Elén Faxö has a strong background in food innovation and commercialization, with prior leadership at the Research Institutes of Sweden. There, she led national initiatives like Food Venture Sweden and the Food Accelerator, helping startups and mature companies to innovate and scale sustainable food solutions. She has also held board roles with Livsmedel i Fokus and Inclusive Business Sweden. With a biotechnology and food science foundation, Elén brings deep expertise in bridging science and business. Elén joined OlsAro in August 2021 to lead its transition from research to market impact. 

Henrik Aronsson is a professor in plant molecular biology at the University of Gothenburg and co-founder of OlsAro. His academic research has focused on protein transport and regulation within plant cells, particularly in chloroplasts, which are essential for photosynthesis and stress adaptation. In addition, the effects of salt stress on chlorophyll biosynthesis in wheat has been part of the research. This research laid the scientific foundation for OlsAro’s tech approach, aimed at improving crop resilience to challenging environments like saline soils. Henrik now serves as Chief Technology Officer, leading the company’s scientific and technological development.

Inspirational leader with solid network and more than 15 years of experience in leading teams in the seeds business. Significant international R&D leadership experience working for Bayer, Syngenta and Limagrain in France, USA, the Netherlands, Israel, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium among other countries. Areas of expertise are seeds, traits, genetics, breeding and breeding technologies, product placement, gene editing and digital Ag. Proven success as CEO starting a technology company in the United States.

Amanda Axman has experience in venture capital and early-stage company operations, with a focus on supporting startup growth and improving internal processes. Before joining OlsAro, she worked with investment firms and startups, helping to shape operational structures and guide strategy implementation. Her work has centered on building practical systems to support scale and efficiency. Amanda holds a degree from Chalmers University of Technology, where she studied innovation and entrepreneurship.

Jonas Danielson is a molecular biologist with a strong background in plant physiology and stress biology. He earned his Ph.D. from Lund University, where his research focused on aquaporins—membrane proteins involved in water transport—and their roles in plant stress responses. He has experience from Stanford University, and his work has contributed to understanding how plants manage water under challenging environmental conditions. At OlsAro, Jonas leads lab-based research activities, including gene editing, trait validation, and experimental design.

Rana Essa has a background in biotechnology and business development, with prior experience in sales and account management roles. She holds a bachelor's degree in biotechnology and a master's in Business Creation in Biomedicine. Before joining OlsAro, she worked in sales and account management, where she developed skills in client relations and strategic planning. Her academic foundation in biotechnology, combined with her business experience, supports her role in driving OlsAro's mission to develop climate-resilient crops.

Emma Egonson is a lab technician with a background in sustainable genetic and molecular plant biology. She earned her master's degree from the Swedish  University of Agricultural Sciences, where her thesis focused on investigating heat tolerance in wheat genotypes through early phenotypical and genotypical indicators. At OlsAro, Emma supports laboratory operations, including sample preparation, phenotypic screenings, data collection, and analysis.

Sameer Hassan is a bioinformatics scientist with a strong background in computational biology and molecular biology. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Madras, followed by post-doctoral research at University of Gothenburg and Karolinska Institutet. At the University of Gothenburg, his research focused on the genetic mechanisms underlying plant stress responses. He further contributed to the understanding of spider silk gland structure and function through a multi-omics approach during his research at Karolinska Institutet. Sameer has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications on topics such as salt tolerance in wheat and the role of transcription factors in stress adaptation. At OlsAro, Sameer leads bioinformatics and AI development efforts, including genome analysis, data integration, and the development of the AI engine to support trait discovery.

Dr. Leo Melchers has over 35 years of international experience in plant biotechnology, seeds, and agribusiness, with deep expertise in business strategy, licensing, partnerships, and intellectual property. He has held senior leadership roles at companies such as MOGEN International, Zeneca Agrochemicals, and Syngenta, where he was responsible for plant biotech R&D programs, trait access, partnerships, and global licensing. Since 2018, Leo has been working as an independent consultant, supporting innovative companies with the commercialization of their novel technologies and products. At OlsAro, he serves as Strategy Advisor, helping guide IP development, licensing models, and strategic growth initiatives.

Olof Olsson is a professor of molecular biology at Lund University and co-founder of OlsAro. He has over  five decades of experience in plant genetics and crop development, including his role in sequencing the oat genome and co-founding CropTailor, a company focused on oat breeding. At OlsAro, Olof played a pivotal role in developing a mutagenized wheat population with high genetic variability, forming the foundation for the company's traits development platform. He continues to serve as a technology advisor, contributing to the company's scientific direction and research initiatives.