As the Global Entrepreneurship Congress has expanded over the years, it has become an important place for entrepreneurs and other players in startup communities to come face-to-face with researchers and government officials to help build a global entrepreneurial ecosystem.
One of the anchor events of the GEC each year is the Start + Scale Forum which includes a collection of S+S Talks aimed to inspire entrepreneurs at all stages to unleash their ideas and provides them with insights into how to take the next step--from launching a new startup to growing it to scale. The talks also provide valuable insights for academics, policymakers and others looking to create the most effective policies and programs to accelerate entrepreneurial growth.
The following startup champions are delivering S+S Talks in Milan next week.
Massimo Banzi Cofounder, Arduino
Massimo Banzi is the co-founder of the Arduino project. He is an Interaction Designer, Educator and Open Source Hardware advocate. Banzi started the first FabLab in Italy which led to the creation of Officine Arduino, a FabLab/Makerspace based in Torino. He spent 4 years at the Interaction Design Institue Ivrea as Associate Professor.Massimo is also the author of “Getting Started with Arduino”. He is a regular contributor to the Italian edition of Wired Magazine and Che Futuro, an online magazine about innovation.
Amy Cosper Editor-in-Chief, Entrepreneur Magazine
One of the most prominent voices in the world on the topic of entrepreneurship, Amy Cosper is the Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur Media Inc. Named one of Fast Company's "25 Smartest Women on Twitter", Cosper has not only been reporting and commenting on the world of entrepreneurship, she has been shaping it through the pages of a magazine that has seen meteoric growth, and become the most respected resource in its field. As the Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur magazine, Cosper knows what it means to innovate, create and disrupt an industry—and an economy.
Sarah Drinkwater
Head of Campus, London, Google
Sarah Drinkwater heads up Campus London, Google’s physical space for early-stage entrepreneurs, offering 40,000 registered members a support network, mentoring, workspace and more. Previously, she ran a global team of community managers around Google Maps and launched the UK's first baby-friendly startup school with Campus for Mums. Before that, she worked in social media for big brands and startups, and was a features journalist for UK magazines and newspapers.
Magnus Scheving Creator and Star, LazyTown
Magnus Scheving is a public speaker, motivator, athlete and successful entrepreneur. He is the creator and star of LazyTown, an entertainment brand dedicated to motivating children to make healthy choices. The TV series that he writes, directs and produces has been broadcasted in more than 170 countries, has reached over 500 million homes and won numerous awards, including a BAFTA and the renowned US Telly awards, as well as receiving two Emmy award nominations among other accolades.
Igal Rotem Executive Chairman, Credorax Inc.
Since 2010, Igal Rotem has been the executive chairman of Credorax Inc. a global financial institution active in the eCommerce space. Prior to this, he co-founded PowerDsine (PDSN) in 1995 and served as CEO and director until January 2007. PowerDsine pioneered the innovative Power over Ethernet technology and is the global leader of this space. Prior to co-founding PDSN Rotem managed Butterfly Communication that was later sold to TI for $50M. In 2004, he was chosen as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, representing Israel in Monaco that year.
Samet Ensar Sari Cofounder, Dekatlon Buzz
Samet Ensar Sari is the co-founder of Dekatlon Buzz, one of Eastern Europe’s top social media marketing agency based in Istanbul. It focuses on creative interaction in the digital landscape and social user base using multi-platform skill sets to provide media tracking and analysis, digital PR and planning as well as buying social media advertising. While working at Dekatlon Buzz, Sari was chosen for a social CRM project by the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology. He is a project coordinator for the Turkish Informatics Foundation which has to do with rescuing people using social media at the time of natural disasters.
Reem Younis Cofounder, Alpha Omega Ltd
Reem Younis cofounded Alpha Omega Ltd. (AO) in 1993. Since then, AO has grown internationally to be one of the leading companies in the neurosurgery field. She is also a board member at the “Israel Public Employment Service” a government statutory corporation committed to decreasing unemployment, and the Board of Trustees at Ort Braude – College of Engineering. Younis’ aspiration is to promote entrepreneurship among the younger generation, encouraging them to pursue their dreams for a brighter tomorrow.
Ayla Matalon Executive Director, MIT Enterprise Forum of Israel
Ayla Matalon joined the MIT Enterprise Forum in 1995 during its second year of activity in Israel. The organization grew to become Israel's leading center of high-tech entrepreneurship, consulting and mentoring thousands of entrepreneurs, and providing a venue for startups, investors, and future entrepreneurs to meet. Matalon lectures about high-tech entrepreneurship at The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology and Tel Aviv University. She regularly consults to startups and early-stage companies, and has invested in a few. Since 2011 she chairs Global Entrepreneurship Week Israel.
Mateusz Marmołowski Founder and CTO, CTAdventure
Mateusz Marmołowski founded of CTAdventure, a pioneer in edutainment software. His product Professor Why™, that learns through play, has been already awarded in several competitions including the Creative Business Cup during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2014. His recent years have been spent in Silicon Valley working with web and technology.
Denny Hollick Cofounder, ConceptKicker
Residing in Vancouver, Canada, Denny Hollick is the Operations and Marketing Cofounder of ConceptKicker, an online platform that combines crowdfunding and 3D printing for artists to get products to their fans. Last fall, the startup won Global Startup Battle and Startup Weekend Vancouver. Hollick also does marketing for the financial services industry, and previously had his own marketing agency that focused on servicing small and medium enterprises.
Ziv Lautman Cofounder and CMO, BreezoMeter
Ziv Lautman is the cofounder and CMO of BreezoMeter. BreezoMeter's mission is to improve the health of 2 billion people worldwide, by providing accurate air quality data with the same simplicity as the weather. Previous to BreezoMeter, Lautman was a fellow at the Milken Institute and worked at the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Israel.
Uldis Leiterts Cofounder, Infogr.am
Uldis Leiterts is the cofounder of Infogr.am - a data visualization company that has grown to become the most popular infographics creator in the world. Based out of Riga and San Francisco, Infogr.am serves infographics to BBC, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and many others, reaching of total 15 million people monthly.
Jeff Hoffman Cofounder, Colorjar
Jeff Hoffman is a successful entrepreneur and motivational speaker. In his career, he has been the founder of multiple startups, he has been the CEO of both public and private companies, and he has served as a senior executive in many capacities. Hoffman has been part of a number of well-known companies, including Priceline.com. uBid.com, CTI, ColorJar, and more. Today he supports entrepreneurs and small businesses on a worldwide basis.