Douwe Dijk worked previously as a sales manager and business school trainer, and has been working as a senior project manager at Zernike Group since 1992. The Zernike Group B.V., a Dutch based company, is a dynamic growing international company in the field of technology transfer, facility management, patenting and licensing, engineering, and consultancy (accounting, financing, marketing and sales). The development of Zernike Group was initiated in 1992 by the management (Mr. Lex de Lange) of the Zernike Science Park in the Netherlands. Over the years, the development of the Zernike Science Park led to many new ideas on commercialising scientific development. As a result, the activities of the Science Park changed significantly, offering seed capital via the Zernike Seed Fund, Hi-Technology Ventures and Z-Finance as well as a methodology for protecting and selling developments, commercial marketing and sales of high-tech products, a department for accounting and tax support, and business accommodation.

John D. Dunning, Founder of CrossFire Ventures (CFV), is an investor in Silicon Valley and other areas in North America and has participated on the Board of Directors of several high technology companies. CFV has invested in many categories including: Life Science & BioTechnology, Internet Infrastructure, Enterprise Software, Wireless Communication Products, Telecommunications, Security Technology, Semiconductors, Financial Products, and Entertainment. He is also involved in several consumer product companies, including one that is focused on Anti-Aging and Immune Science, another that produces an Electronic Flare, and one that has invented a novel way to store spices and other small items. John is a member of The Angels’ Forum, The Halo Fund, The Keiretsu Forum, the VC-Angel Roundtable and the Alberta California Venture Channel (ACVC). Prior to founding CFV, John was a co-founder and EVP of Sales and Marketing at Zycon Corporation, a public Santa Clara firm in the Electronics Industry. Zycon was acquired in 1997, allowing John the freedom to enter the Venture Capital business full time. In November 2000, International AngelInvestors.org named John the Angel of the Year for his participation in the Internet/Software segment of the industry. John received his BSEE degree from Northrop University in Los Angeles.

Henri Grundstén, M.Sc., is currently working for the National Technology Agency of Finland (Tekes) in Helsinki, Finland. His responsibilities include managing Tekes’ operations in the field of new, technology-based businesses and coordinating the collaboration between Tekes and its strategic peer organizations. Trough his experience and academic background Mr. Grundstén has profound knowledge concerning technology-based start-ups in Finland, especially in the field of information and communication technologies. His previous assignment was starting up and heading Tekes’ office in Silicon Valley (San Jose, CA), where he worked during years 1999 – 2001. Before Silicon Valley his responsibility as research manager and head of department was Tekes’ financing for Finnish software companies and software-related research projects of Finnish universities. Before joining Tekes Mr. Grundstén has worked in different positions within software industry including engineering, marketing and sales.
Mr Grundstén received his M.Sc. degree in industrial management at the Helsinki University of Technology in 1984. At the moment he is also working on his post-graduate studies and research concerning new, technology-based venture creation and technology-based entrepreneurship.

Guus has worked in Private Equity since 1987. In 2002, he co-founded Axiom Venture Capital. He joined Alta Berkeley Venture Partners in 1997 where he successfully invested in ICT and Internet related businesses. Prior to that he was a Founding Partner in a European M&A firm. Before becoming an entrepreneur, he worked in international management positions for Bristol Meyers, a US pharmaceutical company, and Hagemeyer, an international trading company. He has always been involved with high growth companies or business entities and has worked with entrepreneurs throughout his career. Guus holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from INSEAD. He has worked in many countries and speaks 4 languages. In addition to being a Partner at Axiom Venture Capital he currently serves on the Board of a number of high-growth companies and he is involved with the Venture classes at INSEAD. Guus Keder previously also served on the Board of Iobox.

C.V. Ravi is currently CEO of Leegur, based in Helsinki, Finland and Berkeley, California – www.leegur.com. Prior to this, he was the Founder, Chairman and CEO of IA Corporation (NASDAQ: IACP), from its inception in 1992 until 1998. He founded IA Corporation when he led a management buyout in partnership with E. M. Warburg, Pincus & Co., LLC in 1992, and took the company public on NASDAQ in 1996. Ravi served as President of Litton Industries Integrated Automation Division from 1990 to 1992. From 1978 to 1990, Ravi was Vice President of Teknekron Controls Inc. and Integrated Automation. Prior to 1978, Ravi was an Assistant Professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department of the University of California at Berkeley. He was also the founder of a company that developed microprocessor-based instruments and an engineer in the Research Group for computing at Honeywell Computers.
C.V.Ravi received an M.S. and a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California at Berkeley and a B.Tech (Hons.) in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, India.

Tommi Rasila holds M.Sc. in Engineering from the Tampere University of Technology from 1992. Before and since that he has actively participated in several companies as a founder or an owner. The latest achievement in serial entrepreneur Rasila's career was home theatre and sound reproducer manufacturer Sample Rate Systems established in 1993. The company was bought out in May 2000 by world's second largest electronics manufacturing services company Flextronics International (Nasdaq: FLEX).
For the time being Rasila is a full-time Ph.D. Student preparing his dissertation on V2C activity. He is also still actively involved in several early stage hi-tech companies as a member of board or an advisor.

Dr. Marko Seppä is founding Director of eBRC, the joint e-Business Research Center of Tampere University of Technology and University of Tampere, founded in Finland as part of the eTampere Knowledge Society Development Program in 2001. During 1997-2000 he served the University of Jyväskylä as Ph.D. Student, Senior Lecturer, and Assistant Professor of Corporate Strategy. Before his academic career, Dr. Seppä served in the venture capital industry for 10 years. After apprenticeship years at Panostaja plc, he established the group's emerging market arm, FVC, as founding Managing Director in 1991. Later, he took FVC through MBO and led the partnership until partial sale to Thominvest Oy. Since 1997 he has been engaged in "venture-to-capital" (V2C) activity via his private company. Marko Seppä holds a Ph.D. in Corporate Strategy from the University of Jyväskylä and an M.Sc. in Management from the University of Tampere. In 1990-1991, he completed a significant part of his Ph.D. course work as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Oregon, USA.