Meet the Crew

Johan Brand
FOUNDer & CHIEF ENTREPRENEUR

As our visionary Chief Entrepreneur and founder, Johan is usually at the top of the mast, looking beyond the horizon. He connects ideas and people to act as a catalyst for innovation. He initiated EntrepreneurShipOne as a project to enable people to protect our oceans - by falling in love through the experience of sailing, a social activity with zero emissions, working with the elements. Johan is a co-founder and former CEO of Kahoot!, growing the platform to 50M users per month.

Sindre Østgård
Co-founder & Chair

As Chairman of EntrepreneurShipOne, Sindre is hoisting the sails and catching the winds we need to help solve the greatest challenges of our time. He is a seasoned executive at various media companies, lead the digital transformation of NRK, is Chairman of Katapult Ocean and a board member of Kahoot!. He’s now using this experience to help make change right at the heart of the Norwegian startup ecosystem.

Marcus Devold Soknes
Co-Captain & Chief Hospitality

As Co-Captain & Chief Hospitality, Marcus is mostly found by the bbq or in the galley prepping our next meal. Marcus’ love of sailing and adventure come from his experiences circumnavigating and as a diver in the Royal Navy. With his passion for entrepreneurship, food and hospitality he has become a serial entrepreneur, founding two pioneering seafood restaurants; Piscoteket and oysterbar EffEff. He is now active in the Norwegian startup ecosystem as the founder of GTM agency ScaleupXQ.

Christine Spiten
Co-captain

Christine co-founded Blueye Robotics, which has developed underwater drones empowering ocean explorers worldwide. After two years as senior advisor on Circular economy in World Wildlife Fund, she decided to step onboard and steer the ship at EntrepreneurShipOne. She is an engineer, ocean advocate, competitive sailor, explorer and dedicated to solve our oceans challenges together with the next generation.

Jamie Brooker
Co-founder & CPO

At the bow, our Chief Product Officer Jamie is gathering the data and insights needed to make sure we stay on course and design solutions that will solve the most important ocean challenges ahead. A designer by background, Jamie is co-founder and former Chief Creative Officer of Kahoot!, where he lead the product teams to help grow the platform to 50M users per month.

Synnøve Marie Kvam

Project Co-ordinator

Synnøve is our own explorer, who keeps us in the loop on exciting opportunities. She is a member of The Explorers Club, is Chair of the Norway Chapter, and serves in several capacities in the organisation, and is a former Explorers Club board member. She loves to connect explorers and innovators worldwide so they can make magic and positive change together. Inspired by Thor Heyerdahl, her ocean hero, she has an academic and research background in archaeology and conflict studies, she is a Director in UK-based Frontier ESG Advisory, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.