1. Could you briefly introduce yourself? What drives you, and what do you take away from this EXIST-Women scholarship experience?
I am a designer and entrepreneur in the algae industry. The EXIST-Women scholarship has given me the unique opportunity to test and transition my early ideas into a first implementation phase. I am really glad that there was such a chance.
2. Reflecting on your studies, what key insights have you gained, and what gaps have you noticed? How are you now transitioning into the entrepreneurial world?
My studies taught me problem-solving through design, but real-world application requires business acumen, market validation, and resilience. The biggest gap was bridging design with entrepreneurship, and I am now filling that by actively testing my concepts, building partnerships, and, most importantly, by talking with potential users as much as possible. Business building is very important, but what I have learned so far is that market validation is the most important of them all.
3. Can you introduce your venture and founding idea? What is its potential, and what are your personal and team ambitions?
As a team, we develop tools for farming algae underwater. Our business taps into algae’s potential as a valuable resource for textiles, biofuels, and bioplastics. Currently, algae are grown on plastic ropes in underwater farms at sea. The tool developed during the EXIST-Women program is a reusable, no-tech alternative for algae farmers, made from a single sheet of marine-grade stainless steel. Its lower cone shape creates an optimal surface for algae attachment, tripling production by maximizing growth and sun exposure. Overall, the concept was iterated over two years with marine experts.
4. You are already a team. What diverse expertise and skills are coming together, and why does this collaboration work for you?
Our team blends expertise in design, engineering, marine biology, software development, and business. Startups often emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary teams, and it’s true. This collaboration works because we balance creativity with technical feasibility and strategic thinking. We all embrace success and failure differently, as each of us comes from a different field. It’s sometimes astonishing how much we benefit from each other’s ways of thinking and communicating.
5. As a trained designer, what unique perspectives, approaches, or skills do you bring to a team? Is there a design philosophy or methodology that shapes your approach to entrepreneurship?
Sometimes I wonder what I truly bring to the table as a generalist. I am a designer, yes, but in a way, everything is design. To answer this, I’d rather quote my co-founder, as an outside perspective is more valuable for this specific question, than my own assumptions: he often says that I bring vision and excitement—through designed elements like our website, products, and pitch deck, but also through my own design personality. Without clear vision and enthusiasm, a team lacks long-term motivation. He calls me the ‘driving force’ of the team, and I suppose it’s true. As a designer, you naturally introduce new perspectives and concepts, packaged in a way that everyone can grasp. This is especially valuable in an interdisciplinary team. I may not be able to pinpoint a single concrete methodology, but perhaps that in itself is my strength.
6. Given your ability to understand complex systems and adapt quickly, are you navigating the startup world as it is, or do you aim to challenge and reshape structures like capitalism or patriarchy?
I would not dare to think for one second that our small team fully understands the startup or business world at a level where we could reshape it. Some traditional business strategies—when stripped of exploitative or unequal practices—are simply effective, regardless of how they are rebranded. At the end of the day, whether it’s nonprofit, profit-for-purpose, or sustainability-driven, it is still a business and must be financially viable to create lasting impact. Rather than trying to redefine the system, we focus on our project itself. We are mindful of fair resource use and ethical decision-making—values that guide how we operate. For example, it is non-negotiable that we aim to strengthen native algae species and ensure that we do not introduce anything that could severely harm the sea.
7. Women in entrepreneurship face unique challenges and opportunities. How do you perceive the landscape for female founders, and what changes would you like to see?*
I am grateful to live in a time when women founders are gaining more opportunities in investment and mentorship programs. So far, I count myself lucky that I have not yet encountered a moment where I felt undermined for being a woman. This is purely subjective, of course, but I sincerely hope it reflects a real shift in perspective—and that it stays this way. In the end, it should not matter who you are; only the project counts.
One aspect I would like to see change is that many accelerator programs require early-stage startups to forgo side jobs while building their business. I truly appreciated that EXIST-Women allowed us to remain financially secure while working efficiently on our startup.
8. Beyond your startup, what broader impact do you hope to create? Are there industries or societal structures you believe need transformation?
We have the opportunity to design and shape the algae farming industry, as it has yet to reach its full potential. When I think about the landscape, I hope people will not see our seaweed systems as an intrusive human-made structure disrupting coastal views, but rather as a seamless transition between the blue economy and free nature. Our early prototypes still need refinement, but integrating design from the start can greatly influence public acceptance of an emerging industry.
9. If you could pioneer something entirely new, what would it be?
I think what we do is pioneer work enough 🙂
10. Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share?
EXIST-Women has been a great experience in bridging design and entrepreneurship. My advice to fellow participants: embrace iteration and test relentlessly with your potential users. I made the mistake of doing this too late, relying on early assumptions. Proper market validation is crucial—one conversation with users is not enough. You need continuous feedback to uncover whether the problem truly exists or if a deeper, concealed pain point is driving the need.
