Nordic Tech Valley Talks

Inka Mero is the Managing Partner and Founder of Voima Ventures, a deep tech VC fund investing in groundbreaking science-based growth startups in the Nordics and Baltics. Voima Ventures aims to solve big global problems like climate, resource scarcity and health by combining science, entrepreneurship and growth capital. Inka’s passion and own expertise is in the new global business build and scaling innovations – from startups to global corporations. During her career, she has invested in over 50+ companies and co-founded 7 technology growth companies. Having been an entrepreneur herself, as well as CEO, CMO and CPO in various global businesses in Nordics, USA and Israel, she is listed among the Top 10 most influential women executives in Finland and servers in various trust positions in Finland as well as in boards of listed global companies (Nokian Tyres, MustiGroup, Betolar).

Kari holds a master’s degree from the University of Lappeenranta in industrial management. He has been involved in business development and management of industries in several fields. He has been developing business in the energy and climate sector and has been country president for Fortum for the Baltic countries, Country president for Alstom in Finland and CEO of the first emissions trading company in the Nordic countries GreenStream Network Oy. Prior to founding Uute Scientific, Kari was responsible for the University of Helsinki’s (UH) innovation pipeline for physical sciences spinning out about a dozen companies. Since 2019 Kari has been chairman and CEO of Uute Scientific, a spinout company from the UH and University of Tampere. Uute Scientific produces and markets Re-Connecting Nature forest microbe extract capable of balancing the human immune system. The vision of the company is life without immune-mediated diseases. In the past time, Kari likes to sail and is the commodore of a sailing club.

Erki holds two degrees from the University of Tartu in the fields of Corporate Finance and Investments and Money and Banking. He has been involved in healthcare and life sciences for over twenty years when he assumed the position of CEO of Quattromed. He has helped the company grow from the University of Tartu spin-off company to the biggest regional laboratory operating in three countries. Since 2013, Erki has invested in healthcare business models of today and tomorrow. His portfolio has consisted of Unimed, Qvalitas, Cognuse, Capster, LungPass, Transformative AI, Activate Health, Migrevention, Dermtest, Nanordica Medical and SpeakTX. For build-and-buy deals, he has had a long-term partnership with the leading Baltic Private Equity team BaltCap. Erki has been a member of the Estonian Association of Business Angels since 2013.

Erki has held several executive positions, including Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Enterprise Estonia and CEO of TREV-2 Group. Erki is the Founder of the Health Economy Association and the first HealthTech-related business accelerator Health Founders. Since 2019, Erki has acted as a venture partner for Europe for Singapore-based Verge HealthTech Fund and joined the team as a managing partner in 2022. Since 2020, Erki has served as the Supervisory Council member of the biggest Latvian university, Hospital Rigas Austrumu Kliniska Universitates Slimnica.

Mart has extensive international corporate business development experience in the financial sector across the Baltics and Sweden. With a focus on shifting business models, change management and fostering collaborative leadership.

As an board member, and angel investor, Mart co-founded influential ecosystem movements, including Estonia’s largest entrepreneurship program and the Innovation Leaders Club. Since 2021, Mart has been dedicated to creating a platform where research-based entrepreneurship and early-stage investors converge through UniTartu Ventures, a holding and investment company affiliated with the University of Tartu.

In 2023, Mart assumed the role of Head of Entrepreneurship at the University of Tartu, furthering his commitment to fostering deep-tech driven innovation.

Piret has spent most of her career in sales and recruitment. She started in the student organization Southwestern Advantage, selling educational books door to door in USA and Canada, recruiting and coaching students, with a following career step in one of the oldest recruitment agencies in Estonia, CVO Recruitment. After working closely with different international organizations, from startups to huge corporations, covering complex C-level hirings to high-volume recruitments, Skeleton was one among these clients, and she has now worked there for over 2 years. Today, leading a Talent Acquisition team, supporting and training hiring managers, and working with the most complex hirings at Skeleton Technologies. Educational background in Optometry and currently studying Sports and Performance Psychology, so empowering work environment, talent development, and acquisition are definitely close to her heart.

Marek Kiisa is the managing partner of Europe’s largest Japanese venture capital fund investing in deep technology companies. He has co-founded or managed successful companies in Scandinavia, Northern Europe and the Baltics, and later co-founded three investment funds. Marek holds a degree in engineering from the Royal Swedish University of Technology and later participated in the venture capital Kauffman Fellows program in Palo Alto, California.

Marek is the co-founder of Code/Jõhvi, an innovative school offering hands-on continuing education. The school currently enrols around 500 students. Code/Jõhvi’s education is free of charge for students and helps to reduce the growing shortage of software developers.

Internet pioneer and entrepreneur since the 1990s. 30+ years of experience in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Director of Hanken Business Lab incubator and venture studio involving 50+ members, including companies and associations. Heading a Ministry of Education-funded research project on Venture Capital for impact. Inspector of the Hanken School of Economics Student Union. In addition, chairman of the board, board professional and advisor for various family, growth, and startup businesses and foundations. Family companies include Captum Group and Rotator. Doctoral Degree from Hanken School of Economics.

Eve is an agile team and business leader with 20 years of experience in management. With a varied background in hotel front office, revenue, and general management, she has also spent 5 years as CEO of an Estonian marketing agency and launched the agency’s spin-off startup in 2018. With a growing passion for technology and what it enables for people, the Estonian economy, and the environment globally, she started as Head of Startup Estonia in 2020. Startup Estonia is a long-term governmental programme the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency runs to boost and develop the Estonian startup ecosystem. The team’s main objective is to help the startup sector grow by working towards favourable regulations, empowering the community, and improving access to talent and capital. Eve holds 2 Master’s degrees – one in English Literature and Philology (Tallinn University) and the other in Digital Transformation in Business (Tallinn University of Technology).

Kadri is a seasoned professional with 20+ years of experience in various managerial positions in the fields of business development, project and system management, service design, and people management. Enthusiastic about tech innovation, sustainability, diversity, and building scalable businesses. Recognized as a strong communicator and highly skilled in networking, lobbying activities, and international relations. Kadri has hands-on experience with going public with an IPO (Arco Vara), led the business development and communication spheres at Baltic’s leading law firm Ellex Raidla and PwC Estonia, and currently works with the Private Equity and Venture Capital funds and industry regulators across Europe on a daily basis. Her role includes formulating and maintaining clear communication channels with the government, ensuring continuous PE/VC funds market growth, and developing Estonia’s fertile ecosystem of start-ups and growth companies. She also works on tightening the LP/GP relations by promoting the industry and Estonian funds within international funds markets and encouraging potential clients to co-invest with EstVCA member funds and invest in the funds.

Vaido trusts that the triangle of knowledge, technology and humans holds keys to answers to many burning questions. He works at the intersection of academia, industry, and the public sector to create an environment in Estonia where novel deep technology solutions could thrive.

In his life, he’s been exposed to sales, manufacturing, strategies, startups, science parks and public speaking. Good sci-fi content in all its forms keeps him grounded.