Anna HjeltChief Business Development Officer, EcoCocon Nordic
EcoCocon is revolutionizing the way we build.
Anna Hjelt is a senior business and commercial leader with 20 years of experience across branding, marketing, business development, and strategic design in B2B environments.
At EcoCocon Nordic, she leads business development, accelerating the adoption of low-carbon, bio-based, straw-based building systems as a viable alternative to conventional construction materials.She also serves on the board of another Epicenter member, the French-Finnish Chamber of Commerce (CCFF), supporting cross-border business collaboration and growth.
Iara DiasCEO & Co-Founder, IKKIO
Iara Dias is the CEO and co-founder of IKKIO, a Finnish startup building AI-powered, smart-glasses–agnostic applications for people who are blind and visually impaired. Working at the intersection of accessibility, spatial computing, and wearable technology, IKKIO combines real-time computer vision, large language models, and edge AI to deliver hands-free, context-aware assistance in everyday life.
With over 20 years of cross-industry experience, Iara has spent the past decade operating at the crossroads of technology, music, and immersive digital experiences. She is the former Partnerships Manager at Decentraland, where she produced flagship events such as the Metaverse Music Festival, Metaverse Pride, and co-produced Metaverse Fashion Week, bringing global brands, artists, and labels into Web3. She has worked with blockchain startups to streamline royalties for songwriters, launched direct-to-fan platforms, and helped indie artists navigate the evolving digital economy. Her self-published book, Music Industry’s Business Models in the Digital Era, reflects her research on fan engagement, digital merchandise, NFTs, and direct-to-avatar strategies. Iara’s career spans product management, business development, product , procurement, finance, artistic creation and more.
As a founder, Iara has been part of Antler’s Helsinki cohort, the Helsinki XR Center, the DVRSTY Founder Program, and the Maria01 Pitch Competition, and was a finalist at the Fe:male Founders Summit. Most recently, IKKIO was selected for Slush100 and Slush Top 50, and Iara is a proud member of the Epicenter community.
Inka VuorinenDesign & Foresight Coach, Momentum Design
Inka Vuorinen is a Design and Foresight Coach who helps organizations harness the power of creativity and foresight. Their approach combines futures thinking with radical creativity, empowering teams to explore new possibilities and turn insights into actionable strategies. Inka's workshops are designed for organizations that want to move beyond short-term problem-solving and start shaping their own futures. Read more: www.momentum-design.fi
Lena Nymark-AkereleDirector, Vialto Partners
Lena Nymark-Akerele is leading Vialto Finland's team of 20+ global mobility professionals and advising organizations on Finnish immigration, relocation, tax and social security, employment law, and global mobility strategy. She supports both inbound and outbound mobility for clients ranging from startups to multinational corporations.
With a background spanning all areas of global mobility, initially in tax and social security and, since 2019 mainly focused on immigration and relocation, Lena brings a holistic, people-centered approach to complex mobility and global work matters. She is a lawyer (LL.M., University of Turku), fluent in Swedish, English and Finnish, and actively drives technology-enabled improvements in global mobility delivery.
Margarita FursovaCo-founder, COO & Lead Data Analyst, Paramatrix
Margarita is the co-founder and COO at Paramatrix, a Finland-based insurtech building AI claims automation and payout orchestration for the travel insurance market. She has 15+ years in insurance (sales, marketing, analytics), and previously co-founded and operated a travel-insurance venture.
Now she is focusing on making claims faster, more cost-efficient and more transparent through technology.
Originally from Russia, Margarita relocated to Finland in 2022 to build an international business.
She is currently an Aalto MBA candidate.
Tuomo VeivoInvestor, Redstone
Tuomo is an investor at Redstone, a leading European VC firm, where he helps drive Redstone Blue, a new fund dedicated to the Blue Economy. His primary focus is sourcing and executing early-stage investments across the Baltic Sea region, alongside fundraising and hands-on portfolio management. Additionally, he actively builds the ecosystem through research, events, and close collaboration with founders.
Host / Joey BayerHead of International Community, Epicenter Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki
Joey Bayer has been responsible for creating conversations that matter for more than 16 years.
From creating the space, to connecting key players, to driving and setting the agenda, Joey brings together individuals for moments that both transform and inspire.
Over the course of his career, Joey has hosted the world's most fascinating and influential people - from world leaders, like Bill Clinton, to iconic legends like Liza Minelli, to the CEOs of today's Fortune 500 companies.
Joey's intuitive ability to connect with others, his passion for people and dialogue, and ability to get directly to the heart of the discussion have earned him a reputation of trust and respect with leaders around the world, and made him a central figure in today's most important conversations.
