrian Ferrero, Co-Founder and CEO at Biome Makers - a passionate entrepreneur, Adrian is on a mission to support the future of sustainable agriculture through soil recovery.
🌿 Marissa Cuevas Flores, CEO and Founder of microTERRA - an entrepreneur, environmental advocate, and engineer. Marissa uses food science to create circular economy solutions to clean water.
🏭 Mark Warner, Co-Founder and CEO at Liberation Labs - a transformative leader in precision fermentation, Mark is dedicated to delivering FOAK production capabilities for the alternative protein industry, at scale, driving down costs and increasing yield.
💸 Alice Brooks, Partner at Khosla Ventures - passionate about sustainability, agrifood, manufacturing and supply chain, Alice has worked with multiple startups in robotics, IoT, retail, consumer, and STEM education.
🍗 Christoph Jenny, Co-Founder at Planted - Wanting to make a difference to climate change, human health and animal welfare, Christoph and his 3 Co-Founders have been developing and producing additive-free, plant-based meat since 2019.
Investing in the Global South
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As the impact of climate change picks up pace across the Global South, better representation is needed to voice how underrepresented geographies are pioneering adaptation and mitigation technologies.
We’ll hear from capital allocators investing in these regions:
🌍 Muthoni Wachira, Managing Partner at Katapult Africa Food & Climate Fund - by empowering tech founders with equitable access to early-stage venture capital, mentorship and global networks, Muthoni is on a mission to unlock Africa’s youth dividend, build the continent’s resilience to climate shocks and foster gender-inclusive development.
🌏 Michal Klar, General Partner at Better Bite Ventures - With a passion for accelerating the sustainable food and ag in the Asia-Pacific region, Michal is Founding Partner of Better Bite Ventures, the first climate-focused food and agri tech fund dedicated to APAC.
Investing in ClimateTech
Despite the current downturn, ClimateTech investing dominated VC investment in 2023. And it is gaining momentum as we head into 2024. The capital allocators of impact will head to the HackSummit looking to find their next moonshot, make their next deal and catch up with their Climate portfolio.
Hear what’s top of mind for impact investors and how you can get on their radar:
📈 Keely Anson, Investor and Head of Shared Future Fund at Collaborative Fund - by partnering with world’s leading climate-tech accelerators and fellowships, Keely and her team unlock rapid, catalytic funding and useful resources to early-stage entrepreneurs working to solve the global climate crisis.
💶 Yair Reem, Partner at Extantia Capital - as a Partner at Extantia Capital, Yair and his team invest in daring entrepreneurs whose breakthrough ventures can significantly reduce emissions and accelerate the transition to a decarbonised society.
💨 Myke Näf, Founder Partner at Übermorgen Ventures - a former founder, business angel, engineer and lecturer, Myke invests in early-stage ClimateTech startups that share his mission to decarbonise the world.
💰 Melina Sánchez Montañés, Investment Principal and VP Impact at AENU - having previously set up a $5M Fund for the Alfred Landecker Foundation as its Managing Director, Melina and the team at AENU enable value-additive capital for tech-entrepreneurs who solve the climate crisis and advance social equality.
💸 Stefano Bernardi, General Partner at Unruly Capital - an impact angel investor, Stefano set up Unruly Capital, a $25M fund that invests in unruly founders building futuretech companies, especially around industrial decentralization.
👀 Derek Brooks, Principal at 2150 - a perpetual explorer who has dedicated his career to mission-aligned investing, Derek backs founders taking on the biggest sustainability challenges on the planet.
👩🔬 Namratha Kothpalli, Principal at Speedinvest - a former hardware and software engineer, Namratha invests in startups that are creating the foundations of a new decarbonised economy.
Looking Beyond VC
Foundations, venture builders, accelerators and angel syndicates are increasingly playing a unique and vital role in impact startup investing, to complement or replace venture capital for startups getting off the ground.
Talking about how to unlock alternative capital, we’ll be joined by:
🤝 Elena Cavallero, Associate at Grantham Foundation - a climate ally from the philanthropic world, Elena and her team believe in a science and communities-first approach to open-system interventions.
👪 Olivier de Richoufftz, General Secretary at Family Enterprise Foundation - with over a decade of experience with organisations supporting business families as well as growing and solidifying their networks, Olivier is well seasoned in the important issues business families face from generation to generation.
🚀 Jonny Everett, Founding Partner at Marble - a former founder and ex-advisor at Entrepreneur First, Jonny is now helping the brightest minds make the transition from lab to entrepreneurship to solve hard climate problems. He has mentored over 200 early stage founders and supported the creation of 30 startups.
💰 Yoann Berno, Founder and Podcast Host at Climate Insiders - after building and investing in top tech startups throughout his career, Yoann’s mission now is to democratise climate investing as a force multiplier to accelerate the climate transition via Climate Insiders.
🌱 Puja Balachander, Director of Venture at Carbon13 - an exited Founder, Puja is passionate about accelerating just transition through her product and commercial expertise. She is also a mentor, angel investor and advises local governments on decarbonisation via innovative policies.
🍷 Gregoire Letort, Founder at Xinomavro Ventures - having invested in more than 25 Wine- and FoodTech startups around the world, Gregoire knows what it takes to scale, from managing complex supply chains to managing cash, handling distribution networks, recruiting talents and assessing sales channels.
Media
Climate media are a powerful tool to inform, spread the word and hold entities accountable. With respected media at the summit, they’ll join our mission to build a global impact community and inspire new conversations between investors, founders and operators.
Already confirmed to join us on stage:
💚 Sonalie Figueiras, Founder at Green Queen Media and CO-Founder and CEO of Source Green - serial social entrepreneur and investor, Sonalie is back by popular demand to interview breakthrough founders and impact investors live on stage.
🎤 Freya Pratty, Senior Reporter at Sifted - covering ClimateTech, writing weekly climate newsletters and working on investigations, few people know the ins and out of climate like Freya. She won’t be afraid to ask uncomfortable questions and bring out the best of our speakers as she returns to Lausanne.
Ready to join them?
1,500 Climate builders, investors and operators are heading to the HackSummit on June 13-14th where they’ll get the deals done that define our future.
Make sure you’re there to take part in the action and get on their radar.
Use code EARLYBIRD to save 20% on your Summit pass.