Minas Apelian

Minas joined CertainTeed Corporation in 2013 following tenures at J.M. Huber and Mobil Oil Corporation. His experience in General Management, Operations, Research & Development, and Innovation informs his visionary pragmatism. Today he leads and shapes CertainTeed’s innovation strategy and launched a customer-focused platform approach to R&D for the business. Minas holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University and Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering from MIT. He has authored a number of papers and is an inventor or co-inventor on 17 patents.

Personally, he is an avid wine enthusiast and foodie.

Paula González Díaz

Based in Paris, Paula seeks the best startups from all over the world to build strategic partnerships with Saint-Gobain’s family of companies for mutual growth. She focuses on innovative solutions to increase the comfort and well-being of building occupants, as well as robotic solutions to gain productivity at job sites.

Prior to joining NOVA in 2014, she worked for 13 years at Saint-Gobain locations in Spain, France and China, starting her career in various operating roles such as Specialty Glass Quality Manager, Production and Processing Line Manager before moving to a role as the R&D Manager for teams focused on the development and validation of new products and processes for the Saint-Gobain Innovative Materials sector.

Paula holds a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Oviedo with an Erasmus Stay at the University of Surrey.

Her passions include dancing and traveling around the world to discover and learn from different cultures.

Delphine Hautoy

Based in Paris, Delphine focuses on startups exploring augmented and virtual realities that may have both internal and external applications for Saint-Gobain’s family of companies across the world.

Her most extensive past experience involves talent management roles, where she oversaw different leadership and succession planning programs across a range of industries, enabling her to tap into her diverse experiences to share best practices across industries in a systemic way.

At NOVA, Delphine enjoys connecting the dots among businesses, people and ideas, always keeping in mind her belief that these things are stronger together. She recently set up AR pilots in plants and used this focus on next-gen manufacturing to support initiatives surrounding Industry 4.0, including implementing a digital solution for Saint-Gobain’s construction products contractors to make quotes and sales to homeowners more efficient.

Delphine graduated with a Master’s in Business Management from SKEMA Business School, former ESC Lille.

Delphine enjoys traveling, discovering new cities and different cuisines, and cooking for her friends.

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Jonathan Bainée

Jonathan identifies new opportunities for collaborations between startups and Saint-Gobain’s family of companies with a focus on the digital consumer journey and the wide range of technologies that aim to enhance building occupant comfort and well-being.

Before joining NOVA, Jonathan worked as a lecturer at the engineering school ENSTA ParisTech and for a French public organization dedicated to the promotion of photonics technologies and industries.

Jonathan holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Paris-Sorbonne University, where he studied technical and business model issues applied to cleantech, especially in transport.

He enjoys taking road trips to explore countries around the world.

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Raphaël Lanté

Located in Paris, Raphaël focuses on building strategic partnerships in the field of sensors and connected objects. He has worked in product development for various businesses within Saint-Gobain’s family of companies, bringing multiple products to the market, from flat-coated glass patterned by laser to fiberglass with nanoscale coatings.

He holds a M.Sc. degree in Chemistry from CPE Lyon.

Raphaël is fluent in four languages, thanks to his professional experiences abroad. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling and cooking for his family.

Zahia TOUTOU-MELINGE

Based in Paris, Zahia seeks the best startups from all over the world to build strategic partnerships with Saint-Gobain’s construction products' family of companies for mutual growth. She focuses on innovative solutions to increase the comfort and well-being of building occupants, to bring ergonomics and comfort for people who build as well as innovative solutions to gain productivity at job sites.

Prior to joining NOVA team, Zahia worked for more than 12 years at Saint-Gobain construction products’ companies in France and UK, leading Research, Developing and implementing new solutions with a strong cooperation with Marketing, purchasing and operations in a multinational environment. Prior joining Saint-Gobain she has worked for 11 years in academic Labs running Research and Lecturing in Algeria and France.

Zahia holds an Engineer Degrees in Civil Engineering at Algerian University and a PhD degree in Civil Engineering Materials from INSA de Rennes in France. She has authored a number of papers on Rheology of cement based materials and generated 10 patents as inventors or co-inventor within Saint-Gobain.

Zahia is fluent in 4 languages. Outside of work, she enjoys oriental dancing, mountains hiking and cooking.

Michel Boyer-Chammard

Michel supports NOVA as Senior Advisor, providing material science opinions, insider knowledge and coaching services to the team of venture managers. He is also the primary NOVA contact for matters related to ceramics.

He serves in the Ceramic Materials Division of Saint-Gobain’s Innovative Materials Sector, overseeing corporate development and new businesses. A veteran in high-performance materials, he spent 13 years abroad and ran several business units over his career in Petroleum, Consulting and then Saint-Gobain since 2004.

Michel earned a Master’s from the Paris School of Mines (MEng) and an MBA from INSEAD.

An avid outdoorsman, Michel enjoys mountaineering and outdoor sports. He volunteers with the French Foreign Trade Advisors Association and with another association for underprivileged youth.

Brigitte De Mattos

As NOVA’s Executive Assistant, Brigitte helps the team organize travel, meetings and seminars and she publishes statistics on NOVA's startups portfolio every month.

She joined Saint-Gobain Innovative Materials Sector in 2010, beginning as Executive Assistant and working with both the Advanced Ceramics General Manager and NOVA Director before joining NOVA’s team full time in 2011. Brigitte’s career at Saint-Gobain has spanned a range of sectors, with executive assistant roles for HR and R&D executive leaders.

Brigitte likes to discover different countries and cultures. She has lived in Spain and in the U.S., and she has enjoyed traveling to foreign countries during her holidays.

Steffen Lammertz

At NOVA, Steffen is responsible for fostering connections between German ecosystems and Saint-Gobain businesses.

He started to work for Saint-Gobain in 2016 as head of digital in the Delegation Central Europe.

Previously, Steffen worked as wholesale concept manager at Telefonica Germany (former E-Plus), where he was developing digital innovations and value added services for the German telecommunications market. Two years later he became program manager at the United Digital Group in Düsseldorf, Germany. In this position, he was responsible for the holistic customer consulting and implementation of projects in the areas of customer experience management and digital marketing.

Steffen graduated in business law at Westfälische University of Applied Sciences.

In his spare time, he loves to ride his Mountain bike into the woods or go kitesurfing.

Markus Waetcher

At NOVA, Markus is responsible for fostering connections between regional ecosystems and Saint-Gobain businesses.

Previously, Markus worked as a technology consultant for a German project management company, where he was supporting the activities on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research with a major focus on consultancy for research funding. Two years later he became Director Strategic Positioning at devolo AG, Aachen, Germany. In this position, he was the economic and technical project leader of 19 joint research projects within the smart grid, smart home, and industry 4.0 environment.

Markus graduated in electrical engineering at RWTH Aachen, where he also received his Ph.D. in the field of propagation of high frequency electromagnetic waves.

Outside of work, Markus is an endurance runner, and he tries to spend as much time as possible with his family. 

Srinivasamurthy Sampath

 
At NOVA, Srinivas provides technology and market information on an on-demand basis for companies in India. Srinivas has been working as the Lead Manager-Technology Information & IT at Saint-Gobain Research India in the Chennai area since 2013.

Srinivas has been in the field of industrial research since 1998 where he started as a scientist, characterizing and developing composites for 2-seater aircraft for National Aerospace Laboratories in Bangalore.  Later, he successfully led several state-of-the art semiconductor packaging development projects at the Institute of Microelectronics in Singapore. His passion for technology information led him to transition to General Electric Tech Centre in Bangalore to a career defining technology/IP and market opportunities leading to new research programs, product development, and problem solving. In his current role, he built the Information Research and IT function for the R&D centre of Saint-Gobain Research India. 
      
Srinivas holds a Master of Science in General Chemistry at the University of Madras and a Master of Engineering in Polymer Technology from Delhi College of Engineering. 

In his spare time, Srinivas likes to follow emerging applications for artificial intelligence. 

Andy Turner

At NOVA, Andy is responsible for fostering connections between UK & Ireland ecosystems and Saint-Gobain businesses.

He started to work for Saint-Gobain in 1996, spending the first eight years in operational multi-site management before moving into central business and then corporate development roles, progressing to his current position as Strategic Development Director for Saint-Gobain Delegation UK & Ireland at the end of 2015. His responsibilities include strategic and corporate development, M&A, joint ventures, business models, innovation, and the circular economy.

Andy graduated in civil engineering at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne before going on to focus on economic and financial appraisal in the construction sector.

In his spare time, he loves to socialize with family and friends and enjoys travel, rugby, cycling, and the great outdoors.

Matthew Baney

At NOVA, Matthew is responsible for developing partnership opportunities between the Sub-Saharan startups ecosystem hubs and Saint-Gobain businesses.

Matthew started his career at Saint-Gobain as a Technical Support Specialist in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. His expertise in technical support and training management within the construction market was gained from almost ten years of management experience in the construction industry. 

Outside of work, Matthew likes to working out, canoeing, and getting involved with humanitarian aid.