CEO - Nanna Lín
María Dís Ólafsdóttir was born and raised on a sheep farm in Northeast Iceland. Growing up surrounded by nature, biomass, and the potential hidden within byproducts inspired her early interest in science and unconventional value creation. From a young age, she was fascinated by the idea of transforming overlooked materials into something useful.
Creativity has always been a big part of María’s life, often centered around making the most of what is already available. For her, the dream has always been to create something valuable out of what others might consider waste.
María holds a B.Sc. in Biotechnology from the University of Akureyri and an M.Sc. in Bioengineering from the University of Iceland. She is currently pursuing a PhD in biotechnology at the University of Akureyri. During her studies, she formed close connections within the fisheries sector and was introduced to the possibilities of fish skin through various research projects. She immediately recognized its untapped potential.
Today, María lives in Akureyri with her partner and their two-year-old son. Since the spring of 2022, she has led the Nanna Lín project and oversees its daily operations. Working with byproducts and connecting discarded resources to innovative, high-value products has long been one of her personal ambitions. Together with the growing Nanna Lín team, she is helping bridge the worlds of fish and fashion through sustainability, innovation, and craftsmanship.
