We are driven by a vision of sustainability for all

The team comprises founders, professional management, broad R&D, engineering and commercial expertise, all committed to bringing the technology to market.

Krisztina Kovacs-Schreiner

Krisztina Kovacs-Schreiner
Krisztina is a Biochemical Engineer by training and has over 10 years of experience working in the technology sphere. Previously, she worked as Project and Business Development Manager at Biome Bioplastics Ltd, managing a portfolio of collaborative, biomass to novel bioplastics R&D projects. Krisztina also has considerable experience in taking an idea from the drawing board to installation and running a start-up company with responsibility for all aspects of the business.

Marcus Elmer

Marcus Elmer
Marcus has over 10 years of experience in bringing technologies to the market and a passion for biobased materials. He holds a master’s degree in engineering physics, and has hands-on experience of managing projects, people and companies in various positions. Marcus is responsible for the commercial activities in Lixea, driven by the aim to reach higher valorization and utilization of our precious resources.

Jānis Eglītis

Jānis Eglītis
Janis is a Chemical Engineer supporting the scale-up and design of the Dendronic process and working on cellulose and lignin properties and applications. He has 5 years of consultancy experience within the field of Environment and Water, with a particular focus on process optimisation and support, technology evaluation, as well as scientific/quality strategy development. Janis completed his master’s degree at Heriot Watt University where he worked on valorisation of lignocellulose derived intermediate compounds.

Carl-Magnus Brandén

Carl-Magnus Brandén

Katarina Vallhagen

Katarina Vallhagen
Katarina has 20 years of experience in technical sales within the pulp and paper industry. She has been working with equipment and process solutions for kraft fiber lines and is specialized in mass and heat balances.

Elías García Verstraete

Elías García Verstraete
Elias is trained as a Chemist within the fields of materials science and green chemistry. He completed his master studies in Biobased Materials at Maastricht University’s faculty of Science and Engineering (The Netherlands), in collaboration with the Ionic Liquids Group at the Università di Pisa (Italy). During his studies, Elias worked on the dissolution ability of ionic liquids for various types of polysaccharides.

Niclas Gudmundsson

Niclas Gudmundsson
Niclas has had different experiences in sales and e-commerce before he started working in the production industry. Now he is a well-established operator with 6 years of experience in the steel industry.

Gioia Al-Shalabi

Gioia Al-Shalabi

Dr Christer Gustavsson

Dr Christer Gustavsson
Christer has 30 years' experience from the forest- and energy business, spanning from engineering to business development and investing. He holds a PhD in energy systems analysis and is passionate about developing research results to innovations and business.

Dr Agi Brandt-Talbot

Dr Agi Brandt-Talbot
Agi obtained her PhD from Imperial College in 2011. She originally developed the Dendronic process and has since continued working on it at Imperial College in Jason’s team and is now heading her own research group at Imperial College’s Chemistry Department where she investigates novel lignin materials. In 2015 she was awarded the President's award of excellence for outstanding early career researcher and in 2016 the Sir William Wakeham Award for having made a significant contribution to her research field.

Professor Jason Hallett

Professor Jason Hallett
Jason is Professor in Sustainable Chemical Technology at Imperial College’s Chemical Engineering Department. He leads a team of 30 researchers working in the field of biorefining, with a focus on industrial application. He has obtained more than £10 million in research support, including several projects under commercial development. His overall research vision is to develop sustainable, solvent-based chemical processes based on biorenewables that have real-world impact improving everyday life.

Dr Florence Gschwend

Dr Florence Gschwend
Florence is co-founder and CTO of Lixea. She is a co-inventor of the Dendronic process and has over 10 years of experience working in the ionic liquid and biomass fields. She has received numerous accolades, including
the EIT Change Award and the IChemE Young Researcher Award. She is passionate about using her skills to make a lasting difference to the environment and society and has been named as one of Europe’s most promising game-changers under 30 by Forbes.

Ulla-Britt Frajdin-Hellqvist

Ulla-Britt Frajdin-Hellqvist
Ulla-Britt Fräjdin Hellqvist has extensive experience from industry, ICT, environment, research and industrial policy and social development. Since 2006 she has worked as a business advisor and independent board member. She holds a master’s degree in Engineering Physics from Chalmers University of Technology, and is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA)
Ulla-Britt has more than 30 years of experience from working in more than 50 listed companies, private and state-owned companies, for-profit, and non-profit foundations, and research programs.
Picture owned by Mycronics.
Lixea’s board

Krisztina Kovacs-Schreiner

Krisztina Kovacs-Schreiner
Krisztina is a Biochemical Engineer by training and has over 10 years of experience working in the technology sphere. Previously, she worked as Project and Business Development Manager at Biome Bioplastics Ltd, managing a portfolio of collaborative, biomass to novel bioplastics R&D projects. Krisztina also has considerable experience in taking an idea from the drawing board to installation and running a start-up company with responsibility for all aspects of the business.

Dr Christer Gustavsson

Dr Christer Gustavsson
Christer has 30 years' experience from the forest- and energy business, spanning from engineering to business development and investing. He holds a PhD in energy systems analysis and is passionate about developing research results to innovations and business.

Ulla-Britt Frajdin-Hellqvist

Ulla-Britt Frajdin-Hellqvist
Ulla-Britt Fräjdin Hellqvist has extensive experience from industry, ICT, environment, research and industrial policy and social development. Since 2006 she has worked as a business advisor and independent board member. She holds a master’s degree in Engineering Physics from Chalmers University of Technology, and is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA)
Ulla-Britt has more than 30 years of experience from working in more than 50 listed companies, private and state-owned companies, for-profit, and non-profit foundations, and research programs.
Picture owned by Mycronics.
Lixea’s Founders

Dr Agi Brandt-Talbot

Dr Agi Brandt-Talbot
Agi obtained her PhD from Imperial College in 2011. She originally developed the Dendronic process and has since continued working on it at Imperial College in Jason’s team and is now heading her own research group at Imperial College’s Chemistry Department where she investigates novel lignin materials. In 2015 she was awarded the President's award of excellence for outstanding early career researcher and in 2016 the Sir William Wakeham Award for having made a significant contribution to her research field.

Professor Jason Hallett

Professor Jason Hallett
Jason is Professor in Sustainable Chemical Technology at Imperial College’s Chemical Engineering Department. He leads a team of 30 researchers working in the field of biorefining, with a focus on industrial application. He has obtained more than £10 million in research support, including several projects under commercial development. His overall research vision is to develop sustainable, solvent-based chemical processes based on biorenewables that have real-world impact improving everyday life.

Dr Florence Gschwend

Dr Florence Gschwend
Florence is co-founder and CTO of Lixea. She is a co-inventor of the Dendronic process and has over 10 years of experience working in the ionic liquid and biomass fields. She has received numerous accolades, including
the EIT Change Award and the IChemE Young Researcher Award. She is passionate about using her skills to make a lasting difference to the environment and society and has been named as one of Europe’s most promising game-changers under 30 by Forbes.
Our Future
We are looking for commercial partners to take our technology global. Together, we can address this enormous challenge and provide a sustainable clean alternative for us all.