Meet the Venture Nordics participants of 2025

Cathryn is a Partner at Anzu Partners, where she leads the firm’s business operations and oversees its in-house law firm, Lex Generalis. She also serves on the Investment Committee for Anzu’s latest fund and brings a decade of experience from high-growth technology startups. Cathryn has been recognized among Venture Capital Journal’s 40 Under 40 Rising Stars in VC and she is dedicated to advancing women’s representation in private company boards through her work with the Women on Boards Project. Anzu Partners backs industrial and technology businesses globally, including Arduino, the open-source platform central to prototyping and embedded computing, which was acquired in October 2025 by Qualcomm. Anzu has existing relationships in the Finnish ecosystem, and Cathryn looks forward to deepening those ties as Anzu looks to broaden it’s Nordic investments, specifically in electronics and chemicals.

Furkan is Managing Partner at ISTCAPITAL, where he leads early-stage tech, private equity, and co-investment strategies across Europe and the U.S. With a background in entrepreneurship and scaling growth-stage companies, he brings both operational and investment expertise. ISTCAPITAL backs AI, healthtech, fintech, SaaS, and digital infrastructure ventures, with investments such as Spline and Eloquent AI (YC). Furkan is interested in long-term collaboration with Nordic VCs and startups. He also wants to explore frameworks to support portfolio companies entering Finland.

Jett is a Founding Partner at Broadway Venture Partners, backing capital-efficient early-stage technology companies. For 11 years, Jett was a General Partner at Headline where he partnered at the early-stage with several companies including Gopuff, NomNom (acquired by Mars), Honeycomb.io, and Trellis Research, and helped grow Headline’s AUM to $4B. Jett holds a B.A., with distinction, from Stanford University, where he received the J.E. Wallace Sterling Award, and a J.D. from Berkeley Law. Jett is looking forward to connecting with LPs, GP, and startups in Finland and the Nordics.

Laura is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Streetlife Ventures, investing in B2B pre-seed and seed urban climate solutions across mitigation and adaptation sectors. She previously scaled Citi Bike at Lyft into one of the largest transportation systems in the U.S. and over $120M in ARR, led urban tech diligence and new product creation at leading organisations such as Sidewalk Labs and BCG, and teaches MBA courses at NYU Stern. Laura is enthusiastic about building deep ties in Finland’s ecosystem and sees the Nordics as a natural fit for climate-focused innovation.

Luka is an Investment Analyst at CoastCap, a Vienna-based family office, where he leads due diligence and manages portfolio investments. His career spans wealth management, M&A at a private bank, and hands-on startup finance. CoastCap invests in impactful, scalable companies, with Isar Aerospace as a standout in its portfolio. Luka is eager to understand Finland’s VC ecosystem, from funding dynamics to vertical strengths. He sees opportunities for co-investments and long-term collaboration with Finnish startups and VCs.

Maureen is the CEO and co-founder of Baobab Studios, a multi-Emmy winning transmedia animation company at the intersection of gaming, Hollywood, and technology. She previously led Zynga’s Farmville franchise, helping take the company public, and has a strong record of turning entertainment IP into global phenomena. Baobab Studios works with Disney, Netflix, and Roblox, creating cross-platform IP with top creative talent like Eric Darnell (Madagascar) and Osnat Shurer (Moana). Maureen is interested in connecting with content LPs, genAI LPs, Finland’s game studios, and GenZ developers. She is also keen to explore Nordic genAI capabilities and partner with the Nordic content ecosystem.

Marrit is a portfolio manager at imec.xpand, where she leads the fund’s ESG strategy and is passionate about translating innovation into societal impact. She brings a strong international outlook and deep expertise in building networks between startups, investors, and research institutions. imec.xpand is one of the world’s largest funds dedicated to early-stage semiconductor innovation. Marrit highlights their investment in INBRAIN Neuroelectronics, developing neural platforms for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. She is eager to connect with Finnish universities, VCs, and founders, with an eye toward investing in semiconductors and nanotech.

Michael is a Partner of Planet Ocean fund – the first fund of funds in the ocean economy investing in nutrition, materials, supply chains, infrastructure, carbon and data.  Planet Ocean is a founder member of the 1000 Ocean Startups.  Michael is a certified expert for Blue Invest focused on the seaweed sector. He set up Innpact Fund Management SA as the first Luxembourg AIFM for impact funds. Over the last 30 years he has founded and managed VC, growth and clean energy funds, including 3TS Capital with Sitra Finland as sponsor.  In Finland, Michael is keen to expand the 1000 Ocean Startups ecosystem and to meet innovators in the core sectors of the Planet Ocean fund.

Norma is Vice President at the American Chemical Society, bringing experience as both a startup founder and growth scaler. She set up ACS Ventures, part of ACS Publications, to drive innovation through investments, acquisitions, partnerships and builds that advance scientific communication and knowledge. ACS is a non-profit with a mission to advance scientific knowledge, empower a global community, and champion scientific integrity. Its leading Nordic transaction was the acquisition of ChronosHub in Denmark. Norma is motivated by a venture mindset to learn from other investors and ecosystems. She sees Finland as an important hub for science-driven innovation and wants to build lasting relationships in the region.

Reinhard is a physician-turned-investor and the founding partner of YZR Capital, a Munich-based venture firm focused on HealthTech. With prior entrepreneurial experience in telemedicine, he brings medical insight and business acumen to early-stage investing. YZR Capital supports globally scalable healthtech companies, including Scan.com, Biorce, and DeepLife. Reinhard is particularly motivated to connect with Finnish founders and health innovators. He is also exploring partnerships with funds and institutions to tap into Finland’s healthcare innovation landscape.

Shawn is a Partner at Lowercarbon Capital, a multibillion-dollar climate fund founded by Chris and Crystal Sacca. He focuses on software and deeptech solutions for the energy transition, leading investments outside the U.S. Lowercarbon Capital backs companies making real money while tackling climate change, such as Cloover in Sweden. Shawn values building authentic relationships with founders and fellow investors. In Finland, he wants to meet LPs and co-investors while supporting the region’s role in climate tech innovation.

Yannick is General Partner at Emergence Ventures and has worn many hats in his career: founder, advisor, fund manager, angel investor, and board member. He has built a boutique Fund of Funds that invests in emerging managers, micro-VCs, and solo GPs, alongside selective direct investments. His portfolio includes companies such as Lovable and Magic.dev. Based between Copenhagen and Berlin, Yannick is deeply connected in European venture networks. In Finland, he wants to support portfolio growth in tech and expand relationships with the local investors.