Expert Panel

Anthony manages Cleantech Group’s research team, delivering critical insights on new cleantech innovation and opportunities for engagement to Cleantech Group’s clients in the industrial, investment, and policy communities. He is based in the U.S. Anthony joined Cleantech Group in late 2019 after over 8 years of work in US-China cross-border expansion consulting and start-up venture funding roles, including 5 years living in Shanghai. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of Rhode Island, a Masters in Sustainability from the Harvard Extension School, and an MBA at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

Gideon Blaauw is a Dutch National with over 15 years of experience in the financial industry in Europe, Latin America and Asia. He has been working on the design and structuring of impact and sustainability projects over the past 10 years. Gideon is the Regional Lead for CleantechHUB, an ecosystem builder for climate entrepreneurship in Latin America. Gideon has been living in Colombia since 2015.

Florencia holds a degree in Business Administration and a Master’s in Sustainable Business Management from Adolfo Ibáñez University. She has specialized in Strategic Management of Digital Transformation and Strategic Leadership at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and Adolfo Ibáñez University, and is a Fellow of the Global Leadership Program at Georgetown University. Recognized as one of El Mercurio’s “100 Young Leaders,” Florencia serves on boards of directors, strategic committees, and advisory boards for startups and public and private organizations. Since 2023, she has been the Executive Director of Climatech Chile, a trade association uniting Chilean science and technology-based companies that provide climate solutions across sectors such as mining, agriculture, energy, aquaculture, forestry, and construction. In her role, she drives the development of the ecosystem to support innovative, technology-driven climate ventures.

Diego Serebrisky is a prominent venture capitalist, Co-Founder, and Managing Partner of Dalus Capital, a leading Mexico-based VC fund. He specializes in investments that promote inclusion, climate innovation, and business productivity. Under his leadership, Dalus has made pivotal investments in startups like Clip and Technisys (acquired by SoFi), where he also held board positions. Before Dalus, Diego spent 15 years at Advent International and worked as a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Co. He has been involved in leadership roles within the private equity ecosystem and actively shares insights on venture capital and climate solutions through his blog. Diego holds a degree in Computer Engineering from Universidad Simón Bolívar and an MBA from MIT Sloan.

Nathalie Prado is Managing Director of Investments at EcoEnterprises Fund, a women-led venture fund with a 20+ year track record of building nature-positive, gender-smart portfolios across Latin America. With 20 years of experience in impact investing, she has been instrumental in shaping the Fund’s strategy and portfolio, backing businesses that protect ecosystems, reduce emissions, and strengthen local communities. Before joining EcoEnterprises, she was a Loan Officer at Root Capital, where she led investments throughout Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Rafael is co-founder of GreenMomentum Inc., a market intelligence and innovation company, focused on the Cleantech industry in Latin America. He has more than 30 years of experience in the Cleantech sector, supporting entrepreneurial and innovation initiatives, funded by international organizations, government entities and the private sector. The Cleantech Challenge Mexico is one of GreenMomentum’s more relevant programs, supporting more than 1,400 Cleantech start-ups since 2010.

Federico Restrepo Sierra is an entrepreneur and innovator with 15 years of experience in sustainability and business development. As the founder of Energía Vectorial, he has led the decarbonization of mobility in Latin America by promoting the adoption of electric vehicles and reducing carbon emissions in the region. He is also the creator of Impact Hub in Medellín, Cali, and Bogotá, innovation centers that strengthen the entrepreneurial and sustainability ecosystems in these cities. He has received international recognition, including awards such as Social Good Connector from the UN, YLAI from the U.S. Department of State, and the Orchid for Technological and Business Merit for his impact on technological and business development in Medellín. His strong academic background in law, marketing, and sustainable development positions him as a visionary leader at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and business development.

Adriana Suarez is co-founder and Managing Partner at MatterScale Ventures. For the last ten years, Adriana has been supporting, investing, and coaching entrepreneurs in the region. As former Managing Director of Endeavor in Colombia, she led the regional expansion, supporting +90 entrepreneurs and +12 accelerating programs around the country. Adriana started as an angel investor in 2015, building a portfolio of 10 companies. Prior to this, she was the Managing Director of Invest in Bogota, led the Colombian soft-landing strategy at Procolombia, and worked as a trade negotiator in the Mission of Colombia to the WTO. Adriana has a Master of International Affairs from SIPA – Columbia University and a business degree from CESA in Bogotá. She is married with two children.

Lizi brings a robust background in Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation (KEC), innovation management, and corporate sustainability. At Oxentia, she has spearheaded entrepreneurship initiatives, expertly designing and managing accelerators, internationalisation programmes, and capacity-building efforts for entrepreneurs. Lizi has also led comprehensive programmes to support universities, government agencies, and the development of regional innovation ecosystems, with a particular focus on cleantech, climatech, food security, and climate adaptation. With over 15 years of experience in technology transfer, Lizi has collaborated closely with research organisations, government institutions, and the corporate sector, often serving as a key intermediary between these entities. Her experience encompasses accelerator and incubator programmes in deep-tech fields and training programmes for mentors, policymakers, researchers, evaluators, and investors. Lizi has also served as an independent expert in Science and Technology Parks for the European Commission, following her four-year tenure as COO at PTLC, a leading science and technology park in Argentina. Notable programmes under her leadership include Oxelerator Colombia (cohorts from 2018 to 2021), the Leaders in Innovation Fellowship Programme (2014-2024), the Innovation and Cleantech Programme Perú, and GROW ABS for Biodiversity Colombia, among others. In these projects, Lizi has successfully managed and coordinated large teams and budgets, while maintaining strong client relationships and navigating the complexities of multi-stakeholder environments.

Lucia is a Partner at Salkantay Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on investing in early-stage companies across Spanish-speaking Latin America. She brings 12 years of experience in the financial sector, in venture capital, impact investing, and investment banking, with a career that includes roles at Salkantay, BBVA, Bancolombia and Bamboo Capital Partners. Lucia holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Universidad de los Andes and an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business.

Kirk-Anthony Hamilton is an architectural designer turned entrepreneur, investor, community curator. He is the founder of Infiniti Partnership Inc., Co-Founder of Tech Beach Retreat Inc., and Founding Managing Partner of NovaMed Health Inc. He is on a mission to build a new global business ecosystem for the Caribbean with platforms designed to attract investment, innovation, influence, and big media to the region with an aim to catalyze new enterprise and wealth creation opportunities. These well-recognized platforms include Tech Beach Retreat, The Visionaries Summit, Pivot, and Catalyst Health Innovation Forum. Participants in these knowledge and opportunity exchange platforms collectively control in excess of US$140 billion in equity and investment capital and to date, they have seeded over US$300 million in investments across various sectors. Kirk-Anthony's work has been transformative and impactful, as he leverages global networks and resources to solve major problems and implement solutions in the Caribbean. In 2024 Kirk-Anthony was named as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year for Jamaica. He has been celebrated as one of 75 Emerging Global Entrepreneurs by President Obama at the White House, and his work has been recognized by the World Economic Forum during the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. His work and profile have been featured in publications including Forbes, the Wallstreet Journal, Inc., Essence, and the New York Times. Kirk-Anthony possesses a Professional Master of Architecture Degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Felix Steinberg is an economist and has more than 10 years of work experience in managing climate impact investment portfolios for international donors and development banks. As director of the regional initiative CATAL1.5°T at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), funded by the German Government and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Mr. Steinberg promotes climate entrepreneurship in 8 Latin American countries with technical and financial assistance.

Bruno Arcadier is the Head of Vale Ventures, Vale's Corporate Venture Capital arm, investing globally in early stage startups to create the future of sustainable mining and metals. Bruno has over 13 years experience in Vale and prior to designing and leading Vale Ventures, held several roles within Corporate Strategy, New Business Development, Joint Ventures and Technology & Innovation. Prior to Vale, Bruno has a Management Consultant background with experience in financial services, oil & gas, mining & metals and food & beverage industries in multiple countries.

Federico has over 10 years of experience in international management consulting and project management. He joined Vista in 2018 with PMO and BD roles, having previously worked at SLB. He worked alongside Abbott and Vista’s founders on the creation of VX Ventures in 2021 and led the team through all investments to date. He represents VX Ventures in several portfolio companies’ boards. He is also member of the Global Energy Council of Global Corp. Venturing. Federico holds an MBA from Columbia and an Industrial Engineering degree from ITBA.