Nina Granqvist is a Professor at Aalto University School of Business and the Principal Investigator of the research project. The focus of her research is how new industries and markets emerge and develop, and how novel ideas move from margins to mainstream. Her studies explore this topic from multiple theoretical perspectives, including institutional theory, market categorization, temporality, language, and agency in nascent fields. Empirically, her collaborative research draws on extensive qualitative datasets on for example the development of novel science and technology (nanotechnology, quantum computing) and cultural trends and new industries. Her research has been published top-tier journals in management including Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Organization Studies and Journal of Management Studies, among others.

Heli Nissilä (PhD) is a post-doctoral researcher at Aalto University School of Business and the project manager of this research project, responsible for coordinating the work of the research team. Her research expertise lies in firm responses to complex sustainability challenges and the emergence of markets in the context of sustainability. In her PhD project, she studied the legitimation of solar energy in the North, focusing especially on how actors developed time perceptions related to the new sustainable field and how this impacted the emergence of collective action in the new industry. Heli has vast experience with qualitative data analysis, and her research has been published in many high-impact journals. She has been involved in multiple large-scale research projects, working at the intersection of academia, business and other social actors.

Samuli Patala is Assistant Professor at Aalto University School of Business. He specializes in sustainability management, including cross-sectoral partnerships for sustainability, institutional change in sustainability transitions and sustainable value creation. Samuli’s work has been published in top-tier management journals and he has received important prizes for his papers. He has been involved in many large-scale research projects involving collaboration with industry actors and policymakers.

Marleen Wierenga is an assistant professor at the department of Business Administration at the Radboud University. She is interested in understanding how different kinds of organizations work to solve pressing global problems such as poverty, climate change and inequality. She has studied for example low-income entrepreneurs and impact-driven startups, and as part of this project she is studying impact investors. Marleen has experience from research and teaching in the field of international business, sustainability in business and innovating.

Arne Kroeger research interests circle around value creation, impact investing and assessment, entrepreneurship, and interorganizational relationships in the context of societal grand challenges. His research has been published in outlets such as The Academy of Management Review, Journal of Management Studies and others. Arne was Associate Editor of the Journal of Social Entrepreneurship for 3.5 years. He also serves as a reviewer for top tier management journal outlets such as The Academy of Management Review, Journal of Management Studies, Journal of Business Venturing, Business & Society and others.

Kaja Lilleng is a PhD student at Aalto University School of Business. She is experienced in the practice of impact investment through her work with early-stage impact funds, and has been part of organising the emerging impact investing community in the Nordics. Kaja has a MSc in Management of Innovation and Business Development from CBS, and wrote her thesis on early-stage impact investing and the role of venture capital in fostering impact tech startups in the Nordics.