Our Team
Nils Klinkenberg
Co-Founder, President & CEO
Nils is a community-focused leader with 15 years of experience facilitating cultures of collaboration primarily within the nonprofit and social impact sectors. As the CEO of Novo Blades, he leads the company’s strategic vision and fundraising efforts, focusing on bringing innovative wind energy technology to market to reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). A recently certified leadership coach through Brown University (2025), Nils specializes in helping teams navigate the transition from technical potential to real-world impact. Following a career in organizational leadership, he transitioned into climate tech entrepreneurship in 2025 through the MassCEC Climatetech Studio. He previously served as the Executive Director of Beacon Hill Friends House, where he scaled programming nationally and tripled fundraising revenue. Nils' professional background also includes leading sustainability consulting teams at The Cadmus Group and mentoring with the StartingBloc Social Innovation Fellowship. Nils holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rochester and an M.S. in Strategic Leadership toward Sustainability from the Blekinge Institute of Technology.
Judith Underwood
Co-Founder, Secretary & COO
Judith is an internationally recognized specialist in the Blue Economy with over 25 years of experience in scientific development, technology transfer, and environmental management. She is the Co-Founder of Blue Innovation Labs and the Blue Institute, where she has pioneered regional innovation clusters at the intersection of maritime technology and climate resilience. Judith holds a Bachelor of Arts from UMass Boston and a Master’s degree from New York University, with advanced graduate studies in environment, innovation, and national security. Throughout her career, Judith has served in key capacities at MIT, the United Nations, and the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). She currently serves as a Connector for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) American-Made Network and is a Mentor for both the MIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) and the NATO DIANA (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic). At Novo Blades, she oversees the corporation's operational infrastructure and governance, leveraging her extensive background in technology transfer to ensure the company’s dual-use innovations are strategically positioned for global commercial and defense applications.
Justin Real
Co-Founder, Treasurer & CFO
Justin is a seasoned entrepreneur and venture advisor with a proven track record of scaling high-growth technology startups from concept to commercialization. As the founder of a successful automated video production platform, he led his previous venture to secure over $5.5 million in seed funding and achieve massive revenue growth. Justin holds an MBA from Babson College and dual degrees in Psychology and Political Science from Union College. In addition to his entrepreneurial successes, Justin serves as a Vice President at Bombellii Ventures, where he guides early-stage founders through critical decisions in capital formation and strategy pressure-testing. At Novo Blades, he utilizes his deep experience in product development and venture communities to drive the company’s market expansion and strategic partnership initiatives.