Meet Our Experts
Participants in the PLASTIC FANTASTIC Hackathon will gain access to a network of scientists, environmental organisations, business and funding experts, and inspiring entrepreneurs.
SPEAKERS
They will deliver inspiring talks about marine pollution challenges, inspiring solutions and successful initiatives.
Andreea Strachinescu
EU maritime innovation leader driving ocean research, policy, and investment, leading Mission Ocean implementation at the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries – EC, and advancing marine knowledge, blue economy funding, and clean technology innovation across Europe.
Lorena Silvestri
Co-founder of .jes, a changemaker studio and learning platform designing experiential programmes that connect young people, organisations, and communities to co-create solutions for social and environmental challenges.
Andrew Bownds
Co-Founder & CEO at Eco Brixs, a social enterprise building zero-waste communities in Uganda through a closed-loop recycling system that transforms plastic waste into durable, low-cost construction materials.
Stefan Kurandić
Stefan is Program Lead at Relevant Ventures, a venture catalyst that mobilizes capital and builds purpose-driven businesses addressing humanitarian and planetary challenges in overlooked markets.
Ruth Andrade
Systems activist and environmental strategist shaping Lush’s sustainability vision, combining regenerative approaches, storytelling, and stakeholder engagement to drive systemic change and support grassroots initiatives advancing environmental and social transformation.
Argyrios Moustakas
Co-founder and COO of Scidrones PC, the first spin-off company of the University of the Aegean specialising in drone and AI technologies for marine environmental monitoring. An Electrical and Electronic Engineer (MEng) from the University of Manchester.
Maria Westerbos
Founder & Chief Changemaker at Plastic Soup Foundation, a non-profit tackling plastic pollution, driving awareness, research, and advocacy to reduce plastic use, protect ecosystems, and mobilize systemic change through campaigns, partnerships, and science-based action.
Patricia Puig
Marine conservation expert and blue economy strategist with 15+ years’ experience, Founder and CEO of Oceanogami, a consultancy supporting governments and startups to advance ocean governance, restoration, and impact-driven solutions through innovation.
Andrei Geica
Andrei is founding partner at Sporos Platform, a circularity and impact investment platform. As a policy and impact leader, Andrei has extensive expertise in EU policy analysis, supporting organisations to navigate policy landscapes, mobilise funding, and drive impact through strategic insights and stakeholder engagement.
MENTORS
Expert mentors with technical and business expertise will assess and provide feedback to your idea or project and will help you preparing your pitch for the jury.
Uroš Novak
Chemical engineer and innovation leader at the National Institute of Chemistry Slovenia with 15+ years’ experience in biomaterials and biotechnology, coordinating major EU research projects and transforming scientific advances into scalable circular economy and bio-based solutions.
Jose Manuel Antón García
Blue economy specialist at Centro Tecnológico Naval y del Mar focusing on sustainable and circular business models, market strategy, and funding opportunities that support ocean-based innovation and the development of resilient maritime industries.
Eleni Petra
Project Manager at Athena Research Center, a leading Greek research and innovation institute developing advanced technologies and scientific knowledge in artificial intelligence, data science, information systems, and digital transformation.
Adelina de la Jara
Project Manager at the Maritime Cluster of the Canary Islands (CMC), a maritime industry cluster that connects companies, research institutions, and public bodies to strengthen innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable development in the blue economy of the Canary Islands.
Angelos Manglis
Founder-VP of Atlantis Consulting, Venture Partner at Metavallon Fund, Hellenic Mobile Cluster Facilitator, Adrion BAN Manager, and scuba instructor. Works across venture capital, startup ecosystems, and innovation networks supporting early-stage technology ventures.
Dannie O'Brien
Research and innovation management, communications, and engagement specialist working with ICORSA and the Northern Territory Government in Australia. Focuses on marine resource management, aquaculture, food systems, and maritime livelihoods through community-centered solutions
Alex Ziemba
Marine data and spatial planning specialist focusing on ecosystem services, integrated data streams, and modelling approaches using machine learning and process-based tools.
Gert Everaert
Research leader in ocean and human health, heading division at VLIZ with expertise in marine data science, environmental risk assessment, and micropollutants, advancing research linking ocean systems to human wellbeing through modelling, innovation, and policy.
Guilherme Beleza Vaz
CEO and Founder of blueOASIS and Director of Forum Oceano, specializing in CFD, data science, and AI applications for marine systems, advancing innovation in hydrodynamics, underwater acoustics, and renewable ocean energy including wind, wave, and tidal solutions.
Simos Malamis
Associate Professor at NTUA specializing in water and wastewater engineering, coordinating major Horizon Europe projects, and advancing circular water systems, resource recovery, and carbon reduction through research, innovation, and large-scale EU project implementation.
Amaia Rodríguez
CEO & Co-founder of Gravity Wave, an impact-driven company tackling marine plastic pollution by collecting abandoned fishing nets and ocean plastics and transforming them into recycled materials and products for brands and industry.
Dr. George Triantaphyllidis
Project Manager of Tasc Restore Med and CEO of MINDS Technologies. A hydrobiologist and environmental expert with 27+ years of experience in marine management, fisheries, aquaculture, and plastic pollution mitigation.
Fantina Madricardo
Marine researcher with expertise in applied geophysics and underwater acoustics, leading EU projects on marine pollution, plastics, and noise, and advancing monitoring technologies and policy through international research and scientific publishing.
George Sarelakos
President of the Managing Committee and Managing Director of Aegean Rebreath, an organisation working on environmental policy, governance, and advocacy, collaborating with public authorities, international organizations, and civil society to promote solutions for protecting seas.
Ioanna Alexiadou
Program Manager at Athanasios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation, which supports initiatives on environmental protection, employment and entrepreneurship, and actions that strengthen civil society and contribute to the common good in Greece.
Ruth Manzanares
Ruth Manzanares Rubio is a senior innovation leader with 20+ years of experience linking R&D to market impact. As Head of Open Innovation at AINIA, she drives tech acceleration and partnerships across startups, investors, and European bioeconomy projects.
Sandra Ramos
Marine ecologist and researcher and team leader of the Fish Ecology and Sustainability Research Group at the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research of the University of Porto (CIIMAR-UP). She focuses on fish communities and ecosystem impacts of human pressures, integrating stakeholder knowledge into multidisciplinary research to support environmental management, ocean literacy, and science-society collaboration.
Garry Kett
Marine researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research of the University of Porto (CIIMAR-UP) with a PhD in aquatic animal health, working at the science-policy interface to address marine pollution and climate impacts, focusing on plastic mitigation, solution testing, and stakeholder engagement to support evidence-based action.
Sergio Scanu
Marine researcher at the Euro Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change (CMCC) specialising in coastal sedimentology and pollution, focusing on marine litter, contaminants, and ecosystem services, and developing eco-friendly antifouling solutions while assessing impacts of marine renewable energy in coastal environments.
Tania Montoto Martinez
Marine scientist with a PhD background in microplastic pollution and monitoring, now focused on solution-oriented, impact-driven approaches linked to EU Mission Ocean, including nature-based solutions and innovation for real-world environmental implementation.
Konstantinos Tsoukalas
Civil Engineer with a specialisation in Environmental and Ecological Engineering. Konstantinos leads WWF Greece’s Mediterranean marine litter monitoring initiative “Adopt a Beach”, a citizen science program that engages the public in tackling plastic pollution, aiming to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainability awareness across the region while mobilising youth and volunteer teams to foster environmental stewardship and community engagement.
Oscar Aller Rojas
Marine biologist with 10+ years of experience, Oscar is a project manager at Underwater Garden’s International, a company providing marine regenerative solutions, working with NGOs, governments, and foundations to advance biodiversity protection and sustainable ocean management.
Sofia Sadogurska
Marine biology researcher, working at the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and environmental NGO Ecoaction, affiliated with the Pharos IZNASU team. Her work focuses on seaweed taxonomy and Black Sea habitats while contributing to ocean–climate policy and biodiversity protection.
JURY MEMBERS
You will pitch in front of a group of scientific experts and investment experts to classify for a chance to win.
Pablo Reche
Project Manager of the PHAROS project and Senior Researcher at PLOCAN, a multipurpose marine research infrastructure and innovation hub supporting ocean science, technology development, and sustainable blue economy solutions through advanced offshore and onshore facilities.
Gordon Dalton
Project Coordinator of the PHAROS project and Senior Researcher at PLOCAN, a multipurpose marine research infrastructure and innovation hub supporting ocean science, technology development, and sustainable blue economy solutions through advanced offshore and onshore facilities.
Sophie Lamprou
Co-founder / Owner at Impact Hub Athens, a social innovation hub that builds communities for impact by supporting entrepreneurs and organisations through incubation programmes, capacity building, and collaborative spaces for sustainable solutions.
Dimitris Kokkinakis
Co-founder / Director at Impact Hub Athens, a social innovation hub that builds communities for impact by supporting entrepreneurs and organisations through incubation programmes, capacity building, and collaborative spaces for sustainable solutions.
Elena Lamprou
Social entrepreneurship expert with 10+ years’ experience designing programmes, delivering training, and supporting 300+ entrepreneurs to develop purpose-driven ventures and communities.
Erna Karalija
Full Professor at the University of Sarajevo’s Faculty of Science specialising in plant physiology, biochemistry, and in vitro culture and project supervisor at ICORSA advocating for stronger support and opportunities for early-career scientists.
Julie Maguire
Director of Bantry Marine Research Station since 2005, leading research and innovation in seaweed-based climate solutions, aquaculture, and circular bio-based materials through multiple European projects.
Lida Tsene
Communications strategist and purpose-driven storyteller with a PhD in Social Media and Social Responsibility, combining academia, research, and cultural leadership to design impactful media, storytelling, and community initiatives.
Valerie de Liedekerke
Head of ocean policy at the Atlantic International Research (AIR) Centre, Valerie is a conservation leader with 15+ years of experience advancing global ocean governance, coordinating EU Mission Ocean initiatives, and translating policy into scalable solutions for biodiversity, climate resilience, and marine innovation.
Sal Music
Communications expert with 25+ years’ experience, including 12 years in executive management and C-level corporate roles. Served as a jury member for the Canadian Ivey Business School’s LEADER project business pitch competition. Founder of VERKLAREN; Head of Communications at ICoRSA.
Oscar Aller Rojas
Marine biologist and project manager at Underwater Gardens International SL with 10+ years’ experience in conservation, policy, and finance, leading marine restoration initiatives and working with NGOs, governments, and foundations to advance biodiversity protection and sustainable ocean management.
Andreas Palialexis
Research and policy expert at CINEA, the European Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Executive Agency, working on marine environment, climate adaptation, and EU programmes including Horizon Europe, LIFE, and EMFAF to support sustainable and climate-resilient transitions.
Organisers
