Alina Sippolainen

Alina Sippolainen is the Nordic Head of Accelerator and a blue economy and innovation ecosystem advisor at A’Pelago.

She leads A'Pelago accelerator programs supporting the most innovative startups, investors, and companies within the international blue economy ecosystem. She builds networks between investors and companies, develops the ecosystem, and is active in the global blue economy community and in the World Economic Forum’s 1000 Ocean Startups working groups.

Alina holds a Master’s degree in Economics. She has extensive experience in nature respective business models, marine economics, impact measurement and management, finance, and startup and small- and medium-sized enterprise consulting. In her work, Alina combines business expertise, strong project management skills, evaluation of financial instruments, and sustainability objectives with both international and local stakeholders, particularly to scale solutions that promote ocean health and societal well-being.

She has a long background as a sea scout leader and skipper. In her free time, she can be found sailing, free skiing or exploring different cultures and nature, enjoying good food and the company of friends. She is also founding member of a Finnish sea art and design collective SEAS.

Her key contributions at A’Pelago include:

• Introducting the blue economy to A'Pelago team
• Building and developing relationships in the global blue economy innovation, investment, and entrepreneurship network, including the 1,000 Ocean Startups community
• Leading A’Pelago Blue Economy Accelerator programs: program design, partnership management, meetings with corporate partners, startup support, outcome and impact tracking, event facilitation, and corporate communications
• Developing the use of Ocean Impact Navigator to measure the environmental and social impact of the A'Pelago Ecosystem, Accelerator programs and ventures supported by A'Pelago

• Conducting market, sector, and company research in the blue economy
• Curating the A’Pelago Initiative event: program and experience design, speaker recruitment, event concept and scripting, product development, and leading the program team