Who we are, and our values

CEO and Founder

More than 30 years’ experience as head of different military and civilian organizations, worked and studied in an international environment. Master of Art in International/military studies, Bachelor of Economy and Master of Management in leadership and strategy. Former colonel and CEO from different companies with experience in strategic, operational and R&D work in a military and civilian industrial framework.

“After a decade restructuring and leading companies, my dream has been to build a company based on our values with a team of colleagues dedicated to our mission, developing military and civilian solutions which can make a difference for those exposed to our ideas. Our technology protects our customers.”

COO and Founder

MSc Business Administration, Norwegian Business School (BI), AGSIM – Thunderbird, Arizona, USA and Insead executive management courses, Fontainebleau, France. 30 years of top management experience from large corporations, scale-ups and start-ups. Vast civilian innovation and R&D experience, holistic insight and user needs understanding, prototyping, testing, product management and production. business strategy, marketing, sales and scaling.

“My passion is innovation! Using my ability to combine a real user need with new technology/methods – crating solutions for a better professional and private life for people.”

CTO

MSc Industrial Economy and Technology Management. Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). More than 30 years of experience from both military and civilian organizations comprising technology, process improvement & quality management, training and business development.

“Throughout my career I have always been fascinated and engaged in continuous process improvement and the advantage of doing it right the first time – as a result of well documented process and actual everyday behavior”

Technical manager

MSc Business Administration, Norwegian Business School (BI), Norwegian Air Force Academy, Certified Project Manager. More than a decade of international experience as a Project Manager from both development and delivery projects, strong technical experience from several industries including data network and SW development as well as product management.

“I am motivated by making a difference for our customers and the society in general, as well as advancing organizations through technological innovations. The Watchbird mission and values matches this perfectly.”

Operational manager

With a Master’s in Technology Management and over ten years of diverse operational experience, Krabberød brings a strategic blend of product development, marketing, and management to Watchbird. His expertise in translating complex technical requirements into actionable operational plans has been instrumental in driving both efficiency and innovation. Known for a collaborative leadership approach, he aligns cross-functional teams to deliver results that meet Watchbird's mission of safety and technology excellence

“What motivates me most is the opportunity to work alongside such talented individuals and to be part of a mission that truly makes a difference for those who serve and protect. I am bringing in commercial, strategic and operational knowledge to lay the foundation for scaling to Watchbird to the global market”

Legal Advisor

Executive and lawyer with extensive experience in startups and the defense industry. Former General Counsel for the Norwegian Defence Material Agency, lawyer at Thommessen, Deputy Judge, holder of a Global Executive MBA from INSEAD, and a law degree from the University of Tromsø. Specialized in negotiation and project management at Harvard Law School and SKEMA Business School. Recognized in GC Powerlist Norway and Finansavisen Jus, acknowledged as a Top Emerging Leader by Assessit.

“I foster new ventures and drive innovative solutions, ensuring startups establish a solid foundation for future success with a purpose of helping others.”

Medical Advisor
PhD in molecular cell biology from University of Oslo. 30 years of experience within pharmaceutical, bio-/medical technology sector holding leading medical positions. Focus areas are oncology, immunology / inflammation, neurology and dermatology. Preclinical and clinical trial experience for pharmaceutical and medical device development. Regulatory, manufacturing. Diagnostics and medical counter measures against CBRN threats.

“My main driver is linking scientific advances to smart solutions for better health.”

Advisor and assoc. Prof. UIS

Sachin Maruti Chavanis an Associate Professor at the University of Stavanger's Faculty of Science and Technology, specializing in inorganic, physical, and materials chemistry, as well as chemical engineering. His research focuses on synthesizing and characterizing materials for energy and environmental applications, including gas storage, separation, purification, and catalysis. Chavan's interdisciplinary work emphasizes clean, sustainable energy solutions. His career includes roles such as Chief Technology Officer at ProfMOF AS and research positions at the University of Oslo and the University of Turin.

Advisor Firefighter/First responder

Leif is the former Fire Chief for Bergen and surrounding districts, with over 40 years of experience in fire and rescue. He has led everything from frontline operations to national-level collaboration projects. As head of Vest Brann & Redning, he built one of Norway’s largest inter-municipal fire services from the ground up, covering 18 fire departments. His background spans smoke diving, rescue diving, incident command, education development, and crisis leadership during major national incidents.

“It is incredibly rewarding to work on protection and safety for rescue personnel together with Watchbird. I’ve always been passionate about creating safer working conditions for first responders, and with the development of SAFEgaiter, I get to work on exactly that.”

Advisor Ukraine

Morten Køpke is a former F-16 pilot and airline Captain with more than 40 years of operational experience. He served as Captain and Chief Pilot at Braathens and Scandinavian Airlines before founding Pilotech AS a crisis-management company that developed a SaaS all-in-one solution for alerting and handling incidents and crises. 

At Watchbird, Morten serves as an advisor and capability lead for our Ukraine project. His deep aviation background, crisis-management expertise and extensive hands-on experience in high-pressure environments make him an important asset for operations in conflict zones and for tailoring solutions that work where they are needed most. Morten has also been actively involved with Fritt Ukraina, supporting Ukraine’s military through multiple trips and advisory contributions.

“Having observed the harsh conditions the Ukrainian soldiers heroically work under, I cannot sit still knowing Watchbird products can make a huge difference for thousands of men.”