The trainers
Saskia van den Muijsenberg Certified Biomimicry Professional & co-founder at Biomimicry NL Saskia is the chairperson and co-founder of BiomimicryNL and Certified Biomimicry Professional with over 15 years experience in marketing, change management and strategic innovation. She worked for several Fortune 500 companies (such as' Lead GameChanger Innovation Workshop Program from Shell) and catalyzes innovation by others discover design strategies from nature, to develop them further and then translate them into real business opportunities. In addition, Saskia is an expert advisor for the Horizon 2020 program of the European Commission for Societal Challenge 5 Advisory Group, Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials. Saskia's love of nature was born on the beach. She was born and raised in the Hague coast, where you can find her still regularly. Leen Gorissen
Founder at StudioTransito, Transition Research Coordinator at VITO Leen Gorissen is a biologist and holds a PhD in Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour. She is the founder of StudioTransitio, a Belgian consultancy that aims to spark responsible, creative innovation tailored to our finite planet. To achieve this, StudioTransitio builds upon new emerging interactive disciplines focussed on social innovation, transition goverance, biomimicry & permaculture, i.e. innovation inspired by nature. Since 2009, Leen works for the Flemish Institute of Technology (VITO) as a Transition Research Coordinator and Transition Researcher. She is the leader of transition region Genk and VITO coordinator of the ARTS project (http://acceleratingtransitions.eu/) that investigates how to accelerate urban sustainability transitions. Topics of interest include: circular economy, urban transitions, new governance and business models, smart land use and biomimicry (learning from nature). |
Facilitators
Eloiza Savvidou Co-founder and Director at Chrysalis LEAP CEO of JA YE Cyprus Eloiza’s professional background is that of a lawyer (member of the Cyprus Bar Association) and a Chartered Accountant (CA, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland). Before turning entrepreneur, she worked for Ernst & Young LLP London, UK and Boston, MA as well as with one of the biggest law firms in Cyprus. Eloiza is currently the CEO of Junior Achievement Cyprus, a non-for profit organisation specialising in youth entrepreneurship education (5-25 year olds!). Her entrepreneurial efforts have been featured in local and international press and in March 2013 she had been invited to be a TEDx speaker to TEDx Nicosia. Eloiza is passionate about creativity, human growth and contribution, and her mission is to use her multi-disciplinary skills in the fields of business, law, and coaching to do work that she believes will bring on growth and make a positive impact on people. She is a high-energy professional that enjoys helping people make their dreams come true and this is the very spirit she enthusiastically offers day in day out at Chrysalis LEAP. Phani Hadjiphani
Programme Manager at Chrysalis LEAP Phani is a qualified lawyer, admitted to the Bar of the UK and Cyprus (and a member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple and the Cyprus Bar Association). She has worked as a lawyer and legal adviser both in Cyprus and in Brussels, namely for the European Commission. In line with her altruistic character, she has done lots of volunteering for good causes and pro-bono work to help those that actually need help. She has travelled the US, Latin America and South East Asia, spending 3 months in Vietnam volunteering at an orphanage housing children with disabilities. These experiences have made her what she is today: a multi-talented person with a vast experience of various cultures and the gift of communication. Since returning to Cyprus she has taken on several projects in search of a new challenge to her skills and abilities: mainly the organisation, co-ordination and promotion of events and international festivals. Currently she is part of Chrysalis LEAP, and from day one, it was as if she had been part of the team for years. She is project manager for all programs we run and an indispensable team member who is with Chrysalis LEAP because she wanted to be involved in something “fun, impactful and meaningful” that helps startups be all they can be. |