Meet the people behind Blue Carbon
At Blue Carbon
We design ocean technology for the people and industries whose futures depend on a healthy sea — aquaculture operators, marine tourism leaders, coastal communities, and desalination providers.
Our flagship innovation — the oPod™ — is a fully autonomous, nature-powered system that cools stressed reefs, supports aquaculture, enhances desalination, and stabilizes local marine environments.
In doing so, it also restores the ocean’s natural carbon cycle — drawing CO₂ from the atmosphere and transforming ocean regeneration into a scalable climate solution.
We don’t believe in working against nature.
We build tools that amplify its power — while supporting those who rely on it every day.
Because the ocean isn’t just a backdrop.
It’s the original operating system of Earth.
And it’s time we let it run the climate solution.
Our team
Dr Ana Novak
CEO & Co-Founder
Dr. Ana Novak is a decorated innovator and systems leader with a multidisciplinary background spanning telecommunications, computer science, applied mathematics, Defence, and international diplomacy. She has led high-impact projects for the Australian Defence Force, earning both Gold and Bronze Commendations for outstanding service. A respected voice in applied science and national innovation, Ana was named a finalist for the prestigious Eureka Prize, Australia’s leading award for scientific excellence. Her career reflects a rare blend of technical expertise, strategic vision, and public service. Since transitioning into climate innovation, Ana has continued to garner international recognition—most recently as a 2025 Earthshot Prize nominee, a Global FoodShot finalist, and a featured speaker at the 2025 World Economic Forum. She brings a deeply analytical yet mission-driven mindset to every endeavour, grounded in a belief that bold, science-led collaboration can reshape the future.
Eva Chiu
CFO & Co-Founder
Eva Chiu is an accomplished entrepreneur and financial strategist with over two decades of experience building and scaling businesses across Asia and Australia. She is the Founder and Managing Director of a leading manufacturer in the promotional products industry with a blue-chip client base. A four-time founder with a proven record in product innovation, premium sourcing, and operational leadership, Eva is widely recognized in Hong Kong’s business community. Her accolades include the Hong Kong Commercial Daily Outstanding Women Business Leader Award and multiple customer service excellence honors. She has also held prominent leadership roles in community organizations, and board member of several business chambers. Now, as CFO and Co-Founder of Blue Carbon, Eva brings a unique blend of commercial acumen and purpose-driven leadership to accelerate the company’s growth and global impact in climate technology.
General Manager
Applies highest level public sector leadership experience to guide Blue Carbon's growth Aligns culture with business goals Optimises resources to build a high-performing, mission-driven team
Commercialisation Director
Decades of agtech industry expertise now drive Blue Carbon's market expansion Leverages a vast network to accelerate adoption of wave-powered tech Experience bridges deep tech, software, and hardware.
Principal Marine Scientist
Has a rare Phd in Phytoplankton. Exact-match experience deploying ocean sensor buoys.
Chairman & Legal
Governance and legal expert. Decades as major law firm partner. C-suite commercial connections and guidance.
Director & Finance
Foundational investor. Led Barclays Investment Bank as MD. Extensive financial and investment network. Track record maturing high impact carbon credit projects and energy markets.
Technical Director
Go-to expert, decades advising government and industry on marine ecology. Respected pillar of the local and national marine community. Leads the intersection of industry and nature: Tasmanian-based company and team.
Oscar Hillerstrom
Communications Director
Oscar boasts extensive content experience across various sectors, including peak bodies, infrastructure, government, and education, with a focus on both B2B and B2C channels. He founded Empire Magazine Australia, showcasing his prowess in digital and print communication strategy and production. Notably, as Associate Director of Digital Content at the Australian Banking Association, he led successful multi-platform campaigns during crises like the Black Summer Bushfires and COVID-19. His initiatives significantly increased social media followers, user engagement, and email open rates, while also overseeing brand and website refreshes resulting in a notable traffic increase.
Guillaume Jolly
CFD Engineer
Guillaume is a Computational Fluid Dynamics engineer with a background in instrumentation and applied physics. He has engineering and physics Masters from QUT and Techincal University of Munich, as well as degrees from the Universities of Poitiers and Strathclyde.
Advisors
Jim Cooper
Product Advisor, Blue Carbon | CEO Blue-X
Jim Cooper is an innovation strategist and CEO of Blue-X, a venture advisory firm accelerating climate solutions across the Indo-Pacific. With over 20 years' experience in startups, market entry, and commercialization, he advises Blue Carbon on product strategy, ensuring scalable, market-aligned sustainable technologies. Jim holds degrees in biology, political science, and economics, with advanced training from the University of Sydney and MIT.
Jeff Goss
Legal & Corporate Advisor | Principal Lawyer, Andelain Consulting | Managing Director, Capture Capital Partners
Jeff brings over 40 years of legal and corporate advisory experience across major projects, construction, banking, finance, and M&A. He has held senior leadership roles including National Managing Partner of KPMG Legal and Chairman of Middletons Moore & Bevins (now K&L Gates). He has served as a non-executive director on private and listed companies for over 25 years, and is currently the Australian representative for ContractPodAi, a leading provider of cloud-based risk management solutions.
Brian Tsuyoshi Takeda
Strategic Advisor | Founder, Urchinomics & Restorae
Brian is the founder of Urchinomics & Restorae, a restorative aquaculture venture that turns overgrazing sea urchins into a regenerative seafood product — helping to restore kelp forests and coastal ecosystems. With a background in international business and innovation, Brian is a pioneer in building scalable models that align environmental restoration with sustainable economic development.
Partners
CSIRO
Griffith University
James Cook University (JCU)
River City Labs
Ocean Impact Organisation
Hong Kong Carbon Trading Centre (HKCTC)
FoxGlove Capital
Solomons Group
Marine Solutions
Sense Right
BLW Marine Management
Awards
Nominee – Eureka Award Australian Climate Tech Awards 2023
Finalist – GroundBreaker Prize 2024 FoodShot Global Challenge
Winner – Start-Up of the Year 2024 (Australia) Hong Kong Australia Business Association
Double Nominee – Earth Shot Prize 2025
