WE ACCELERATE NON-USA GROWTH COMPANIES TO MOVE FASTER, BIGGER, SMARTER
About Us
OUR FOUNDERS
Edoardo Mainella and Sheldon Bernstein are seasoned technology leaders with deep roots at Google.
Edoardo was Google’s Global Product Lead for Platforms & Tools, shaping the systems that powered Google’s global infrastructure.
Sheldon served as Google’s Global Director of Strategy & Operations, leading teams responsible for scaling the company’s ad businesses across Search, Display, and YouTube.
Collectively, they bring over 30 years of experience building, launching, and scaling Google products and go-to-market strategies—both for Google and its global customer base. Their combined expertise spans product development, platform architecture, GTM execution, and business growth at scale.
EDOARDO MAINELLA
Founder
SHELDON BERNSTEIN
Founder
Sheldon is a results-driven leader with decades of experience scaling some of the world’s most successful companies such as: HubSpot, Shopify, 3Q Digital, Cox Digital Media Group, and many others. His work with the US Department of Education led to billions of dollars in Title II funding released to the public school system across the country.
Sheldon served many pivotal roles at Google including Google’s Global Head of Strategy and Operations – determining with his teams, where should Google’s products be, how to be of best use to consumers.
He has a proven track record of driving digital transformation, optimizing go-to-market strategies, and accelerating growth for high-impact businesses. With a relentless focus on efficiency and scalability, he turns complex challenges into actionable strategies that fuel sustained growth.
Sheldon holds an MBA and is a renowned public speaker.
CHEL HELER
Founder
I’m an executive leader and operator with 20 years of experience, including 11 in people management, passionate about growing businesses through strategic partnerships. I love architecting, building, and scaling start-ups to multi-billion dollar advertising and platform partnerships within the exciting AdTech/MarTech space.
During my time at Google, I had the incredible opportunity to accelerate portfolios worth over $3.5B+ with an impressive 60% YoY growth, building new functions and leading complex, globally dispersed teams to deliver significant revenue and market expansion. I was even recognized as a Top 1% performing Partnerships leader, earning 4 “Superb” (Highest) ratings and 4 promotions, and was honored with the Google Global Impact Award (1 out of 300).
What truly drives me is scaling technologies to ensure everyone has access to innovation, empowering individuals, businesses, and organizations to reach their full potential. Let’s connect if you’re passionate about growth and the future of AdTech/MarTech!
ALISTAIR MAVOR THOMSON
Founder
Alistair’s professional background is corporate law, finance and advisory, formerly as co-head of group at an international investment bank having practiced at a leading international English law firms. In those roles, he advised a number of the world’s most significant corporates, sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds, financial services firms, governments and their agencies.
Alistair has decades of experience leading multi-jurisdiction, multi-disciplinary teams to execute the most complex international and domestic transactions, advising clients on and negotiating public and private company M&A, equity capital markets and corporate finance transactions, contractual alliances and other commercial arrangements.
Alistair has acted for many start-ups and SMEs, entrepreneurs, investors, shareholders and boards for a number of start-ups and growth companies.
EDOARDO MAINELLA
Founder
SHELDON BERNSTEIN
Founder
Sheldon is a results-driven leader with decades of experience scaling some of the world’s most successful companies such as: HubSpot, Shopify, 3Q Digital, Cox Digital Media Group, and many others. His work with the US Department of Education led to billions of dollars in Title II funding released to the public school system across the country.
Sheldon served many pivotal roles at Google including Google’s Global Head of Strategy and Operations – determining with his teams, where should Google’s products be, how to be of best use to consumers.
He has a proven track record of driving digital transformation, optimizing go-to-market strategies, and accelerating growth for high-impact businesses. With a relentless focus on efficiency and scalability, he turns complex challenges into actionable strategies that fuel sustained growth.
Sheldon holds an MBA and is a renowned public speaker.
chel heler
Founder
I’m an executive leader and operator with 20 years of experience, including 11 in people management, passionate about growing businesses through strategic partnerships. I love architecting, building, and scaling start-ups to multi-billion dollar advertising and platform partnerships within the exciting AdTech/MarTech space.
During my time at Google, I had the incredible opportunity to accelerate portfolios worth over $3.5B+ with an impressive 60% YoY growth, building new functions and leading complex, globally dispersed teams to deliver significant revenue and market expansion. I was even recognized as a Top 1% performing Partnerships leader, earning 4 “Superb” (Highest) ratings and 4 promotions, and was honored with the Google Global Impact Award (1 out of 300).
What truly drives me is scaling technologies to ensure everyone has access to innovation, empowering individuals, businesses, and organizations to reach their full potential. Let’s connect if you’re passionate about growth and the future of AdTech/MarTech!
EDOARDO MAINELLA
Founder
SHELDON BERNSTEIN
Founder
Sheldon is a results-driven leader with decades of experience scaling some of the world’s most successful companies such as: HubSpot, Shopify, 3Q Digital, Cox Digital Media Group, and many others. His work with the US Department of Education led to billions of dollars in Title II funding released to the public school system across the country.
Sheldon served many pivotal roles at Google including Google’s Global Head of Strategy and Operations – determining with his teams, where should Google’s products be, how to be of best use to consumers.
He has a proven track record of driving digital transformation, optimizing go-to-market strategies, and accelerating growth for high-impact businesses. With a relentless focus on efficiency and scalability, he turns complex challenges into actionable strategies that fuel sustained growth.
Sheldon holds an MBA and is a renowned public speaker.
Maria pienaar
Partner
Maria Pienaar is a dynamic force at the intersection of startup acceleration, corporate innovation, and venture investment. With deep expertise in early-stage growth and ecosystem development, she has been instrumental in launching accelerator programs and guiding over 50 international startups into the U.S. market. Maria is a board director and operating partner at Unicorn Growth Capital, and Founding Principal of First Principles, a market-entry and funding advisory.
Her leadership extends across fintech, healthtech, IoT, and cybersecurity, with prior roles as CIO of disruptive telecom Cell C, co-founder of Blue Label Ventures, and executive positions at Lucent, Nokia, Vodafone, and Globalstar. A frequent fractional COO/CTO for startups, Maria brings global insight from her work across the U.S., South Africa, Europe, and Latin America.
She holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from Pretoria University.
Maria pienaar
Partner
Maria Pienaar is a dynamic force at the intersection of startup acceleration, corporate innovation, and venture investment. With deep expertise in early-stage growth and ecosystem development, she has been instrumental in launching accelerator programs and guiding over 50 international startups into the U.S. market. Maria is a board director and operating partner at Unicorn Growth Capital, and Founding Principal of First Principles, a market-entry and funding advisory.
Her leadership extends across fintech, healthtech, IoT, and cybersecurity, with prior roles as CIO of disruptive telecom Cell C, co-founder of Blue Label Ventures, and executive positions at Lucent, Nokia, Vodafone, and Globalstar. A frequent fractional COO/CTO for startups, Maria brings global insight from her work across the U.S., South Africa, Europe, and Latin America.
She holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from Pretoria University.
Cristina Morea Dalle Ore
Partner
A seasoned expert in sensor technology, environmental data systems, and remote sensing, with over 15 years of cross-sector experience spanning agriculture, aerospace, and data science.
She most recently led Remote Sensing and Geospatial Intelligence at Bayer Crop Science, driving innovation in phenotyping technologies and global environmental monitoring. Cristina has collaborated with institutions such as NASA, the International Rice Research Institute, and FAO, applying advanced analytics, machine learning, and custom sensor solutions to address sustainability challenges.
She holds a Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics and is an award-winning public speaker and published researcher.
Barbara Wichmann
Partner
Founder and CEO of ARTÉMIA Communications, a full-service agency specializing in multicultural marketing, public outreach, and localization. With roots in the Netherlands, Barbara brings a distinctly international outlook shaped by a culture of sustainability, innovation, and diversity.
Barbara has completed elite executive training programs with Google, UCLA Anderson, Dartmouth, Freddie Mac, and others, further sharpening her leadership in supplier diversity and digital excellence.
She actively advises national organizations focused on entrepreneurship and economic development. Her clients have been featured in top-tier global media, and her work consistently drives long-term brand value and market impact.
Cristina Morea Dalle Ore
Partner
A seasoned expert in sensor technology, environmental data systems, and remote sensing, with over 15 years of cross-sector experience spanning agriculture, aerospace, and data science.
She most recently led Remote Sensing and Geospatial Intelligence at Bayer Crop Science, driving innovation in phenotyping technologies and global environmental monitoring. Cristina has collaborated with institutions such as NASA, the International Rice Research Institute, and FAO, applying advanced analytics, machine learning, and custom sensor solutions to address sustainability challenges.
She holds a Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics and is an award-winning public speaker and published researcher.
Barbara Wichmann
Partner
Founder and CEO of ARTÉMIA Communications, a full-service agency specializing in multicultural marketing, public outreach, and localization. With roots in the Netherlands, Barbara brings a distinctly international outlook shaped by a culture of sustainability, innovation, and diversity.
Barbara has completed elite executive training programs with Google, UCLA Anderson, Dartmouth, Freddie Mac, and others, further sharpening her leadership in supplier diversity and digital excellence.
She actively advises national organizations focused on entrepreneurship and economic development. Her clients have been featured in top-tier global media, and her work consistently drives long-term brand value and market impact.
ALISTAIR MAVOR THOMSON
Partner
Alistair’s professional background is corporate law, finance and advisory, formerly as co-head of group at an international investment bank having practiced at a leading international English law firms. In those roles, he advised a number of the world’s most significant corporates, sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds, financial services firms, governments and their agencies.
Alistair has decades of experience leading multi-jurisdiction, multi-disciplinary teams to execute the most complex international and domestic transactions, advising clients on and negotiating public and private company M&A, equity capital markets and corporate finance transactions, contractual alliances and other commercial arrangements.
Alistair has acted for many start-ups and SMEs, entrepreneurs, investors, shareholders and boards for a number of start-ups and growth companies.
EDOARDO MAINELLA
Founder, Managing Partner
SHELDON BERNSTEIN
Founder, Managing Partner
Sheldon is a results-driven leader with decades of experience scaling some of the world’s most successful companies such as: HubSpot, Shopify, 3Q Digital, Cox Digital Media Group, and many others. His work with the US Department of Education led to billions of dollars in Title II funding released to the public school system across the country.
Sheldon served many pivotal roles at Google including Google’s Global Head of Strategy and Operations – determining with his teams, where should Google’s products be, why, and how to be of best use to consumers driving reciprocal value back to Alphabet.
Sheldon has a proven track record of driving digital transformation, optimizing go-to-market strategies, and accelerating growth for high-impact businesses. His expertise spans data-driven decision-making, sales enablement, and market expansion, delivering measurable success at every stage of a company’s evolution. With a relentless focus on efficiency and scalability, he turns complex challenges into actionable strategies that fuel sustained growth. He crafted the R-I-P-P-L-E framework to execute bold, research-backed initiatives.
ALISTAIR MAVOR THOMSON
Partner
Alistair’s professional background is corporate law, finance and advisory, formerly as co-head of group at an international investment bank having practiced at a leading international English law firms. In those roles, he advised a number of the world’s most significant corporates, sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds, financial services firms, governments and their agencies.
Alistair has decades of experience leading multi-jurisdiction, multi-disciplinary teams to execute the most complex international and domestic transactions, advising clients on and negotiating public and private company M&A, equity capital markets and corporate finance transactions, contractual alliances and other commercial arrangements.
Alistair has acted for many start-ups and SMEs, entrepreneurs, investors, shareholders and boards for a number of start-ups and growth companies.
About You
WELCOME TO OUR WHEELHOUSE
“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple … and pretty soon you have a dozen.” John Steinbeck.
Our wheelhouse is a place for you to share safely and for us to investigate how we may engage to impel you to go faster, bigger and smarter. We enjoy working together with others to develop and realise great ideas and create and build businesses. We believe great ideas blossom from sharing and collaboration and best execution requires insight. We like to keep things simple. We listen. We ask. We explore. We take the time to know you and to understand your vision and its potential. Tell us about you … and we’ll get in touch.