Elias Willemse's Linkedin Analytics

AI pragmatist, getting my hands dirty with AI for industrial use. * 15 years experience in using models (AI, or whatever the next generic buzzword is), to solve real business problems; * strong research and science background (publications and PhD), with ability to convert AI into business value (previous and current startup). tldr: I have over 15 years of hands-on experience, and a PhD, in traditional-AI* and data science methods. I'm good at linking models (AI) with business problems, and creating revenue-generating products and services. I have a particular liking for design of experiments and incorporating business outcomes, followed by rapid prototyping and hacking. Basically "dirty" startup skills. *Traditional-AI = descriptive, predictive and prescriptive-AI (so no GenAI, just yet). Some of my AI planning tools and services have helped clients secure and execute £250 million recycling and waste management projects. As a founder, I have done 0-1 revenue growth, product strategy, tech-team management, sales, customer management, stakeholder management, high stakes presentations, VC pitching, financial planning, hiring, firing, product strategy, planning and management, and another 1000 things needed to run a startup. And lately I learned another 1000 things to shut-down a startup. I was the founder of Waste Labs. The company was VC-backed, with around 10 data scientists and engineers at its peak, and developed AI for the waste and recycling industry, with an international client base spanning the UK, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and Australia. We provided really good and profitible services, but couldn't get on a unicorn product path**. ** VC funding = become unicorn or die trying. Prior to Waste Labs, I worked with leading research institutions incl. Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), and collaborated with multinational companies and organisations including EDF, Worley Parsons, and OXFAM, while managing teams of Data Scientists and researchers. Project portfolio: https://heuristic.life/projects PDF CV: https://betj.short.gy/cv