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Tellef Thorleifsson (born 1962) holds a M.Sc from The Norwegian School of Business and Economics (1987) and M.Sc.Econ. from the London School of Economics (1988).

During the first two years of his career Tellef worked in politics as a Chief Political Advisor for the City Mayor of Oslo (1988-90). He was a Company Secretary of I.M.Skaugen AS (1990-92) and Finance and Project Director of Western Bulk Shipping (1992-96).

In 1996, he changed his career, and he co-founded Northzone Ventures. Northzone was established with focus on exercising active ownership in early stage technology companies in Scandinavia. Northzone succeeded in establishing itself as a leading Nordic technology investor, and the company has invested both in the seed phase and in expansion to finance growth and internationalization. From an early start in Oslo in 1996, Northzone has subsequently expanded with offices in Stockholm, Copenhagen, London and New York. Since its establishment in 1996 and until 2017, eight funds have been raised with a total capital base of € 1.2 billion. Since its foundation, Northzone has been invested in more than 120 companies.

Tellef Thorleifsson was managing partner in Northzone from its establishment until 2016, and has held a number of board positions in Northzone's portfolio companies. He has been particularly active in software, fintech and clean energy. Tellef was the first chairman of the Norwegian Venture Capital Association (NVCA). He has also been a board member of the Swedish Venure Capital Association (SVCA), and Invest Europe. In the fall of 1996, Tellef took on a more flexible partner position.

Tellef has also been co-founder of Voxtra. In 2017, Voxtra established a foundation aiming to raise private capital that could be channeled into projects and businesses in developing countries where a measurable high social impact could be attained, including projects in Kenya, India and Cambodia. In 2012, Voxtra established a fund of € 15 million (Voxtra East Africa Agribusiness Fund). The Fund focused on East Africa doing impact investments in agri-related businesses with the goal of achieving a positive double bottom line. Tellef is a board member of the Voxtra Foundation and a Chairman of the Investment Committee for the Fund.