Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based CEO’ operating in the Communities space. If you think a CEO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Michelle Kennedy
Co-Founder & CEO of Peanut
Michelle joined Badoo originally as lead counsel over 4 years ago. Prior to joining Badoo she was a successful corporate lawyer at leading international law firm, Mishcon de Reya, before being poached by the firm’s successful biotech client, Quotient Bioscience to head up their legal team. During her time at Badoo, she built the legal, compliance, HR and talent teams before moving into a more operationally focused role, including a position on the board. Today, Michelle is responsible for most key areas of the business, and works closely with founder and CEO Andrey Andreev, on the existing product, and exciting ‘special projects’ coming soon….
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About Peanut: Peanut is an online platform that provides a safe space for women to connect across fertility and motherhood.
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Priyanka Gill
Founder & CEO of POPxo
Priyanka Gill is the Co-Founder and President of MyGlamm. She is also the Founder & CEO of POPxo, India’s largest community of women.
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About MyGlamm, POPxo: POPxo is India’s online community for women that deals everything from fashion, beauty, lifestyle, work, and etc.
Natalia Vodianova
Founder, CEO of Naked Heart Foundation
Natalia Mikhailovna Vodianova, nicknamed Supernova, is a Russian model, philanthropist and occasional film actress. She is well known for her rags to riches life story and for her eight-season, seven-figure contract with Calvin Klein.
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About Naked Heart Foundation: Naked Heart Foundation was founded by supermodel, Natalia Vodianova, with an aim to construct modern play parks in urban areas of Russia.
Petter Neby
Founder and CEO of Punkt. Tronics
Petter Neby is a Norwegian technology entrepreneur. Mr. Neby launched his first business in Norway in 1989, at the age of seventeen, and in 1991 moved to Paris, to work for an international consumer electronics company. Innovation and creativity has led Mr. Neby to find and manage successful businesses in the telecommunications, enterprise software and website areas. Mr. Neby created Punkt. in 2008 to offer straightforward alternatives to multi-function devices that started to dominate the consumer electronic marketplace.
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About Punkt. Tronics: Punkt. is a Swiss design led technology company that aims to make life simpler by creating timeless and outstanding products
May Al-Karooni
Founder & CEO of Globechain
May Al-Karooni is the founder of Globechain – an award winning British reuse marketplace that connects corporates to charities and smes to redistribute free unwanted items, creating social impact data to its members. May previously worked within the investment banking and asset management industry, fundraising monies for venture capital, property and hedge funds for the last 10 years totaling over £120 million in funds raised. In 2013 May set up Globechain after seeing a demand for a new online circular economy within the waste management industry after her own employer expressed a need to reuse items in a more collaborative way. Globechain has gained huge momentum growing to 10,000 members with eBay as its mentors and securing contracts with some of the world’s largest brands as well as growing a large network of charities nationally and internationally. Globechain works within the retail, commercial and construction industry and last year diverted 5,100,000 kilos from landfill with items being re distributed within the UK as well as abroad as far as Sierra Leone, Guinea, Kenya, Libya and the Ukraine providing savings of over £1,500,000 to charitable causes.
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About Globechain: Globechain is a B2B reuse marketplace connecting businesses to charities, creating social impact data.
Bryan Christie Teeth Whitening
CEO and Founder of Megawhite Teeth Whitening
Bryan Christies, born in Scotland 1982, attended Inveralmond High School. I have successfully completed an apprenticeship over 4 years (Bathgate Tech) in Design Manufacturing and Engineering process. Founder of Dentawhite Ltd (2007 -2012) I am passionate about brand awareness and have a very positive outlook to live and business. I have the ability to adapt to every changing situation. Intelligent and knowledgeable. I am a kind, caring and considerate. Visionary, I believe that anything is possible. Honest and Hardworking, inspirational character. Compelled to helping others. Achievements with Details: Over the last 6 years I have provided an affordable teeth whitening product that is available in 40 different countries worldwide and in over 200 salons throughout the UK. I have designed, manufactured and devolved the first pre-loaded whitening tray with air pocket technology, which holds our own unique exclusive formula. This has then leaded me to selling the rights to different countries, having the product branded internationally, and created employment. Our product has helped businesses generate revenue and profit. This has also introduced new customer and dynamic to existing businesses. Interests: I enjoy traveling around the world, experiencing different cultures, and understanding the History and Art of different countries. I have achieved one of my many goals of wanting to be an Entrepreneur. My hobbies are extreme sports, cars, collecting watches, charity organization and health and well being. Design and manufacturing is my passion, and I am always interested in new business startups, helping local communities. Design, develop and improve along with problem solving.
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About Megawhite Teeth Whitening: Megawhite has licensees all over the world and offers people an opportunity to improve their existing business.
Mariya Grinina
CEO & Co-founder of iDAL
Mariya Grinina is a CEO & co-founder at iDAL. She attended the University of Westminster in 2014.
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About iDAL: Technology, community and expert management for talent
Ashley Friedlein
CEO & Founder of Guild
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About Ably Realtime, Cambridge Judge Business School, Centaur Media Plc, Econsultancy, Founders4Schools, Guild: Guild is the platform for professional communities and networking.
Evan Wienburg
CEO of TrueSpeed Communications
Evan Wienburg is a co-founder of CEO of TrueSpeed, a full fibre infrastructure and broadband provider based in the South West. In July 2017, Evan secured a £75million investment from Aviva to deploy TrueSpeed’s network across the South West. Providing a futureproof broadband solution for homes and businesses, Evan’s vision delivers guaranteed speed, full fibre broadband to every property TrueSpeed connects whilst keeping a community focused ethos at the forefront of everything it does. Designing and implementing multinational technological initiatives for over a decade, Evan has been responsible for running multinational IT programs throughout his career and leading teams through difficult and demanding projects. Evan is also a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI), and a Member of the City and Guilds Institute.
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About TrueSpeed Communications: Innovative fibre optic infrastructure and telecoms company.
Elizabeth Varley
Founder & CEO of TechHub
Elizabeth is a serial entrepreneur and founded TechHub, the community for high-growth tech companies. TechHub has worked with thousands of companies to help them scale. TechHub member companies have been acquired by Google, Facebook, Twitter, Oracle and Microsoft among others, and have raised over $1billion in funding. TechHub also helps corporates like Google and BT access innovation culture and to work with startups to solve business challenges or develop new products. Previously Elizabeth ran an editorial and content agency, and built communities. She’s been selected for Computer Weekly’s UKtech50 top influencers, the Debrett’s 500, and Vogue UK’s Generation Tech among others. Elizabeth also sits on the board of the Digital City Exchange smart cities programme at Imperial College, the Open Data Institute’s Data Pitch technology innovation board, and the Silicon Valley Bank early-stage advisory board. @evarley @TechHub
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About TechHub: TechHub is the home of technology entrepreneurs and startup teams
Anthony Gell
Founder & CEO of LeadersIn
Anthony Gell is the Author of The Book of Leadership (2014, Hachette Group) and the founder and CEO of LeadersIn, an online and offline community dedicated to sharing wisdom from world leaders in their field. Before launching LeadersIn, Anthony was the Regional CEO of global publishing and conference company. During his tenure there, he oversaw the turnaround of the New York office and had profit and loss responsibilities for all regional offices spanning out over South Africa, Singapore, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Dubai and China. For the series LeadersIn Business Anthony has interviewed some of the most famous business leaders in the world, and some of the coolest people on the planet. He is an avid public speaker and has been asked to interview business leaders at many leading institutions including London Business School and Imperial College, London.
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About LeadersIn: LeadersIn we interview these people and share their interviews with our global community.
Global CEO & Co-Founder of Andiamo
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About Andiamo, UnLtd: Custom medical wearables platform
David Goldberg
Co-founder and CEO of Founders Pledge
David is the co-founder and CEO of Founders Pledge a new international charity through which tech entrepreneurs commit to donate a small percentage of their personal exit proceeds to high impact social causes. Since launching in June 2015, Founders Pledge has raised $575 million for high impact charities through more than 1300 pledges in 30 countries. Having run the gauntlet of finance, start-up, and academia, David started Founders Pledge to make it absurdly easy for entrepreneurs to do good through their work and in lives. David moved into the non-profit sector from an eclectic commercial background. Immediately following high school, David joined one of the largest privately held mortgage banks in the U.S., where he launched the secondary marketing department, after which he worked as an investment banker Los Angeles. David also founded and ran a boutique real estate firm in Germany. David is a graduate of UCLA and the University of Cambridge.
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About Founders Pledge, Wayra: Founders Pledge is a global community of entrepreneurs finding and funding solution’s to the world’s most pressing problems.
John David
CEO and Founder of Amnick
John is the Chair for the Telegraph newspaper Tech and Innovation task force, and also chair for the Industrial Internet of Things for Central and South Europe Council. Current initiatives John is leading on: Buying and selling best technologies and solutions from solution providers across the world – including IoT, Digital, Blockchain, Cyber, AI. Creation of a Digital University for 2020 with Tech and solution providers helping to train industry specialist as part of Amnick certificate/degrees International Collaboration team made up of city leaders, mayors, 110 tech companies, municipalities and universities from across the world (www.amnick.com). This initiative focuses on city challenges – digital inclusion, commercialisation – bringing in more money, connecting smaller cities, social mobility and intelligent transportation systems. Smart Cities magazine – where city leaders/tech sector/universities can all contribute at www.bpmm.co.uk John is also being appointed onto the Scientific Advisory Board for the Chinese Government. And is also working with the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development.
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About Amnick: Amnick is a collection of senior ex-local authority staff, as well a consortium of local authority and private sector-partnering org.
Benjamin Todd
CEO, Co Founder & Executive Director of 80,000 Hours
In under three years with Ben’s leadership, 80,000 Hours has grown from a student society, to an Oxford affiliated charity, featured on TED, the Washington Post, the BBC Today Programme and more. Ben has a 1st from Oxford in Physics and Philosophy, has published in Climate Physics and speaks Chinese. Before 80,000 Hours, he was the first undergraduate to intern as an analyst at a top investment fund. Rather than taking the job, he persuaded the Chairman to donate £60,000 to 80,000 Hours.
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About 80,000 Hours: 80,000 Hours is an evidence-based advice on careers that make a difference.
Stepan Dobrovolskiy
CEO and Co-Founder of Mashroom
Stepan Dobrovolskiy is the CEO and Co-Founder at Mashroom.
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About Mashroom: Mashroom is a proptech startup that provides end-to-end property letting services to landlords and tenants.
Andrew Skipwith
Founder and CEO of Rated People
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About Rated People: Rated People is an online recommendation service that connects homeowners with local, recommended tradespeople.
James McAulay
Co-Founder & CEO of Encore Technologies
Our resident Cellist and CEO, James dreams of a future where live music is everywhere.
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About Encore Technologies: Encore is an online network of musicians that enables them to access many performance opportunities in the music community around them.
Amit Pate
Founder & CEO of Snaptivity
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About Snaptivity: Snaptivity is a stadium tech that drives fan engagement by capturing key moments of events using AI, IoT sensors, and robotic cams.
Jorge Armanet
CEO & Co Founder of HealthUnlocked
Technology and Media Entrepreneur In 2000 he founded Plataforma Publico, an open source media lab that promotes cultural creativity and ideas; in 2002 he founded the popular network and magazine Hecho en Chile – a Chilean ‘Big Issue’ and support network for low-income students; in 2007 he founded DO TANK, a technology lab building functional prototypes for the private sector to test and scale new web business models; and in 2009 he co-founded HealthUnlocked, the social health platform. He holds degrees in Engineering, Economics, Arts and Business from the Catholic University of Chile, Goldsmiths College, and Cambridge University. He held academic scholarships from the British Chevening, the Shell Centenary Fund, the Cambridge Overseas Trust and the Jesus College Foundation. Based in London, UK, he is now full time and permanently dedicated to HealthUnlocked.
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About HealthUnlocked: HealthUnlocked is a social network for health.
Gabriela Hersham
Founder & CEO of Huckletree
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About Huckletree: The brave home of innovation.
Gavin Eddy
Founder & CEO of We Are Coherent
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About Forward Space, We Are Coherent: Coherent is a web application specifically designed to manage coworking or shared workspaces and connect their communities
John Steel
CEO of Cafedirect
John Steel, Chief Executive Officer of ethical pioneer and sustainability leader Cafedirect, is a food & drink entrepreneur determined to challenge the status quo and make business a force for good. John was previously Managing Director and then Chairman of Cornish Sea Salt, where he helped establish a provenance-led sustainable food business. He brings a mix of corporate and entrepreneurial experience in B2C & B2B including food & drink and online business initiatives, from start-ups to organizations such as Nestle, Weetabix & Premier Foods.
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About Cafedirect: Cafedirect is to change lives and build communities through inspirational, sustainable business.
Kabir Ahmed
Chief Executive Officer of Favorey
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About Favorey: We are building a community of trust, where we can all ask for help from trusted contacts, and use our skills to help others.
Ahmed Dica
CEO of Examinotes
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About Examinotes: Edtech
Kristian Tapaninaho
Founder & CEO of Ooni
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About Ooni: Ooni is the number one pizza oven brand in the world.
Yiorgos Nikoletakis
CEO & Founder of 100mentors
Yiorgos enjoys surrounding himself with his role models: educators & entrepreneurs. After having worked in 4 US states, Spain, Greece & China, “arguing like I am right, listening like I am wrong” is his favorite motto.
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About 100mentors: We empower today’s youth to consciously take their once in a lifetime decisions & prepare them for the workplace of the future.
Kaan Akın
Founder, CEO of Hackquarters
Tech investor, startup mentor and founder of Hackquarters Startup Accelerator. He is involved with corporate accelerator programs.
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About Hackquarters: Hackquarters accelerated 150+ startups and helped 40+ corporates to innovate with startup collaboration
Emily Forbes
Founder and CEO of Seenit
Emily Forbes is the Founder and CEO of Seenit.
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About Seenit: Industry-leading video crowdsourcing solution
Wahab Ahmad
CEO and Founder of TimeAway
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About PenAndWeb, TimeAway: Enriching family holidays, tried and tested by like minded mums
Jeanette Carlsson
Founder & CEO of Tech Nordic Advocates
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About newmedia2.0, Tech Nordic Advocates: Tech Nordic Advocates is Northern Europe’s largest and only pan-Nordic/Baltic tech/startup community.
Alan Yau
Founder & CEO of Softchow
Alan Yau (OBE) is a seasoned entrepreneur who has created ventures such as Wagamama (2018 valuation $800 Million), Hakkasan (2018 valuation $1.1 Bn & Michelin Star 2002, Exited in 2008), Busaba Eathai (Exited in 2008), Yauatcha (Michelin Star 2005).
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About Softchow, Wagamama: Softchow is a qualitative taste aggregation and discovery marketplace that is community driven.
Pip Jamieson
Founder & CEO of The Dots
Pip Jamieson is the Founder & CEO of The Dots (https://the-dots.com), a professional network for people that don’t wear suits to work -‘dubbed “The next LinkedIn?’ by Forbes. Delightfully Dyslexic with a distinctive marmite laugh (you either love it or you hate it) Pip was named by The Sunday Times as one of the Top 100 Disruptive Entrepreneurs innovating in their respective fields & as one of the trailblazing leaders having a positive impact on the world. Being a dyslexic sole female tech founder, Pip has put promoting social responsibility and helping business build diverse teams at the heart of everything they do! 68% + of The Dots community is female, 31% + BAME & 16% + LGBT+. The Dots also do a lot of work around socioeconomic diversity and neurodiversity to fuel a more balanced industry of the future.
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About The Dots: The professional network for people who don’t wear suits to work.
Philip Bock
Chief Executive Officer of Supervisual
Philip Bock is 25 years old and works as a creative in advertising. He recently launched his first startup, Sponsta, which now takes up most of his time in London where he lives with his girlfriend and their rabbit.
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About Supervisual: Connects brands with a global community of creators and instantly facilitates creative collaboration.
Germán Bencci
Founder & CEO of CodeYourFuture
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About CodeYourFuture: CodeYourFuture is a non-profit organisation supporting refugees with the dream of becoming developers.
Tamsin Lejeune
CEO of Common Objective (CO)
Tamsin is one of the pioneers of the sustainable fashion movement. Her entrepreneurial spirit and drive have seen her work with thousands of fashion professionals and businesses over the years, growing a global network spanning 141 countries, and pioneering solutions that overcome the challenges they face. Tamsin is a force to be reckoned with, and an inspiration to many.
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About Common Objective (CO): CO is an intelligent business network that drives more sustainable business practices, starting with the fashion industry.
Benji Vaughan
Founder / CEO of Disciple Media
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About Disciple Media: Disciple helps you host, engage and monetise your community on your terms. Create your own community app and gather your customers.
Mat Hunter
Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Plus X
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About Plus X: Plus X creates workspaces that unlock potential, business growth and innovation, community collaboration, and positive social impact.
Lu Li
Founder, CEO of Blooming Founders
Lu Li is the founder of Blooming Founders, a business incubation platform designed for early stage female entrepreneurs and diverse teams. Blooming Founders runs popular events and an award-winning co-working space in Shoreditch that give our members a competitive edge in building and growing their businesses. We offer fundraising support for selected startups. We also offer event and marketing services to corporates and government entities who want to leverage our diverse network. Lu has also published the book Dear Female Founder which contains 66 personal letters of advice written by female entrepreneurs from 20 countries. It is globally available on Amazon and Kindle. In her previous corporate career, Lu has launched FMCG products for Procter & Gamble across Western Europe and has worked on several consulting projects for McKinsey, BMW and T-Mobile.
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About Blooming Founders: Blooming Founders is a business incubation platform designed for early stage female entrepreneurs and diverse teams.
Gurnek Bains
Founder and CEO of Global Future
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About Global Future: Global Future educates, informs, and helps people understand the benefits of globalization.
Rishi Sareen
Co-Founder & CEO of Startifi
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About Startifi: The social network for everything startup! A global platform for startups, entrepreneurs and investors!
Jacqueline Geis
Chief Executive Officer of Videre
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About Videre: Videre is a global network that equips oppressed communities
Mike Anderson
CEO of Padoq
Mike Anderson is the chief executive of Padoq, a Manchester-based networking platform which launched in May 2018 following a £400,000 fundraising round. The platform provides spaces for community organisers to more easily engage with and organise their communities. The serial entrepreneur’s first venture, Jolly Goods, was sold in 2017. He then started award-winning digital agency Nothing But Epic. He has raised over £1m in funding in the past two years and was named ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the UK Business Tech Awards last year.
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About Padoq, Rabipearl: Padoq is the intelligent mobile platform that allows companies to launch branded mobile apps at a fraction of the normal time and cost.
Cristina Gamboa
CEO of World Green Building Council
Cristina Gamboa is the CEO of the World Green Building Council. She’s a passionate advocate for green buildings and cities as one of the most effective solutions to climate change, and as a means to deliver on social justice and other environmental goals, such as stopping biodiversity loss. She previously worked as the CEO of Colombia Green Building Council and also has expertise in the fields of economic research, journalism, and international affairs. Thanks to her active, committed, and participatory leadership and thorough knowledge of sustainable development, the Colombia GBC met significant milestones that enabled sustainability in construction to become mainstream.
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About World Green Building Council: The World Green Building Council is a non-profit organization and a coalition of national Green Building Councils.
James Mayes
Cofounder and CEO of Mind the Product
Dad. Gadget-fan. Adrenalin junkie. Outdoors beats indoors. Tech. Social. Start-ups. Recruiting. Product. Event junkie, occasional speaker!
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About Mind the Product: Mind the Product is an international product community for users to gain information.
Simon Maylott
CEO & Co-Founder of Indie Media Labs
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About Indie Media Labs: SaaS digital publishing and distribution service for book publishers and direct to consumer whitelabel all-in-one publishing platform
DK Matai
Chairman & CEO of mi2g
DK is an engineer turned entrepreneur and philanthropist with a keen interest in the well being of global society. He founded mi2g in 1995, the digital risk specialists, in London, UK, whilst developing simulations for his PhD at Imperial College. He helped found ATCA — The Asymmetric Threats Contingency Alliance — in 2001, a philanthropic initiative to understand and to address complex global challenges. He is widely quoted in the international media on the risk and reward of digitisation. DK co-founded The Philanthropia in 2005 — Trinity Club, Syndicates and Ethical Investment Funds — with entrepreneurs, family foundations, private banks, non-governmental organisations and specialist advisors to resolve complex global challenges through collaborative & sustained efforts. DK’s online presence: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, HQR, Open ATCA, Intent & IntentBlog.
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About mi2g: mi2g is a U.K.-based company that provides security practices and techniques for wealth creation and protection of enterprises.
Rose Caldwell
Chief Executive Officer of Plan UK
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About Plan UK: Plan UK is a global childrens charity,helping young girls and boys in communities around the globe to build better future for childrens.
Vanessa Boz
founder, CEO of moodAway
Vanessa Boz Founder, CEO – moodAway Ltd
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About BozAround, moodAway: Picture your next trip moodAway is an early-stage startup built to help people visualise their trips.
Diane Lightfoot
CEO of Business Disability Forum
Diane joined Business Disability Forum as Chief Executive Officer in February 2017 after moving from her former role as Director of Policy and Communications for United Response, a leading national disability charity. During her 13 years at United Response, Diane led and developed the charity’s campaigning, public affairs and lobbying activity, with a particular focus on promoting employment for disabled people. She subsequently took on the strategic leadership of the organisation’s employment services as a whole and is passionate about the role that good work has in transforming people’s lives. Diane meets regularly with Business Disability Forum Partners and Members and also works closely with Government to help shape disability employment policy. She is a member of the Department of Work and Pensions’ Disability Confident Professional Advisers Group and the Disability Expert Advisory Panel for the Civil Service.
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About Business Disability Forum: Business Disability Forum is a not-for-profit member organisation.
Saf Nazeer
Co-Founder and CEO of Helpfulpeeps
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About Helpfulpeeps: Helpfulpeeps is a social marketplace for local help
Susan Burton
Founder & CEO of Classlist.com
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About Classlist.com: Classlist enables parents at the same school to make trusted, secure connections; making their life easier and school communities stronger.
Dr. Constantina Katsari-Muston
CoFounder and CEO of Startdoms
Tech Entrepreneur, Agile and Lean products, currently running Startdoms, a virtual accelerator for startups
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About Keyping, Startdoms: A community of startups, mentors, business advisors, investors and enthusiasts who support entrepreneurs in their new ventures.
Daniel Ospina
Co-Founder and CEO of Conductal
Daniel is an Organization Designer. Through his company, Conductal, Daniel uses Social System Design to create incentives and processes that spark creativity and enable business agility at scale in startups and established organisations. Beyond Conductal, Daniel is a visiting lecturer on System Design at Oxford University, a Co-founder of Crossmodalism, an Associate Fellow of London University, and a Fellow of the RSA.
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About Conductal: Conductal help smaller organizations to scale and larger ones to manage communities and innovate.
David McQueen
CEO of Legacy71 Ltd
David is passionate about good leadership in companies. He is the CEO of Legacy 71 Ltd, a startup incubator focusing on founders of pan African heritage based in the UK. He is als the CEO of Narratively ltd leadership development company where he advises founders and coaches and trains senior and emerging leaders on great communication skills. He is also an investor in number of UK based startups.
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About Legacy71 Ltd, Narratively Ltd: Startup Incubator for panAfrican tech founders in the UK
Lyndon Wood
CEO & Creator of SunZu
Many businesse’s start and then spend their time and money on doing things that everyone else is doing, assuming it must be right or why are they doing it. The fact is the masses are not maximising or generating leads and opportunities, so if you follow them you could be or are falling into the same trap. Being social all over the place is fun, and of course you may generate the odd lead or opportunity, however for the time you spend versus the return, you should question why you do it from a business and commercial point. I have Created SunZu because I too was fed up of wasting my time posting content, and more, in a hope to get noticed and create new customers. Now everyone can create landing pages, distribute content and manage leads, all in one place, on SunZu. More importantly SunZu is your tool to generate new leads and opportunities. I believe in you getting a return on time (ROT). Enjoy and make sure you use and refine everyday to maximise your benefit.
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About Cardiff University, SunZu: SunZu, the network for people doing business that lets you meet, share, learn, trade and grow with other business owners.
Alice Weightman
Founder & CEO of The Work Crowd
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About The Work Crowd: The Work Crowd is changing the way talented people choose to work and how work finds talented people!
Raj Burman
Chief Executive of Techfugees
Raj is CEO of Techfugees, an international non-profit social purpose organisation that mobilises the digital tech sector and volunteer community as a global collective to empower displaced inclusion by harnessing the transformative power of open responsible digital innovations, curated for and with refugees to have equitable access to information, education, health and work for their betterment.
As a Fellow of the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Raj is a commercial venture growth specialist and a social impact protagonist with three decades of international blended experience across the private, public and non-profit sectors working at the intersection of digital innovation, entrepreneurship and investment.
Prior, Raj worked for GS1 – a global supply chain membership standards body where he led stewardship to formulate and execute the UK strategy to guide small businesses to GS1’s worldwide standards for barcodes and trusted data services, whilst connecting SME businesses to expansion opportunities in international markets.
He has also successfully established several disruptive technology start-up ventures and led the UK business scaleup acceleration programme for a leading pan-European independent body of the European Commission.
Raj loves working with entrepreneurs, innovators and difference-makers to get their greatest work to the world being at the forefront of accelerating application of innovative digital technologies, scaling business growth and enabling collective impact that make a societal difference to people lives.
Outside of work, Raj loves to travel, read and is philanthropist to several international social impact ventures supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals in making a difference to disenfranchised and marginalized communities, particularly supporting maternal & child, education and inclusion.
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About Techfugees: Techfugees is a global volunteer led non profit organization empowering displaced persons with technology
Meir Moalem
Founder and CEO of Sky and Space Global
Meir has a B.Sc. in Physics and Computer Sciences (with honours) and an M.A. from the Diplomacy and National Security executive program (with honours). Currently he is working on his PhD in national security and space programs in Tel Aviv University, Israel. Meir has also received the Israel National Defence award in 2009.
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About MultiModis, Sky and Space Global: Sky and Space Global provides affordable voice, data and instant messaging services to Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime.
Joe Levi
CEO & Co-founder of Noise Media
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About Noise Media: Noise Media is an award winning social-first media agency that helps brands scale to universal heights.
Alix Zwane
Chief Executive Officer of Global Innovation Fund
15+ years of experience advancing the agenda of evidence-based public policy, with a primary focus on effective philanthropy, service delivery at scale, and value for money. Track record of executive leadership, entrepreneurship, impact investing, change management, and consensus building to increase impact and pursue comparative advantage at Global Innovation Fund, Evidence Action, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Google. Experienced in strategic grantmaking, fundraising, complex partner relationships to deliver development outcomes. 2015 World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
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About Global Innovation Fund: GIF invests in social innovations that aim to improve the lives and opportunities of millions of people in the developing world.
Mel Bound
Founder and CEO of This Mum Runs
Mel is an innovator and a disruptor, full of ideas and hugely passionate about inspiring women who don’t believe exercise could be for them. A Mum of two, sports science graduate and qualified coach, she’s been running since she was 10 and especially loves very muddy trail running.
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About This Mum Runs: This Mum Runs is a fast growing, profitable women’s running brand.
Dan Ebanks
Co-Founder and CEO of Firesouls
Dan Ebanks is a cofounder and CEO and leads on concept design, business development and investment
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About Firesouls: Firesouls is online exchange that brings together government suppliers and local civic projects to create social value.
Ned Mortimer
CEO of Ally Chatbot
Ned Mortimer is the Chief Executive Officer at Ally Chatbot.
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About Ally Chatbot: Ally Chatbot is a civic and social organization that features a software platform that utilizes artificial intelligence.
Ned Mortimer
CEO of Ally Chatbot
Ned Mortimer is the Chief Executive Officer at Ally Chatbot.
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About Ally Chatbot: Ally Chatbot is a civic and social organization that features a software platform that utilizes artificial intelligence.
Thierry Clarke
Founder & CEO of InvestorConnected
Thierry Clarke is the founder and CEO of InvestorConnected. He is also the lead consultant of EBRD. He earned his degree at Queen Mary University of London.
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About InvestorConnected: InvestorConnected is an online community where entrepreneurs and investors combine their resources to build successful businesses together.
Reto Bolliger
CEO & Co-founder of Follow Alice
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About Follow Alice: We make adventure travel a truly holistic and personal client experience by blending technology with human interaction.
George Johnston
CEO of Tech City Ventures
George Johnston is passionate about using technology to shape cities of the future, with a belief that this can be achieved through building a self-sustaining innovation ecosystem through data, knowledge, and connections. He founded Tech City Ventures to bring great ideas to market faster, regardless of their stage in the startup lifecycle. Through his network of businesses, he works with national and international corporations and government bodies from across the world. He has provided counsel to the then Department of Business, Innovation and Skills around EU digital policy, and more recently, to the Greater London Authority and Mayor’s Office around London’s digital strategy.
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About IncuBus Ventures, swiftscale, Tech City Ventures: Tech City Ventures is a network of companies with a shared vision to accelerate sustainable innovation.
Jamie Reece
Founder and CEO of Booking Spaces
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About Booking Spaces: Booking Spaces Disruptive venue booking platform, connecting those looking for spaces with the spaces available for hire.
Jon Cano-Lopez
CEO of REaD Group
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About REaD Group: REaD Group is the UK’s largest independent data driven communications group.
Yiannis Maos
Founder & CEO of Birmingham Tech (Birmingham Tech Week)
I’m the Founder of Birmingham Tech Week, a collaborative series of events that celebrate our region’s technology scene. The week is government-backed, highlights new and emerging innovation and inspires people from all walks of life to get involved in technology. Prior to this, I was Co-Founder of Hyve, a SaaS platform that helps brands to collaborate with their customers and help turn their loyal customers into word of mouth advocates. The first 10 years of my career I was spent at Rant & Rave, where I was responsible for the marketing strategy, helping them go from a challenger brand to a well established, multi-million pound SaaS company. I have over 15 years of experience in technology, marketing and CX – specialising in helping innovative brands achieve fast-growth by developing strategic customer relationships. During my career, I’ve been named Central England’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year, spoken at some of the UK’s top business schools and mentored young marketers as part of Google’s Squared programme. Highlights: • Currently a mentor for Google’s Squared Digital Marketing programme where I’m helping young marketers understand, and how to take advantage of future technologies and trends • Recognised as one of the country’s most promising marketers through the Marketing Academy, where I’ve been coached and mentored by some of the world’s top Marketing Directors from companies including; Facebook, Google, BT and Twitter • Selected to judge at the DMA Awards (Best Digital Destination), Digital Experience Awards (Best Mobile Experience), Shell Livewire Awards (Digital Innovation) and Customer Experience Awards (Global Experience Programme) • Presented at Henley Business School (Customer Experience), Coventry Business School (Inbound Marketing), The Media Trust (Mobile Marketing and Social Media), Warwick Business School (Innovative Marketing) and The International Institute of Innovation (Digital Marketing) • Awarded Central England Young Entrepreneur of the Year for achievements in Digital Marketing – Shell UK PLC
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About Birmingham Tech (Birmingham Tech Week), Bruntwood: Birmingham Tech is a not-for-profit organisation that supports the growth of the Birmingham (UK) and West Midlands Technology Sector.
Daniel Brewer
Chief Executive Officer of Resonance
Daniel leads the growing team supporting social enterprises and charities prepare for investment in a variety of transactions including real estate acquisition and development, community share issues and direct venture capital investments. He has seen the company flourish as it has created demand-led, impact investment funds. Daniel founded Resonance in 2002 having spent several years in manufacturing as an engineer and leading a political lobbying campaign on the UK poverty trap. Outside work Daniel is a non-exec of a small number of high impact social enterprises and sits on the investment committee for a leading impact investor foundation.
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About Resonance: Resonance is a social impact investment company with over a decade of experience working with social enterprises throughout the UK.
Helen Milner
CEO of Good Things Foundation
Helen Milner OBE is the Chief Executive of the Good Things Foundation (formerly Tinder Foundation), a digital inclusion and social inclusion charity[vague] based in the UK. Following a 30-year career working on the internet and with communities, in 2012 Milner was inducted into the British Interactive Media Association’s Digital Hall of Fame,[1] and in 2013 became a member of The House of Commons Speaker’s Commission for Digital Democracy.[2] In June 2015 Milner was appointed an OBE for services to digital inclusion in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
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About Good Things Foundation: Good Things Foundation is a charity that supports digitally and socially excluded people to improve their lives through digital.
Julie Lake
CEO, Founding Director of FinTechCity – The FinTech50
Julie is CEO and Founding Director of The FinTech50 launched in 2013 to recognize the European game-changers transforming financial services. Published annually, the list is now helping FinTech companies to raise profile globally, connect with influencers, investors and funders and generate business. In 2017, the FinTech50 will announce the first FinTech50 Asia and a new Financial Inclusion 50 which will showcase innovators worldwide who are delivering greater access to financial services.
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About FinTechCity – The FinTech50: FinTechCity London is the home of The FInTech50 – 50 game-changing businesses across Europe.
Darren Burn
CEO of TravelGay.com
A former ITV News journalist, Darren Burn founded OutOfOffice.com in 2016 – the world’s luxury LGBT travel company. In 2018, Darren led the team that successfully acquired TravelGay.com, the world’s most visited LGBT travel website.
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About OutOfOffice.com, TravelGay.com: The world’s most visited LGBT travel website.
Irene Clapham
CEO of NC Communications
Irene has over 35 years of media and event management experience, the last twelve of which have been in the IT publishing industry. She has produced many high-level in-person and online technical vents for partners and clients such as Oracle, Microsoft, Citrix, Intel, VMWare and IBM. She has also built turnkey virtual on-line events delivered in multiple languages across Europe for NC Communications client lists.
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About NC Communications: NC Communications is a provider of content and events for the Microsoft SharePoint and Office 365 community.
Jez Murrell
CEO & Founder of FRNZY
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About FRNZY: FRNZY is an online, community-led marketplace that makes group buying a more social, relevant and rewarding experience for everyone.
Jez Murrell
CEO & Founder of FRNZY
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About FRNZY: FRNZY is an online, community-led marketplace that makes group buying a more social, relevant and rewarding experience for everyone.
Servane Mouazan
Founder, CEO of Ogunte CIC
Servane has worked for 16 years as a conscious innovation entrepreneur. She founded Ogunte C.I.C, a certified B-Corp that helps create “a better world, powered by women”. Ogunte has supported over 5000 women changemakers and developed the first incubator for women social entrepreneurs in the UK. Servane is running the Womanity Award, an initiative by the Womanity Foundation, one of the TOP 500 NGO’s. The award is investing in Tech for Good organisations that develop and replicate ICT programmes to prevent violence against women.
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About Ogunte CIC: Ogunte connects and develops women social entrepreneurs to amplify their impact and change the course of the world.
Seb Lyall
CEO / Founder of Locappy
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About Locappy: Locappy helps small local businesses reach out to their local community.
