Naveen Velmurugan is the Founder & CEO of Virgil Dynamics, a Paris-based deep-tech startup developing physics-informed soft-sensor algorithms and closed-loop automation for geothermal and oil & gas drilling. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics and Control (industrial PhD with Kelda Drilling Controls) from Mines Paris - PSL, an M.Sc. in Drilling Engineering from NTNU, and a B.Tech in Petroleum Engineering from Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University. Previously he served as Scientific & Technical Manager on the EU H2020 ORCHYD project at ARMINES, was Founder-in-Residence at Entrepreneur First, and conducted doctoral research at MINES ParisTech/Kelda. He is an accredited IWCF Level 2 well-control professional, has published in international conferences and journals, and focuses on advanced control theory for drilling (PDE/distributed parameter systems), model predictive control, soft-sensors, first-principles + data-driven modelling, drillstring dynamics and reservoir parameter estimation. He is an executive / founder with deep technical research background and ~9 years of academic/industry experience.

Marwa Dakik is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at PEPR Sous-sol bien commun. She holds a PhD in Geosciences/Geoengineering from Mines Paris - PSL, and MSc and BSc degrees in Physics from the American University of Beirut and Lebanese University.

Axel Schafers is the Lead Backend / Lead DevOps at Spellz. He has 6 years of experience and studied Computer Science / Software Engineering at 42 Paris. Axel is located in Paris, France.