Hakon Dammen

An Environmental Engineer by background, Hakon has over twenty years international experience spanning the technology, consulting, and resourcing sectors. He has held senior commercial and leadership roles across Australia, Europe and North America, including with sustainability-focused and technology-driven organisations. 

Having both founded and scaled his own businesses and driven growth in other founder-led businesses, Hakon brings a practical, commercial perspective to translating innovation into real-world impact. 

At the Sustainable Minerals Institute, as part of the Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer Program, Hakon focuses on strengthening the pathways for commercialising university research. His work involves simplifying how research teams navigate existing commercialisation processes, identifying new models for industry collaboration, and helping to connect SMI’s deep research capabilities with emerging market needs. Drawing on his background in both engineering and entrepreneurship, Hakon aims to expand the ways SMI partners with industry to accelerate impact, unlock new opportunities, and demonstrate the value of applied research in shaping the future of sustainable minerals development.

Hakon also provides support to UniQuest as a CEO-in-Waiting for industry-ready university research projects.