Our Ambassadors Programme is an initiative that involves partnering with key global professionals who have have a strong presence and influence in their respective communities
Mike Blackman
Managing Director at Integrated Systems Events
Mike Blackman is the Managing Director of Integrated Systems Events, renowned for organizing the world’s largest Audio-Visual and Systems Integration Exhibition. With a profound background in event management, Mike is a skilled manager excelling in Sales, Marketing, Business Management, Business Development, and Strategy. Over his career, he’s successfully launched tech events across Europe, propelling startups to profitability.
A tech enthusiast for over 35 years, Mike pioneered Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) in 2004, evolving it into the world’s foremost exhibition and conference for audiovisual and electronic systems integration. Under his guidance, ISE relocated to Barcelona from Amsterdam, reaffirming his leadership in the European AV Systems Integration sector.
Pepe Agell
Helping tech founders get to their next level at Pear VC
Pepe, originally from Barcelona, moved to Silicon Valley in 2008 and became a key leader at Chartboost, a mobile advertising platform acquired by Zynga. At Chartboost, he oversaw global operations and expanded the company’s international presence. Now, at Pear, he works closely with founders to improve their business strategies. Pepe recently returned to Barcelona and leads the firm’s EMEA practice. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities and holds an engineering degree from UPC Barcelona and ETH Zurich.
Joe Sanfeliu
Managing Partner @ Asabys Partners
Is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Asabys Partners with a 14-year track record in venture capital, specialised in investments that revolutionise healthcare and improve lives. He is dedicated to collaborating with entrepreneurs by offering financial support, industry expertise, board experience, and extensive networks. His diverse skill sets in M&A, private equity, strategy bring a unique perspective in the venture capital arena. He has co-founded and held board positions in various life sciences and healthcare firms, including MedLumics, Medasense, Cara, and Koa Health, and actively contributes to Oceanic Ideas, an innovation-focused platform. His overarching goal is to generate returns for investors and society, create value for entrepreneurs, and propel innovation industries forward.
Pierre-Louis Xech
Academic Programs & Partnerships EMEA – Program Manager at Meta AI
Pierre-Louis Xech is a Program Manager at Meta AI based in Paris, responsible for facilitating research collaborations between Meta, universities and research institutions across the EMEA region to advance Artificial Intelligence. He brings two decades of experience from Microsoft, where he held various roles in software engineering, program management, and subject matter expertise. Notably, he co-led the Microsoft Research-Inria Joint Center, a collaborative research initiative, and his technical expertise lies in Software Engineering and HCI, with a strong passion for creating software that seamlessly enhances human activities since the beginning of his career.
Nacho Abia
Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)
Nacho has over two decades of experience in medical technology, split between the United States and Europe, with additional focus on business development in Asia-Pacific. Currently, he holds the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Olympus Corporation of the Americas, a role he has held for a decade. Simultaneously, he serves as an Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Olympus Corporation, a publicly traded company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, boasting revenues exceeding US$ 7 billion and a market capitalization exceeding US$ 30 billion.
Pasqual Batalla
COO at Sandsoft (ex-COO @ Socialpoint)
Pasqual is an experienced COO with a strong background in the gaming industry, currently holding this position at Sandsoft, a company focusing on game development and investment in Riyadh and Barcelona. Prior to his current role, he served as COO at Socialpoint, a leading Spanish mobile game developer known for titles like Dragon City and Monster Legends. He has a diverse skill set, including expertise in M&A, project manage B ment, and team leadership, and actively contributes to the Barcelona startup and gaming communities.
Sacha Poignonnec
Entrepreneur / Investor | EDHEC Business School
Currently in his third career chapter, Sacha is a dynamic entrepreneur, redefining business strategies through unique approaches and mentoring fellow entrepreneurs. He has a passion for supporting early-stage start-ups. Prior to this, he spent transformative years at Jumia, leading the e-commerce platform to a historic IPO (NYSE. Sacha’s extensive expertise comes from a decade in consulting at McKinsey, Accuracy, and Arthur Andersen/EY. Originally from the south of France, he now calls Barcelona home, where culture, business, and quality of life converge. A book about his journey may be in the works.
Enric Cabestany
General Manager Barcelona at FunPlus
Enric Cabestany is the VP Publishing (Europe and LATAM) at FunPlus, a world-class, independent game developer and publisher headquartered in Switzerland. Having established the Barcelona publishing office in 2019, Enric leads the team there whilst establishing publishing strategies to support and grow FunPlus’ business in key markets. Enric has a wealth of international experience in the mobile and gaming space, and is particularly knowledgeable about start-up culture, managing cross-cultural teams and marrying the best strategic interests of a company with the best interests of its employees.
Anna Piñol
Managing Director at Integrated Systems Events
Anna is a VC investor with NFX based in San Francisco, where she specializes in Marketplaces, AI and Fintech. Prior to NFX, Anna co-founded Jupiter, a US based venture-backed startup in the retail media space. She has an MBA from Stanford and went through YC in 2019. Before moving to the US, Anna was also part of the early team of Amazon Spain.
Aïda Figuerola
Gaming
Aïda Figuerola is a leading influential figure in the gaming landscape (#1 European Gaming Voice on Linkedin), establishing the Bandai Namco Mobile division in Barcelona, bringing titles like Dragon Ball Z and Pac-Man to Europe. Known for being the industry «Happiness Manager», she currently leads the People and Culture strategy for New Games at King (Activision Blizzard). Originally from Barcelona, and studied in Boston, is driven to positively grown and empower the gamming community.
Mike Blackman
Advanced Manufacturing and Digital Tech, Global
Mike Blackman is the Managing Director of Integrated Systems Events, renowned for organizing the world’s largest Audio-Visual and Systems Integration Exhibition. With a profound background in event management, Mike is a skilled manager excelling in Sales, Marketing, Business Management, Business Development, and Strategy. Over his career, he’s successfully launched tech events across Europe, propelling startups to profitability.
A tech enthusiast for over 35 years, Mike pioneered Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) in 2004, evolving it into the world’s foremost exhibition and conference for audiovisual and electronic systems integration. Under his guidance, ISE relocated to Barcelona from Amsterdam, reaffirming his leadership in the European AV Systems Integration sector.
Pepe Agell
Digital Tech, Europe and West Coast
Pepe, originally from Barcelona, moved to Silicon Valley in 2008 and became a key leader at Chartboost, a mobile advertising platform acquired by Zynga. At Chartboost, he oversaw global operations and expanded the company’s international presence. Now, at Pear, he works closely with founders to improve their business strategies. Pepe recently returned to Barcelona and leads the firm’s EMEA practice. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities and holds an engineering degree from UPC Barcelona and ETH Zurich.
Joe Sanfeliu
Life Sciences, Europe and East Coast
Is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Asabys Partners with a 14-year track record in venture capital, specialised in investments that revolutionise healthcare and improve lives. He is dedicated to collaborating with entrepreneurs by offering financial support, industry expertise, board experience, and extensive networks. His diverse skill sets in M&A, private equity, strategy bring a unique perspective in the venture capital arena. He has co-founded and held board positions in various life sciences and healthcare firms, including MedLumics, Medasense, Cara, and Koa Health, and actively contributes to Oceanic Ideas, an innovation-focused platform. His overarching goal is to generate returns for investors and society, create value for entrepreneurs, and propel innovation industries forward.
Pierre Louis Xech
Digtial Tech (AI), Global
Pierre-Louis Xech is a Program Manager at Meta AI based in Paris, responsible for facilitating research collaborations between Meta, universities and research institutions across the EMEA region to advance Artificial Intelligence. He brings two decades of experience from Microsoft, where he held various roles in software engineering, program management, and subject matter expertise. Notably, he co-led the Microsoft Research-Inria Joint Center, a collaborative research initiative, and his technical expertise lies in Software Engineering and HCI, with a strong passion for creating software that seamlessly enhances human activities since the beginning of his career.
Nacho Abia
Life Sciences, East Coast & Asia
Nacho has over two decades of experience in medical technology, split between the United States and Europe, with additional focus on business development in Asia-Pacific. Currently, he holds the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Olympus Corporation of the Americas, a role he has held for a decade. Simultaneously, he serves as an Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Olympus Corporation, a publicly traded company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, boasting revenues exceeding US$ 7 billion and a market capitalization exceeding US$ 30 billion.
Pasqual Batalla
Gaming, Europe
Pasqual is an experienced COO with a strong background in the gaming industry, currently holding this position at Sandsoft, a company focusing on game development and investment in Riyadh and Barcelona. Prior to his current role, he served as COO at Socialpoint, a leading Spanish mobile game developer known for titles like Dragon City and Monster Legends. He has a diverse skill set, including expertise in M&A, project manage B ment, and team leadership, and actively contributes to the Barcelona startup and gaming communities.
Sacha Poignonnec
Entrepreneur / Investor | EDHEC Business School
Currently in his third career chapter, Sacha is a dynamic entrepreneur, redefining business strategies through unique approaches and mentoring fellow entrepreneurs. He has a passion for supporting early-stage start-ups. Prior to this, he spent transformative years at Jumia, leading the e-commerce platform to a historic IPO (NYSE. Sacha’s extensive expertise comes from a decade in consulting at McKinsey, Accuracy, and Arthur Andersen/EY. Originally from the south of France, he now calls Barcelona home, where culture, business, and quality of life converge. A book about his journey may be in the works.
Enric Cabestany
VP Publishing, Europe and LATAM
Enric Cabestany is the VP Publishing (Europe and LATAM) at FunPlus, a world-class, independent game developer and publisher headquartered in Switzerland. Having established the Barcelona publishing office in 2019, Enric leads the team there whilst establishing publishing strategies to support and grow FunPlus’ business in key markets. Enric has a wealth of international experience in the mobile and gaming space, and is particularly knowledgeable about start-up culture, managing cross-cultural teams and marrying the best strategic interests of a company with the best interests of its employees.
Anna Piñol
Digital Tech, East Coast, US
Anna is a VC investor with NFX based in San Francisco, where she specializes in Marketplaces, AI and Fintech. Prior to NFX, Anna co-founded Jupiter, a US based venture-backed startup in the retail media space. She has an MBA from Stanford and went through YC in 2019. Before moving to the US, Anna was also part of the early team of Amazon Spain.
Aïda Figuerola
Gaming, Europe
Aïda Figuerola is a leading influential figure in the gaming landscape (#1 European Gaming Voice on Linkedin), establishing the Bandai Namco Mobile division in Barcelona, bringing titles like Dragon Ball Z and Pac-Man to Europe. Known for being the industry «Happiness Manager», she currently leads the People and Culture strategy for New Games at King (Activision Blizzard). Originally from Barcelona, and studied in Boston, is driven to positively grown and empower the gamming community.
Let us help you
