Marco Antonucci has worked in industrial production as a specialist in various scientific technologies. Alongside his industry experience, he has developed a solid background in scientific research, with a particular focus on optical microscopy.

Co-founder of Takeoff Technologies. Designer of high-performance boats and simulation tools for 10+ years for the America’s Cup. Backed by 15 years at Airbus Future Projects designing advanced aircraft, these high-performance engineering insights now serve as the foundation for the technical innovation developed at Takeoff Technologies

After graduating in Engineering at Federico II University, with a thesis on the use of composite materials, he continued his research, earning a Ph.D. at the same faculty. Currently president of the Center for Composites in Construction, contract professor of “Innovative Materials” at Mercatorum University and contract professor at UniPegaso.

Gianni Cariboni is an Italian entrepreneur specializing in high-performance sailing technology. He founded Cariboni Srl, a company developing advanced hydraulic systems for racing yachts and superyachts. His innovations in mechanics, hydraulics, and electronic control have contributed to major international competitions, including America’s Cup campaigns.

Since 2022 he has been Project Manager at Persico Marine, working on advanced projects in high-performance sailing and marine engineering. Since 2010 he has served as Technical Officer for the International Maxi Association, contributing to the technical management and development of the Maxi yacht class worldwide.
He is Chairman of the World Sailing Special Regulations Sub-Committee and a member of the World Sailing Oceanic & Offshore Committee, Equipment Committee and Class Rules Sub-Committee, as well as the RYA and RORC Technical Committees, contributing to the technical and regulatory development of offshore and ocean racing.

Gabriele De Mattia is Senior Product Manager at Candela, driving the development of electric hydrofoil ferries and new foiling concepts. With a background spanning operations, manufacturing, and product strategy, he has been pivotal in launching Candela’s C8 and P-12 platforms and Nova in public transport.

Francesco Di Caprio is an aerospace engineer with a specialization in structural analysis. He completed his university education by achieving the PhD in Aerospace Science and Technology.
He has been working with CIRA (Italian Aerospace research centre) since 2011 and he the head of the Crashworthiness structure and testing laboratory.

Naval Architect and Marine Engineer from Universidade Da Coruña. First steps in career carrying out CFD simulations together with D3 Applied Technologies. Then, he joined Foilchemy to keep deepening his technical knowledge, with a strong focus in the business development and sales.

Control engineer with experience in the UAV industry now working in a wide variety of foiling vessels with Foilchemy.

Chartered Naval Architect and Technical Director at HPiVS, a Notified Body for CE marking under the RCD. Adam is acknowledged for his pragmatic, collaborative approach to bridging design innovation and compliance. With a background in boatbuilding and certification, he brings insight from both industry and regulatory perspectives across a wide range of craft.

Naval Architect and Marine Engineer with more than 40 years of experience in yacht design, shipbuilding, certification, and international standardisation. Former Managing Director of the International Marine Certification Institute (IMCI) and CEO of Heinemann Yacht Assessment. He has held senior roles across industry, academia, and regulatory bodies and has contributed extensively to international marine standards through ISO, CEN, and ICOMIA.

Patrick Hemp is the technical director at ICOMIA and IMEC and joined them in 2013. Much of his current duties within the two associations focuses on the design, safety and construction aspects of the recreational small craft and large yacht sectors including their impact on the marine ecosystem.
Previous positions include being the design coordinator for the multihull company, GUNBOAT. He is a yacht design graduate from The Landing School in Maine, USA having spent many years as professional crew upon privately owned classic sailing superyachts.
He currently lives in Kommetjie, Cape Town, South Africa where he tries to keep up with his sons in many watersport-related activities.

Karsten is heading the Ship Performance Center in DNV’s Maritime Advisory Services and Associate Editor of the Journal of Sailing Technology.
Karsten holds a MSc and PhD in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the Technical University of Berlin, Germany. He has specialized on Fluid dynamic analysis with special focus on performance assessment and optimization. He is lecturing Aero- and Hydrodynamics of Sailing Yachts at TU-Berlin.

Francis Hueber is a Naval Architect and Co-founder of Caponnetto Hueber SL, with over 20 years of experience in high-performance foiling yacht design, CFD, aerodynamics, and hydrodynamics. A graduate of ENSTA Bretagne, he has played a key role in six America’s Cup campaigns, winning in 2010 and 2013. At Caponnetto Hueber, Francis leads strategic direction, business development, and R&D, while guiding the team’s creativity to shape the future of yachting and maritime transportation.

A passionate sailor and advocate of all things foiling. Julian’s career has been an interesting mix of London’s financial markets and the desire to sail as fast as possible.

Nicklas Jonsson is Chief Product Officer at Candela, leading the company’s product strategy for next‑generation electric hydrofoil boats. With over 20 years’ experience in product leadership, business development and sales across mobile, consumer electronics and energy tech, he previously served as CPO and COO at Exeger.

Valentina Lopresto is Professor at the Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering at the University of Naples Federico II. She is Chair of the DRAF Conference and Deputy Editor of the Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, Part C: Materials. Her research focuses on composite materials and additive manufacturing, and she has led international projects including the “Solid Mechanics Program” funded by the Office of Naval Research (2014–2019).

Naval Architect and Mechanical Engineer with senior leadership experience in fleet management, vessel design, and public inland waterway transport. Technical Director skilled in innovative propulsion projects, large‑scale operations, safety compliance, and complex public tenders. Strong strategic vision, multidisciplinary team leadership, and proven ability to deliver sustainable mobility solutions.

Aerospace engineer, data scientist.
Two-time America’s Cup winner across six campaigns.
Head of Performance & Simulation for AC38 Tudor Team Alinghi.
Former lead designer of AC33’s 67m rigid wing.
Specializes in simulators, vehicle dynamics, AI-driven simulation, and high-performance foiling technology.

Ilaria Papa is an assistant researcher at the Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Technology of the University of Naples Federico II. She holds a PhD in Aerospace, Naval, and Quality Engineering. Her research deals with the manufacture and characterisation of composite materials and Non-destructive analysis of isotropic and non-isotropic materials by traditional and innovative manufacturing technologies (3d printing). She is co-chair and a member of the Scientific Committee of International Symposium on Dynamic Response and Failure of Composite Materials.

Simonetta Pegorari researches and shares the most relevant news in the composites industry through Composites Mood, a newsletter that is part of her broader work supporting manufacturers and distributors in product marketing and business development. With a Master’s degree in Architecture, she is a technical journalist with over 25 years of experience writing for trade media and technology products, particularly in composites, and helps companies enter and establish themselves in the Italian composites industry.

Greta Eline Poclen combines a physics background with hands-on experience in foiling technology, performance sailing, and environmental research. She is Head of Science at WeAreFoiling, where she covers innovation analysis and communication across the global foiling scene. Previously Sustainability Manager and then Vice Team Leader at Audace Sailing Team (University of Trieste), an R&D team designing, building, and racing sustainable sailboats. Her work also spans Velocity Prediction Program (VPP) development for sailing performance and boat design. A sailor herself, her time in Costa Rica, India, and the UK has shaped a genuinely international outlook on where the sport is heading.

In 2013, Luca founded Foiling Week, the first community-based event recognized by World Sailing as a Special Event, a category representing the eight pinnacle sailing events. Under the banner of ‘We Are Foiling,’ he has created a comprehensive foiling integrated ecosystem, featuring globally recognized initiatives. As the Founder and President of the Foiling Organization, the global foiling industry and professionals’ association, Luca has played a pivotal role in developing the new Foiling Technology Pavilion at METSTRADE, the world’s largest marine B2B exhibition, and launching their Headquarters in Genoa.

Klaus Röder, founder of Carpe Diem Yacht Design, is a yacht expert with 35 years’ experience from his boatbuilding apprenticeship to IHK-certified yacht surveyor. After studying Yacht & Powercraft Design (B.Eng.) in Southampton, he designed bespoke yachts and works as a technical consultant and certification partner, while assessing draft standards as HAS Consultant

A native Venetian and former competitive sailor, Sonino has led the transformation of the abandoned Certosa island into a hub for sustainability, culture, and nautical activity. Through Vento di Venezia, he secured the island’s concession, attracted European funding, and developed marina services, hospitality, and public spaces. He promoted strong environmental standards, including a major solar plant and ISO certifications. Venezia Certosa Marina, under his leadership, became Venice’s only Blue Flag tourist marina and won the 2022 Blue Marina Award.

Antonino Squillace is Full Professor in Manufacturing at the University of Naples Federico II.
He is the President of the Italian Manufacturing Association and member of the Doctoral College in Technology, Innovation and Management. He is the Principal Investigator on several national and international research projects.
His research focuses on metal processing, particularly precision forming, powder and wire-based additive manufacturing processes, and solid-state welding.

Josh brings over 25 years of hands-on experience in the marine industry, introducing new technology to market. He helped build one of the largest inflatable boat retailers in the USA, then worked with Gunboat and spent 14 years at Sealegs growing the US market. From there, he moved into electric and foiling — working with Candela and X Shore before joining Vessev, where he now leads North American operations for the New Zealand company building commercial electric hydrofoiling vessels.

Massimo Verme is an Italian naval architect and entrepreneur, founder of Verme Projects and CEO of Gerris Boats. Active since 1995, he develops innovative marine technologies, including hybrid-foiling vessels and modular propulsion systems, promoting sustainable and efficient maritime transport under the Smart Water Mobility vision.