European Social Innovation Competition
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DATABASE (427)
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ARTICLES (567)
Entrepreneur First is a global entrepreneur incubator program and early-startup investor. The incubator is an intensive six-month program for founders and aspiring entrepreneurs to help them develop ideas that can go into building their own companies. The program is held in six cities around the world: Bangalore; Berlin, London, Paris, Singapore and Toronto (Canada).Participants do not need to have a startup or a specific business idea to participate, and those who have established their own companies can seek partners or co-founders at the program. Roughly 40-50% of the cohort reach the “Launch” phase, where the participants have established their own companies and received investments from Entrepreneur First and potentially other VCs. Entrepreneur First can invest in a startup built by program participants in exchange for 10% equity. The exact amount invested varies: £80,000 for the European programs; S$75,000 for the Singapore and Bangalore programs; and C$100,000 for the Canada program.
Entrepreneur First is a global entrepreneur incubator program and early-startup investor. The incubator is an intensive six-month program for founders and aspiring entrepreneurs to help them develop ideas that can go into building their own companies. The program is held in six cities around the world: Bangalore; Berlin, London, Paris, Singapore and Toronto (Canada).Participants do not need to have a startup or a specific business idea to participate, and those who have established their own companies can seek partners or co-founders at the program. Roughly 40-50% of the cohort reach the “Launch” phase, where the participants have established their own companies and received investments from Entrepreneur First and potentially other VCs. Entrepreneur First can invest in a startup built by program participants in exchange for 10% equity. The exact amount invested varies: £80,000 for the European programs; S$75,000 for the Singapore and Bangalore programs; and C$100,000 for the Canada program.
Silicon Valley-based Almaz Capital was co-founded in 2008 as a bridge VC fund by Alexander Galitsky, a serial techpreneur and former senior executive at the Soviet Space Agency and Defense Industry. Almaz also has an office in Berlin and partners with interests in the UK, Poland and Ukraine. The global fund has invested in over 30 startups and managed 15 exits within its portfolio.Recent investments in 2021 include co-leading the $54m Series B round of Refurbed with Evli Growth Partners in August. Almaz was also the lead investor for the $6m funding round for US-based precision audio software Sonarworks in July.
Silicon Valley-based Almaz Capital was co-founded in 2008 as a bridge VC fund by Alexander Galitsky, a serial techpreneur and former senior executive at the Soviet Space Agency and Defense Industry. Almaz also has an office in Berlin and partners with interests in the UK, Poland and Ukraine. The global fund has invested in over 30 startups and managed 15 exits within its portfolio.Recent investments in 2021 include co-leading the $54m Series B round of Refurbed with Evli Growth Partners in August. Almaz was also the lead investor for the $6m funding round for US-based precision audio software Sonarworks in July.
CPO and Co-founder of Kuaishou
Cheng Yixiao began his career as a software engineer at HP in Dalian where he met Kuaishou co-founder Yang Yuanxi. Cheng left HP to join Renren as an iPhone client software developer.In 2011, Cheng started a photo-sharing platform GIF Kuaishou and obtained some seed funding. In 2013, he was introduced to a successful entrepreneur Su Hua. They decided to pivot GIF Kuaishou into a video-sharing app, with Cheng as CPO and Su as CEO.Many believe that his earlier experiences of living in Tieling, a county in northeast China, and later in Beijing’s suburb Tiantongyuan, have helped him to identify business opportunities and develop social media tools for the grassroots. He has quite a reputation for his creativity and passion for product development in tech circles.
Cheng Yixiao began his career as a software engineer at HP in Dalian where he met Kuaishou co-founder Yang Yuanxi. Cheng left HP to join Renren as an iPhone client software developer.In 2011, Cheng started a photo-sharing platform GIF Kuaishou and obtained some seed funding. In 2013, he was introduced to a successful entrepreneur Su Hua. They decided to pivot GIF Kuaishou into a video-sharing app, with Cheng as CPO and Su as CEO.Many believe that his earlier experiences of living in Tieling, a county in northeast China, and later in Beijing’s suburb Tiantongyuan, have helped him to identify business opportunities and develop social media tools for the grassroots. He has quite a reputation for his creativity and passion for product development in tech circles.
Overseas independent travel made easy, budget-friendly: Helmed by ex-Lonely Planet writers, Youpu’s travel apps plan your vacation for free, and offer discounted tickets, accommodation.
Overseas independent travel made easy, budget-friendly: Helmed by ex-Lonely Planet writers, Youpu’s travel apps plan your vacation for free, and offer discounted tickets, accommodation.
CEO of MenteLista
María Eugenia García founded her first business in 2013, dedicated to the import and export of education materials. After a stint in Hong Kong, she closed the business and focused on developing the MenteLista platform to follow her passion for neuroscience and how it can be used to enhance children's learning.She had previously managed the Andalusian Center of Technology and Innovation (CITIC) for 11 years. She had also worked as a senior consultant at BAE Systems. She has a computer science degree from Salamanca Pontifical University and a master's in Business Administration from San Telmo International Institute.
María Eugenia García founded her first business in 2013, dedicated to the import and export of education materials. After a stint in Hong Kong, she closed the business and focused on developing the MenteLista platform to follow her passion for neuroscience and how it can be used to enhance children's learning.She had previously managed the Andalusian Center of Technology and Innovation (CITIC) for 11 years. She had also worked as a senior consultant at BAE Systems. She has a computer science degree from Salamanca Pontifical University and a master's in Business Administration from San Telmo International Institute.
Co-CEO and Co-founder of Notpla (formerly Skipping Rocks Lab)
Currently based in London, French national Pierre Yves Paslier completed a master’s in materials science and engineering from INSA in Lyon in 2010. In 2012, he went on to complete a master’s in industrial and product design at the Royal College of Art in London. He also studied innovation design engineering at Imperial College.After graduating in 2014, Paslier and university alumnus Rodrigo García González co-founded Skipping Rocks Lab that was pivoted as Notpla in 2019. Both are co-CEOs of the UK-based startup that develops compostable and edible packaging material made of seaweed and other plants.Before becoming an entrepreneur, Paslier worked as a packaging engineer for L’Oréal from 2010 to 2012. He has been invited to speak at TEDx conferences in Athens and Warwick to share his experience and innovative projects in packaging and product design. In 2020, he became an industrial advisory board member at Imperial College London Dyson School of Design Engineering. In 2019, he also became a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub.
Currently based in London, French national Pierre Yves Paslier completed a master’s in materials science and engineering from INSA in Lyon in 2010. In 2012, he went on to complete a master’s in industrial and product design at the Royal College of Art in London. He also studied innovation design engineering at Imperial College.After graduating in 2014, Paslier and university alumnus Rodrigo García González co-founded Skipping Rocks Lab that was pivoted as Notpla in 2019. Both are co-CEOs of the UK-based startup that develops compostable and edible packaging material made of seaweed and other plants.Before becoming an entrepreneur, Paslier worked as a packaging engineer for L’Oréal from 2010 to 2012. He has been invited to speak at TEDx conferences in Athens and Warwick to share his experience and innovative projects in packaging and product design. In 2020, he became an industrial advisory board member at Imperial College London Dyson School of Design Engineering. In 2019, he also became a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub.
Beyond Investing is a Geneva-based firm investing in early-stage venture capital and equity growth startups mainly in European developed markets. With average investments of €200,000, the firm’s core investment strategy focuses on sustainability with an investment period lasting 5–10 years.The impact investor targets innovative startups involved in vegan, cruelty-free and plant-based alternatives; biotechnologies, foodtech, new materials, clothing and lifestyle sectors. Successful portfolio foodtechs include Mosa Meat, BlueNalu and Shiok Meats.With a team of vegan finance professionals in the US and Europe, Beyond Investing listed the first US Vegan Climate ETF (VEGN) on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2019. The ETF tracks Beyond Investing’s US Vegan Climate Index which covers an index of 495 of the largest-capitalization companies in the US stock market. The ethical investment option aims to exclude stocks in companies with activities that are not aligned with its vegan-themed, cruelty-free and fossil-fuel-free investing ethos.
Beyond Investing is a Geneva-based firm investing in early-stage venture capital and equity growth startups mainly in European developed markets. With average investments of €200,000, the firm’s core investment strategy focuses on sustainability with an investment period lasting 5–10 years.The impact investor targets innovative startups involved in vegan, cruelty-free and plant-based alternatives; biotechnologies, foodtech, new materials, clothing and lifestyle sectors. Successful portfolio foodtechs include Mosa Meat, BlueNalu and Shiok Meats.With a team of vegan finance professionals in the US and Europe, Beyond Investing listed the first US Vegan Climate ETF (VEGN) on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2019. The ETF tracks Beyond Investing’s US Vegan Climate Index which covers an index of 495 of the largest-capitalization companies in the US stock market. The ethical investment option aims to exclude stocks in companies with activities that are not aligned with its vegan-themed, cruelty-free and fossil-fuel-free investing ethos.
Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P)
Set up in 2002 by Patrice Hoppenot 15 years after he founded European investment fund BC Partners, Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) is an impact investor seeking to help SMEs prosper in Africa and create sustainable jobs and income there. With about €210m raised to date, I&P finances SMEs, startups and regional investment funds in Africa through equity participation and loans, as well as through microfinance institutions. Its I&P Acceleration Technologies focuses on digital startups with €2.5m of funding to be invested in 10–15 startups in 2020–2023. To date, I&P has supported more than 100 capital-funded companies and 20 companies benefiting from subsidized acceleration programs. I&P has about 100 staff based in Paris, Washington D.C. and in seven African offices (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Madagascar, Niger and Senegal).
Set up in 2002 by Patrice Hoppenot 15 years after he founded European investment fund BC Partners, Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) is an impact investor seeking to help SMEs prosper in Africa and create sustainable jobs and income there. With about €210m raised to date, I&P finances SMEs, startups and regional investment funds in Africa through equity participation and loans, as well as through microfinance institutions. Its I&P Acceleration Technologies focuses on digital startups with €2.5m of funding to be invested in 10–15 startups in 2020–2023. To date, I&P has supported more than 100 capital-funded companies and 20 companies benefiting from subsidized acceleration programs. I&P has about 100 staff based in Paris, Washington D.C. and in seven African offices (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Madagascar, Niger and Senegal).
Founded in London in 1998, Kreos Capital is a pioneer growth debt provider. Kreos has completed over 630 deals worth over €3bn in pan-European countries and Israel. The Kreos Capital Group of companies and various funds are regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission.Kreos currently has 102 companies in its portfolio and has managed over 200 exits. Investee Riskified, an Israeli e-commerce fraud protection company, was listed on the NYSE at a $3.3bn valuation in August 2021. Kreos also joined recent investments in 2021 including the $54m Series B round of Austrian refurbished electronics goods marketplace Refurbed and the €9.5m round of Berlin-based HRtech expertlead.
Founded in London in 1998, Kreos Capital is a pioneer growth debt provider. Kreos has completed over 630 deals worth over €3bn in pan-European countries and Israel. The Kreos Capital Group of companies and various funds are regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission.Kreos currently has 102 companies in its portfolio and has managed over 200 exits. Investee Riskified, an Israeli e-commerce fraud protection company, was listed on the NYSE at a $3.3bn valuation in August 2021. Kreos also joined recent investments in 2021 including the $54m Series B round of Austrian refurbished electronics goods marketplace Refurbed and the €9.5m round of Berlin-based HRtech expertlead.
Born in 1973, Li graduated from the School of Philosophy at Renmin University of China in 1997. After graduating, he worked as an IT journalist for China Youth Daily, where he interviewed tech giants such as Jack Ma. In early 2003, Li became chief editor of the IT section of web portal Sohu and then joined web portal NetEase as chief editor of its IT section later that year. In 2005, he resigned from NetEase and founded gaming portal Duowan. In 2008, Li founded YY Inc., a live streaming social media platform that went public on Nasdaq in 2012.
Born in 1973, Li graduated from the School of Philosophy at Renmin University of China in 1997. After graduating, he worked as an IT journalist for China Youth Daily, where he interviewed tech giants such as Jack Ma. In early 2003, Li became chief editor of the IT section of web portal Sohu and then joined web portal NetEase as chief editor of its IT section later that year. In 2005, he resigned from NetEase and founded gaming portal Duowan. In 2008, Li founded YY Inc., a live streaming social media platform that went public on Nasdaq in 2012.
Formerly known as hoopCHINA.com, Hupu is a sports news portal founded by Yang Bing and Cheng Hang at the end of 2003. Its business has expanded to include social networking, e-commerce and sports marketing. In June 2019, Hupu raised RMB1.26 billion in its pre-IPO funding round from ByteDance, TikTok's parent company. Hupu has incubated e-marketplace for trending sports gears Shihuo and sneakers resale platform Poizon. The latter became an independent business as a spin-off from Hupu in 2018. Poizon became a unicorn when its valuation exceeded US$1 billion in April 2019 due to a Series A funding round led by DST Global.
Formerly known as hoopCHINA.com, Hupu is a sports news portal founded by Yang Bing and Cheng Hang at the end of 2003. Its business has expanded to include social networking, e-commerce and sports marketing. In June 2019, Hupu raised RMB1.26 billion in its pre-IPO funding round from ByteDance, TikTok's parent company. Hupu has incubated e-marketplace for trending sports gears Shihuo and sneakers resale platform Poizon. The latter became an independent business as a spin-off from Hupu in 2018. Poizon became a unicorn when its valuation exceeded US$1 billion in April 2019 due to a Series A funding round led by DST Global.
CEO of Krakakoa
Sabrina Mustopo is the founder and CEO of Krakakoa Chocolate, a "farmer-to-bar" social enterprise that works directly with smallholder cocoa farmers to produce chocolate. She is also an independent consultant with experience in strategy, project management, agriculture and sustainable development. Mustopo previously worked in Singapore as an associate and research analyst for international consultancy McKinsey & Co., where she focused on climate change and agricultural topics and served public sector clients in the Asia-Pacific region and East Africa. She graduated magna cum laude from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in International Agriculture and Rural Development.
Sabrina Mustopo is the founder and CEO of Krakakoa Chocolate, a "farmer-to-bar" social enterprise that works directly with smallholder cocoa farmers to produce chocolate. She is also an independent consultant with experience in strategy, project management, agriculture and sustainable development. Mustopo previously worked in Singapore as an associate and research analyst for international consultancy McKinsey & Co., where she focused on climate change and agricultural topics and served public sector clients in the Asia-Pacific region and East Africa. She graduated magna cum laude from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in International Agriculture and Rural Development.
Managing Director and co-founder of String Bio
Vinod Kumar originally founded Samrat Wears clothing company in India in 1993 and went on to graduate in mechanical engineering in 1997 at BMS College of Engineering in India.In 2000, he completed a master’s in supply chain management, industrial and manufacturing systems engineering at Ohio University in the US. He started his career at Bell Labs as a product engineer. In 2000, he worked at telco Alcatel-Lucent that later became part of Nokia. In 2008, he held various senior roles and became senior director at tech company Juniper Networks in Silicon Valley. In 2013, he joined his wife Ezhil Subbian to set up String Bio in India. He became a full-time managing director of the company in 2015. In 2019, he became a fellow member at Unreasonable, an investment fund and organization for supporting innovative entrepreneurs to solve social and environmental issues worldwide.
Vinod Kumar originally founded Samrat Wears clothing company in India in 1993 and went on to graduate in mechanical engineering in 1997 at BMS College of Engineering in India.In 2000, he completed a master’s in supply chain management, industrial and manufacturing systems engineering at Ohio University in the US. He started his career at Bell Labs as a product engineer. In 2000, he worked at telco Alcatel-Lucent that later became part of Nokia. In 2008, he held various senior roles and became senior director at tech company Juniper Networks in Silicon Valley. In 2013, he joined his wife Ezhil Subbian to set up String Bio in India. He became a full-time managing director of the company in 2015. In 2019, he became a fellow member at Unreasonable, an investment fund and organization for supporting innovative entrepreneurs to solve social and environmental issues worldwide.
CEO and co-founder of OLIO
Tessa Clarke is the British CEO and co-founder of food-sharing app OLIO that was inspired by her experience of having to throw away perfectly good unused food when she was packing up to move from Switzerland back to the UK in 2014.After graduating with a first-class degree in social and political sciences at the University of Cambridge in UK in 1997, she worked for three years at the Boston Consulting Group as a junior associate. She joined an MBA program at Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2002 and met Saasha Celestial-One, who was also studying for an MBA at Stanford. In 2015, Clarke and Celestial-One decided to use their savings to create a food-sharing app OLIO after successfully testing the idea as a private WhatsApp group in North London.Before becoming an entrepreneur in 2015, Clarke has held various senior management roles since completing her MBA in 2004. She worked for global business publisher EMAP from 2005 until 2009, when she joined Dyson Inc as e-commerce managing director (MD). In 2013, she left Dyson to become MD of fintech PayLater based in Switzerland run by the Wonga payday loan company. Known then as Tessa Cook, she later became Wonga’s MD for eight months when she was tasked with “cleaning up” the tarnished reputation of the high interest loan company. From 2013 to 2021, she was also chair of the management board of St George’s Palace, a boutique apart-hotel and spa complex in Bansko, Bulgaria.In 2018, she became a fellow at Unreasonable, an organization that supports social and environmental entrepreneurship. For two years until 2021, Clarke was ambassador for the Meaningful Business 100 global event that advocates the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. She was also a board member for six years at Contentive, a global B2B media and information company. In 2021, her busy schedule now includes becoming a business mentor for not-for-profit Virgin Startup.
Tessa Clarke is the British CEO and co-founder of food-sharing app OLIO that was inspired by her experience of having to throw away perfectly good unused food when she was packing up to move from Switzerland back to the UK in 2014.After graduating with a first-class degree in social and political sciences at the University of Cambridge in UK in 1997, she worked for three years at the Boston Consulting Group as a junior associate. She joined an MBA program at Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2002 and met Saasha Celestial-One, who was also studying for an MBA at Stanford. In 2015, Clarke and Celestial-One decided to use their savings to create a food-sharing app OLIO after successfully testing the idea as a private WhatsApp group in North London.Before becoming an entrepreneur in 2015, Clarke has held various senior management roles since completing her MBA in 2004. She worked for global business publisher EMAP from 2005 until 2009, when she joined Dyson Inc as e-commerce managing director (MD). In 2013, she left Dyson to become MD of fintech PayLater based in Switzerland run by the Wonga payday loan company. Known then as Tessa Cook, she later became Wonga’s MD for eight months when she was tasked with “cleaning up” the tarnished reputation of the high interest loan company. From 2013 to 2021, she was also chair of the management board of St George’s Palace, a boutique apart-hotel and spa complex in Bansko, Bulgaria.In 2018, she became a fellow at Unreasonable, an organization that supports social and environmental entrepreneurship. For two years until 2021, Clarke was ambassador for the Meaningful Business 100 global event that advocates the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. She was also a board member for six years at Contentive, a global B2B media and information company. In 2021, her busy schedule now includes becoming a business mentor for not-for-profit Virgin Startup.
CEO and co-founder of Capaball
Sixto Arias is a veteran entrepreneur based in Madrid. He graduated with a BA Communications degree from Complutense University in 1992.In 2001, he started his first venture as co-founder of Movilisto that was sold to London-based mobile value-added services group Itouch Plc in 2004. In 2007, he founded media planner Mobext that was sold to Havas Media six years later.He is an angel investor focusing on projects relating to AI, education, IoT and mobile. He was the managing partner of Conector Startup Accelerator in Madrid for over two years. He is also the founder of the Mobile Marketing Association in Spain.Arias currently runs two startups: digital innovation agency Made in Mobile that he founded in 2014 and edtech Capaball co-founded in 2018. As a digital marketing specialist and experienced lecturer, he also works as a professor at ESCP Europe in Madrid and University of Sergio Arboleda in Colombia.
Sixto Arias is a veteran entrepreneur based in Madrid. He graduated with a BA Communications degree from Complutense University in 1992.In 2001, he started his first venture as co-founder of Movilisto that was sold to London-based mobile value-added services group Itouch Plc in 2004. In 2007, he founded media planner Mobext that was sold to Havas Media six years later.He is an angel investor focusing on projects relating to AI, education, IoT and mobile. He was the managing partner of Conector Startup Accelerator in Madrid for over two years. He is also the founder of the Mobile Marketing Association in Spain.Arias currently runs two startups: digital innovation agency Made in Mobile that he founded in 2014 and edtech Capaball co-founded in 2018. As a digital marketing specialist and experienced lecturer, he also works as a professor at ESCP Europe in Madrid and University of Sergio Arboleda in Colombia.
MIWA Technologies: Reducing food waste and packaging with smart refill vending system
MIWA’s solution lets consumers buy exact refill quantities in personalized containers, eradicating need for single-use plastics throughout the supply chain
Loones' cooperative e-marketplace connects farmers directly with agrifood businesses
Loones, Spain's first cooperative-based e-marketplace for bulk produce, helps traditional agricultural producers go digital
Glovo’s 2018 rollercoaster ride
The year saw the delivery giant dealing with labor unions, diversification and international expansion
HighPitch 2020: Goers wins Indonesia's national startup competition
Event ticketing startup Goers gains new revenue streams with pivot to helping leisure spots go online; hotel SaaS Izy and on-demand medical testing service CekLab also in top three
StudentFinance: AI screening software matches students to IT courses and jobs
StudentFinance also offers "Study now, pay later" model, making IT courses financially accessible while helping companies overcome skilled tech talent shortage
Impact investing: Spanish startups with a cause and the ecosystem backing them
As more thought and money go into socially and environmentally responsible projects, Spanish entrepreneurs, investors and big businesses are following suit
Francisco Polo: The former entrepreneur heading Spain's Digital Advancement
He's been charged to transform Spain into an entrepreneurial nation, and a technological and innovation frontrunner
VEnvirotech: Organic waste converted at source into biodegradable raw bioplastic
The Spanish startup presents an innovative circular business model to stand out in the ever-growing bioplastics sector with its on-site smart-waste container and garbage-consuming bacteria
Airhopping: Breakthrough in the OTA sector for millennials
Offering cheap and flexible multi-destination flight packages is helping the platform become the go-to reservation agent for budget travelers
South Summit wants to go global, as it launches Brazilian chapter
CEO Marta del Castillo on South Summit’s LatAm, Asia expansion plans; its net-zero pledge; her new role as co-head to further drive growth and more
Portugal pumps up to €60m into new initiatives to avert backslide in startup ecosystem
Government funding to ensure the strategically important and social impact startups don't fail, post-Covid
Portugal oceantech II: Single-minded efforts to build an ecosystem of international reference
With dedicated accelerators and investment programs, supported by the EU’s vote of confidence, Portugal appears on track to lead in oceantech
Lota Digital: Disrupting fishing in Portugal for a sustainable future
The “digital fish market” app helps fishermen compete in a market dominated by large players
RatedPower: Creating solar power plant designs in minutes
The Spanish startup is helping solar plants expand exponentially worldwide and revolutionizing the sector with its automated software
Indonesia launches national pitch competition HighPitch 2020 to re-energize its startup ecosystem
With 43 VC investors so far joining as judges and mentors, HighPitch 2020 aims to reconnect investors with young startups across the country amid Covid-19
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