Søren, founder and owner of 1st Mile, holds an MSc in Mechanical Engineering and an EMBA from SIMI and has more than 25 years of experience in value creation within various innovation and development projects.

Maria is our scientific lead and focuses on the technical parts of the grant applications. Maria divides her time between being a postdoctoral researcher at the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and working at 1st Mile. Maria has a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences and has specialized in environmental science and groundwater quality.

Olaf is a Senior Project Manager at 1st Mile since 2014 and assists our clients by taking responsibility for administration, financial reporting and stakeholder relations in development projects. Olaf is a chartered accountant and holds an EMBA from SIMI.

Mads provides project support at all stages of application writing with a specific focus on business development and project management. Mads has experience working with funding applications from Landbrug & Fødevarer. Mads holds an MA in Italian Languages and Culture and a Diploma in Business Administration.

Marta is a funding consultant with experience in sustainable development and climate policy. She is a published author, having written policy reports, research proposals, scientific articles, and technical e-books. Marta holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Public Management from the University of Southern Denmark and is certified in Life Cycle Assessments by MIT

Manon holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Copenhagen and has over 2 years of consulting experience from Willis Towers Watson. 

Bianca holds a BSc in Materials Engineering and Nanotechnology from Politecnico di Milano and an MSc in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark.

Tao is an external advisor providing executive insights to optimize 1st Mile’s services to clients. His expertise focuses on managing and understanding interactions between startups, big enterprises, and venture financing.

Beate is the PA for Søren Houmøller and provides administrative support to the team at 1st Mile. Beate holds an MA in International Business Communication.