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Rolf Kjærgaard
(Senior Vice President, Vaekstfonden)

Bio

Responsible for Business Strategy, Research and Communication at Vaekstfonden, which involves business development to identify new business areas and design strategies for implementation. As well as stakeholder communication including PR, press releases, newsletters and research reports. In addition, charged with managing Vaekstfonden’s loan guarantee unit, Vaekstkaution. Total loan volume guaranteed is upwards of $175 million and supports more than 500 companies. Also involved in the creation of regional investment funds.

Member of Vaekstfonden’s Investment Committee, which is the deciding body for Vaekstfonden’s investment activities that range from fund-of-fund investment to equity participation in technology start ups. Active in a number of network activities to engender entrepreneurship, business development and innovation, including Connect Denmark, DVCA (Danish Venture Capital and Private Equity Association) and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.

From 1999 to 2002, worked as National Expert at the European Commission, Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs, in Brussels, Belgium. Managed a portfolio of research projects on the consolidation of industries and increased competition within Europe in the wake of pervasive productivity enhancing technologies such as the PC and the Internet. Also involved in the monitoring of developments in Community wide markets for credit and equity to SMEs.

Joined the Danish Ministry of Business and Industry in 1996 after graduating from the University of Copenhagen and UC Berkeley. Worked as team leader on a special task force to coordinate new policy initiatives such as the creation of Mezzanin Kapital A/S (a private provider of mezzanine finance to medium-sized companies), Dansk Autoriseret Markedsplads (a regulated market for trading in unlisted stock), Erhvervsudviklingsforeninger (mutual funds that specialize in unlisted companies) and Guidelines on Corporate Governance . Chaired an EU wide working group to benchmark markets for innovation finance in Member States.

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Anne Katrine “Trine” Winterø
(CEO, MedTech Innovation Center)

Bio

MedTech Innovation Center improve rates of commercialization of innovations within medtech and biotech project. Primary focus is innovations in existing companies.

Profile

• Building and implementing new organizations, innovative environments, companies and projects
• Substantial management and Board experience
• Professional network and relations in the biotech and pharma industry and at Universities
• Bridging the gap between different cultures
• Commercial, scientific and strategic experience in building organizations and product pipelines
• Focus on business development and business intelligence in high-tech companies
• Healthcare, medtech and life science experience
• Instrumental in the successful merger of Symbion Capital and DTU Invest
• Network and in-debt knowledge on Danish and European venture capital industry
• Driver of processes and negotiations
• International experience
• Communication and sale of business concepts

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Karen Laigaard
(Director of Technology Transfer, University of Copenhagen)

Bio

Karen Laigaard joined the University of Copenhagen in March 2003 to set up and manage the University’s new Technology Transfer Office, servicing all eight faculties at the University. The Tech Transfer Office is responsible for the identification, the protection and the commercialisation of Copenhagen University’s research results. Karen was an active party in discussions with the Danish Government about Proof-of-Concept support to public research institutions, resulting in a Proof-of-Concept programme starting in 2006.

Karen is Vice-President in the Association of European Science & Technology Transfer Professionals (ASTP), the biggest technology transfer organisation in Europe. ASTP organises training courses, conference, seminars and site visits to each +500 members from around Europe and has a close relationships with like-minded organisations such as AUTM (USA) and UNICO (UK). Karen is also a member of the steering group for the Danish National Technology Transfer Network

Karen returned to Denmark in January 2002 after having lived and worked in the United Kingdom for 10 years (from 1992 to 2001). She returned to a job at the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and was in particular involved in activities related to biotechnology and commercialisation.

During her time in the UK Karen was employed for six years with the University of Glasgow’s commercialisation office, Research & Enterprise. As the office’s International Marketing Manager she was responsible for the development of commercialisation strategies and the international promotion of the University’s research expertise. Karen also managed the University’s involvement in World Bank funded consultancy work in Argentina and Mexico in relation to healthcare sector reforms. She participated in a number of trade missions as the University’s representative and worked closely together with the Department of Trade & Industry on activities related to Latin America. By the time she left Research & Enterprise, the office employed around 50 people.

Prior to joining Research & Enterprise, Karen worked at The British Council, Scotland, on an export promotion project funded by the UK Department of Trade & Industry and Scottish Trade International.

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Randy Mitchell
( International Trade Strategist for Private Equity, US Department of Commerce (ITA), United States Representative to the OECD Working Party on Entrepreneurship )

Bio

Randy Mitchell joined the International Trade Administration in June 2001, from the private sector where he had a history of entrepreneurial development in Russia, Japan, and the United States. From 1997-2001 he was founder of a start-up e-commerce company exporting U.S. consumer goods to the Japanese. In that position he built a management team that included former Fortune 500 executives including the former Chairman, CEO and President of Avon Japan. Along with his team he raised $3.5 million in venture capital financing and built strategic partnerships with some of the largest companies in Japan and the United States.

Mr. Mitchell resided in Russia from 1992 through 1996, where he built distribution networks in Moscow and St. Petersburg for U.S. and Scandinavian food and beverage brands such as Nestle (Findus), Sara Lee, Anheuser-Busch, Tyson, Subway, Campbell Soup, and others. This included working with Russian entrepreneurs in distribution, retail, and food service.

Mr. Mitchell is currently the U.S. government official responsible for private equity / venture capital and is the United States Representative to the OECD for Entrepreneurship where he actively works to export entrepreneurship. He is an alumnus of the 2005 Venture Capital Institute and currently represents the International Trade Administration on the Board of Advisors to the Latin American Venture Capital Association (LAVCA). Mr. Mitchell has also served as U.S. Secretary on bilateral venture capital working groups with the governments of Australia and the European Union. Mr. Mitchell, a speaker of Russian, has traveled to 36 countries.

At the International Trade Administration, Mr. Mitchell is responsible for:

• Supporting foreign investments of U.S. private equity / venture capital firms
• Increasing the exports of U.S. private equity and venture capital
• Enhancing the competitiveness of the U.S. private equity sector
• Enhancing the profile and importance of private equity / venture capital issues within the Department of Commerce and The White House