2018 WORLD EXCELLENCE AWARDS WORLD BUSINESS ANGELS INVESTMENT FORUM
THE BEST LEADER OF THE WORLD INVESTING IN THE NEW GENERATION
His Excellency Dr Gjorge Ivanov President of the Republic of Macedonia
WBAF
WORLD EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2018 EDITION
CONTENTS
2
FOREWORD
16
Introduction to the World Excellence Awards Baybars Altuntas
4
Baybars Altuntas Abdulaziz Al-Khalifa Abdul Malek Al Jabaar Dr Charles Sidman Harry Tomi Davies Dr Hashim S. Hussein Inderjit Singh Peter Cowley
COVER FEATURE It will take virtuous leaders to steer the global ship forward Dr Gjorge Ivanov, President of the Republic of Macedonia
8
INTERNATIONAL JURY MEMBERS Paulo Andrez Paolo Sironi Vitaly Polekhin Adnan Akdemir Inderjit Singh
28
WORLD EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2018
30
The Best Leader of the World Investing in the New Generation
32
The Best Ministerial Policy of Europe Supporting Economic Development
WBAF WORLD EXCELLENCE AWARDS is a publication of the World Business Angels Investment Forum
BOARD MEMBERS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDITORIAL DIRECTOR COPYWRITER ART DIRECTOR PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT IMAGE GALLERY
34
The Best Startup Initiative of Central Europe
36
The Best Startup-Friendly City of Europe
38
The Best Global Organisation in the World Supporting Young Entrepreneurs
40
The Best Business Woman Role Model of South East Europe
42
The Best Global Organisation of the World Supporting SMEs
44
HIGHLIGHTS OF WBAF WORLD EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2018
52
INDEX
DAVID JENKINS CHRISTOPHER CAMPBELL GEOFFREY FORBES MONIQUE MOUISSIE SOCIUS SUPPLIED
www.wbaforum.org
1
FOREWORD
Recognising the Global Movers and Shakers
A
s a global organisation, the World Business Angels Investment Forum 2018 brings together key players of the equity market to debate the benefits and challenges for the Angel Investment community in achieving successful growth for their businesses, and to discuss what more can be done to connect the early-stage market ecosystem. The WBAF World Excellence Awards salute those who stand out in imagining, discussing, and shaping the future of an entrepreneurial world. Given the diverse challenges the world is facing in the twenty-first century, it is important to recognize that entrepreneurship can have a major impact on our future, offering new ways to increase economic opportunities and to foster social justice. The World Business Angels Investment Forum aims to contribute to that impact by driving positive
changes that will facilitate entrepreneurship. Fostering entrepreneurship that affects both economic and social arenas is a hallmark of the World Business Angels Investment Forum. Through the World Excellence Awards, the World Business Angels Investment Forum celebrates high growth and success in the Angel and early-stage investment market – recognising the fastest growing brands and acknowledging the founders, Angels, crowd-funders and early-stage venture capital investors behind them. Open to both companies and investors, these awards seek to recognise the year’s most disruptive new market entrants and provide a definitive list of the most exciting individuals and organisations to watch in the Angel and early-stage investment space.
WORLD EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2018
256 64 20 8
NOMINATIONS
countries
CATEGORIES
FINALISTS
5 INTERNATIONAL JURY MEMBERS
2
World Excellence Awards 2018
Baybars Altuntas, Chairman of the World Business Angels Investment Forum
COVER FEATURE
HIS EXCELLENCY DR GJORGE IVANOV, PRESIDENT OF MACEDONIA
It will take virtuous leaders to steer the global ship forward As digitalisation changes our world faster than we can adapt, Dr Gjorge Ivanov argues that equipping the world with virtuous and socially responsible future leaders is an investment that we all need to make.
4
World Excellence Awards 2018
H
is Excellency Dr Gjorge Ivanov began as a student journalist, but quickly became a political and academic champion of democracy and free markets - rising to become President of Macedonia in May 2009. Dr Ivanov has always understood the importance of maintaining strong relationships with global neighbours, whether they share your border or not, and has conducted over 430 highlevel meetings with some 200 heads of state. Dr Ivanov was re-elected for a second term in office in 2014, and continues to serve the Macedonian state with a passion for sustainable and responsible development. How do you view Angel Investing in the context of global development? The World Business Angels Investment Forum is part of an irreversible process of producing a new paradigm that will offer innovative and creative solutions to global challenges. This process is motivated by the digital transformation of companies, politics, and universities. Digital transformation will enable companies to catch up to the global market and adapt to new generations who function digitally and live in a digitised world in which almost everything is online. Companies are faced with the so called 4th industrial revolution. This includes robotics, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, ‘Uberisation’, ‘Teslaisation’, drones, cloud services, nanotechnology, 3D printers, biotechnology, quantum IT, digital currencies, and many more. How does digital transformation create a new paradigm? Digital transformation of politics will enable the state to adopt the startup philosophy and create conditions and settings for a start-up economy and mentality. As such, we will see countries increasingly transform into ‘start-up nations’ that will be ready for and capable of innovation and entrepreneurship. As part of this process, states will also increasingly motivate universities to nurture qualified people
“We will see countries increasingly transform into ‘start-up nations’ that will be ready for and capable of innovation and entrepreneurship.” for the needs of the start-up economy through incubators and accelerators. This form of start-up economy will recognise and support new ideas from students while they are still studying, and leverage state guarantees to motivate private capital to support the realisation of these ideas. This is the concept of a start-up state that will create the setting and conditions for development and well-being in the digital era. Further, digital transformation of universities creates conditions for personalised study programmes through technology parks, enabling the nurturing of people qualified and prepared for the 4th industrial revolution. In parallel with the technological evolution, from
smart phones to smart factories to smart cities, we will be witnessing a fundamental transformation of entire systems of production, management, and governance. What challenges do you foresee accompanying this new paradigm? It would be naïve to expect that digitalisation will provide an answer to all challenges. As any other human achievement, digital transformation also falls under what Friedrich Hayek defined as the law of unforeseen consequences. Things may go wrong. The original idea, no matter how noble, has the potential to transform into its complete opposite. People warn that artificial intelligence and robotics will leave millions of > www.wbaforum.org
5
COVER FEATURE
people unemployed. In conditions of demographic growth and accelerated urbanisation, this is a recipe for social unrest. Therefore, it is paramount that we groom socially responsible leadership. Why is responsible leadership such an important part of the equation for positively navigating the era of digitalisation? Perhaps the most important thing that we wish young people could learn is a lesson on ethical leadership. It has become somewhat common to hear the opinion that ‘it is not important whether political or business leaders are persons of virtue or not, provided they manage to successfully do their job’. It is ability, and not character, which is often considered important. However, pragmatism without morals leads to short-term solutions with longterm damaging consequences. Leaders without morals are part of the problem and not the solution. How can we proactively nurture young people into successful, virtuous leaders? John Maxwell said that if someone claims to be a leader and has no followers then he is not a leader, but simply a man who went out for a walk. 6
World Excellence Awards 2018
Leadership means influence, for a leader without influence is a man with no authority. I became President thanks to my students, who became politicians and decision makers. And what is a professor who has become president to do? The answer is simple; he opens his own school. That is why in 2010, together with my team, I started a training programme called the School of Young Leaders, that later became an international school. The aim is to provide the most talented and successful young leaders in Macedonia with that which they cannot acquire in the official education system. That is interdisciplinary and applied knowledge, practical advice, guidelines and mentorship from top world leaders – in other words, to give them the freedom to develop their leadership potential. We try to develop the awareness in young people that we are all sailing on the same global ship. However, to protect our economies and states from shipwreck, we need an anchor, and that anchor we see in the three principles of every successful economy. If any country implements and relies on meritocracy, pragmatism and honesty, it will succeed. With meritocracy we choose the best people to be leaders; with pragmatism
we learn to make use of the best in others as well; and with honesty we try to eradicate corruption. This concept is also valid for successful politics, education, and business. So far, 320 young people from Macedonia and the surrounding region have been trained by over 180 top leaders in the areas of politics, business innovation, and communications. Our aim is to build leaders with real values, integrity, and an open mind. I like to remind every generation of Einstein’s thought that the mind is like a parachute, it is only useful when open. It is only with an open mind that young people will be able to think outside of patterns, to find new and innovative solutions on the path to individual and collective success. What can students interested in attending the School of Young Leaders expect to learn? The current young leaders group is composed of millennials, the so-called ‘Y generation’. Therefore, we cover topics close to their hearts that are based on the sharing philosophy. Sharing philosophy implies sharing economy, whereby young people share access to products or services rather than being their individual owners. We are training them to use crowdfunding and
crowdsourcing to fund their projects from a large number of internet users. We hold training sessions on sustainable development and the startup philosophy. We encourage students to use the power of networking in order to bring about positive change in society.
talking about young people who share their views and who see themselves in the future; they think about the future and they want to achieve that future not only for themselves but also for everyone else in society. Some of them are part of politics; some become
“Pragmatism without morals leads to shortterm solutions with long-term damaging consequences. Leaders without morals are part of the problem and not the solution.” In other words, the School of Young Leaders can be considered a start-up school for future leaders of society in both Macedonia and the Balkans. Have you already begun to see the effect of grooming the region’s top young leaders? Yes, the investment has already delivered. Numerous young leaders from previous generations have already begun taking very responsible and high-profile leadership positions in different social spheres; and they have become positive role models for later students. We are
business leaders; and for those who venture into education and science, we try to create opportunities for them to conduct their own research and development projects. We have managed to create a recognisable model that can serve as inspiration for other current and former heads of state to begin their own leadership schools. But I believe that this success is only the beginning. At this moment we are witnessing the birth of the youngest so-called alpha generation, who will live in the 22nd century. Our responsibility is to prepare
those that come after us to embrace their respective roles on the big ‘global ship’. They should not be afraid of the unknown, but instead be brave and wisely face challenges to facilitate smooth sailing. Let us give them a map and a compass by preparing them to be people of morals and ethics, with character, integrity and humility; and let’s focus on people who are responsible and passionate. I believe that such leaders of the future for Macedonia, for Turkey, for the Balkans, for Europe, and for the world, make a very worthwhile investment. What is the best approach for others to follow in building a similar model in their home states? Public-private partnership is key. All of this is made possible thanks to Business Angels who recognise the importance and value of our project, and who support our mission - convinced that they are investing in the future leaders of society. Among them are leaders in the Macedonian business sector, but also global brands such as Turkish Airlines, Huawei, and many more. A school established by the president of a country and financed by the private sector is an example of public-private partnership whose aim is to invest in the country and its future. www.wbaforum.org
7
WBAF
WORLD EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2018
INTERNATIONAL JURY MEMBERS The Jury Members for the WBAF World Excellence Awards are individuals actively involved in the global early-stage investment ecosystem, invited to join the jury based on their experience, business acumen and expertise.
8
World Excellence Awards 2018
www.wbaforum.org
9
JURY MEMBERS
CHAIRMAN
PAULO ANDREZ
Emeritus President of the European Trade Association of Business Angels (EBAN)
P
aulo Andrez is an Angel Investor with an active portfolio of 14 companies. One of his investments reached 25 million euros in revenues within the first year, for which he received the award ‘Best European Angel Investment’ in 2012. Paulo is a board member of Entrepreneurship Agency DNA Cascais, which has supported more than 250 start-ups in the last decade. He is also a board member of FNABA, the Portuguese Business Angel Federation. Paulo was appointed President Emeritus of EBAN, European Business Angel Network, after serving as President until 2014. Since 2012, he has been working with a number of European governments in the field
10
World Excellence Awards 2018
of Early Stage Investment policies and Business Angels Co-Investment Funds design. He is also a member of the European Commission Advisory Group ‘Innovation in SMEs’. Paulo is an IT Engineer and has an MBA from the Nova University in Lisbon. In 2000, he participated as an entrepreneur in the IPO of Novabase in Euronext – Portugal’s
largest IT provider with more than 2000 employees in 30 countries worldwide. He has a background as a serial entrepreneur and is frequently invited as speaker, guest lecturer and expert in innovation, entrepreneurship and early stage investment. Since 2012, Paulo has been holding a series of workshops worldwide on the topic of start-up risk mitigation.
“Paulo Andrez is an IT Engineer and has a background as a serial entrepreneur and Angel Investor.”
JURY MEMBERS
PAOLO SIRONI
Global Thought Leader and Spokesperson for the IBM Watson Financial Services
P
aolo Sironi is a globally recognised author in portfolio management and financial innovation. In his current role as FinTech Thought Leader and Spokesperson for IBM Investment and Risk Analytics, he links strategic innovation in Finance and Technology - demonstrating international expertise in Wealth and Asset Management, Risk Management, Trading and Digital transformation. A pioneer in understanding the practical implications of AI and FinTech digitalisation to manage institutional risks and personal wealth, Paolo founded a FinTech joint-venture (2008) to integrate investment management and Goal Based Investing principles. The company became a part of IBM (2012)
following the acquisition of funding partner Algorithmics, world leader of risk management architectures. Paolo has over a decade of quantitative expertise. He was previously head of market and counterparty risk modelling at Banca Intesa Sanpaolo. He is also the author of ‘FinTech Innovation: from RoboAdvisors to Goal Based Investing
and Gamification’ (Wiley 2016) and ‘Modern Portfolio Management: From Markowitz to Probabilistic Scenario Optimisation’ (RiskBooks, 2015); as well as a co-author of ‘The FinTech Book’ (Wiley, 2016). Paolo’s posts can be read on specialised media, LinkedIn, and Twitter @thepsironi, or on his personal website: www.thepsironi.com.
“Paolo Sironi has over a decade of quantitative expertise and is a globally recognised author in portfolio management and financial innovation.” www.wbaforum.org
11
JURY MEMBERS
VITALY POLEKHIN
V
President of the Russian Business Angels Association
italy Polekhin is the President of National Business Angels Association and head of SKOLKOVO Business School Investor Club - a communication platform, which unites entrepreneurs with investors looking for new business opportunities. He is also the Managing Partner of Venture Angels seed and early-stage investment fund; and shareholder and supervisory board member of Addventure venture fund. Vitaly completed his MBA at Lomonosov Moscow State University, and his SKOLKOVO Executive MBA at Moscow School of Management. Vitaly also attended MIT Sloan School of Management and UC Berkley Haas School of Business; and holds a PhD in Philosophy from Harvard Business 12
World Excellence Awards 2018
School. In 2015, he was awarded the ‘Angel Investor of the Year 2015’ award by Russia Venture Awards. Vitaly invests in start-ups and teams of entrepreneurs with great ideas, who are in need of capital to make their ideas a reality. His focus is on startups with great potential to disrupt an
industry. He and his partners offer smart money, along with a wide range of global networks. Vitaly has made over 15 Angel Investments, with one $50m exit when Rocket Internet’s ‘Foodpanda’ acquired Delivery Club in a move to make the combined companies Russia’s leading food delivery service.
“Vitaly Polekhin is an experienced Angel Investor, who focuses on funding start-ups with potential to completely disrupt an industry.”
JURY MEMBERS
ADNAN AKDEMIR
A
Vice President of the Turkish Trade Association for Business Angels (TBAA)
dnan is a third-generation entrepreneur in the entertainment business. After graduating from Istanbul Technical University in Management Engineering, and achieving an MBA at National University Los Angeles, he attended UCLA Film School. In 1993, after his return home, he founded AFM Cinemas which has since become the leading cinema operator in Turkey. He has introduced a true qualitycinema experience to Turkey, resulting in rapid national growth in the 90’s as the market-maker. In 2000, he completed the first Private Equity deal ever to be done in Turkey, with AIG’s Blue Voyage Fund. In 2001, he cofounded Istanbul “Independent” Film Festival as a prestigious international event, to rejuvenate the Turkish film production industry. In 2004, Adnan then completed the IPO of AFM Cinemas, becoming the first entertainment company to register on 14
World Excellence Awards 2018
the Istanbul Stock Exchange. Adnan also co-founded the first Turkish film distribution company, Kenda (with top Turkish producers) to support the development of local productions. Kenda became the main driver behind more than half of the local content in Turkish cinema, within just 3 years. He has since sold most AFM Cinemas to Russia’s largest group, Alfa; eventually exiting AFM. Adnan has become the CEO of Eurasia Cinemas, which in its third year has grown to 305 multiplex screens to become the leading cinema chain in the Russia-Ukraine-Turkey region.
Adnan exited his cinema ventures in 2011 to focus on his family entertainment business and founded www.ilsvision.com - the largest YouTube Multi-Channel Network in the Middle East region. He is the cofounder of the Turkish Business Angels Association and Turkish Cinema Owners Association, whilst also an active member of Young Presidents Organization. He holds a Group A pilot license since 1984, and an opensea captain license since 1989. In 2012, Adnan received a Red Cross / Crescent Golden Mercy Medal for his lifetime contributions.
“In 2000, Adnan Akdemir completed the first Private Equity deal ever to be done in Turkey, with AIG’s Blue Voyage Fund.”
I
INDERJIT SINGH Co-President of the World Entrepreneurship Forum
nderjit has a rare combination of experiences under his belt, from managing a multi-national company, to being a serial entrepreneur, Angel Investor and a policy maker. An engineer by training, and having worked at Texas Instruments for 13 years, he embarked on his entrepreneurial journey at the age of 37 by starting United Test and Assembly Center (UTAC) - a large semiconductor company once valued at $2bn when listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange. After exiting UTAC, Inderjit started a few other successful companies. In addition to starting his own companies, Inderjit is also an active Angel Investor and mentor, having invested in about 20 companies over the last 15 years. Inderjit has extensive experience in the field of entrepreneurship as i) an entrepreneur, starting a few companies around the world; ii) an investor, investing in start-ups; and iii) a policy maker, helping create a good ecosystem through policy changes and educating the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Inderjit’s passion for entrepreneurship has led him to become a leading global and national voice on the importance of entrepreneurship in society. Inderjit is a Co-President of the World Entrepreneurship Forum - a global organization for entrepreneurship development - and the World Business Angels Investment Forum. Inderjit was also the founding President of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Singapore chapter. Inderjit served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in Singapore from 1996-2015. As a politician, Inderjit served in various capacities, including as Deputy Government Whip and as Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Finance and Trade & Industry. In Singapore, as the Deputy-Chairman of the Action
Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) for several years, he actively drove the transformation of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Singapore and helped shape many policies to better support start-ups, small and medium businesses in Singapore. He is the author of the soldout book ‘The Art and Science of Entrepreneurship’, which captures his entrepreneurial experiences. Inderjit is also an inventor, with 3 patents to his name. Inderjit holds a B. Engineering (Hons) degree from the Nanyang Technological University, and a MBA from University of Strathclyde, UK. He is currently a Board Member of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Chairman of the Board of NTUitive, the innovation company of NTU.
“Inderjit Singh is a serial entrepreneur, Angel Investor and a policy maker.” www.wbaforum.org
15
WBAF
BOARD MEMBERS Meet our WBAF Board Members - individuals representing 8 different regions across the globe, each committed to the promotion of the WBAF global agenda.
16
World Excellence Awards 2018
*Abdulaziz Al-Khalifa absent due to illness.
www.wbaforum.org
17
EUROPE
BOARD MEMBERS
Baybars Altuntas
B
World Business Angels Investment Forum, Chairman Vice President, The European Trade Association For Business Angels (EBAN)
aybars Altuntas is a former Senior Advisor of the Elite Programme of the Stock Exchange Group (LSEG); star of the Turkish version of the television show Dragons’ Den; Chairman of the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF); Vice President of the European Trade Association for Business Angels, Seed Funds, and Early Stage Market Players (EBAN); President of the Business Angels Association of Turkey (TBAA); the World Entrepreneurship Forum Ambassador to Turkey and the Balkan countries; and President of Deulcom International. One of the top global speakers on entrepreneurship,
18
World Excellence Awards 2018
innovation and Angel Investment, Mr Altuntas was invited by former US President Obama to speak at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya, and was the only entrepreneur to be granted a personal audience with former President Obama at the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in Washington, DC. In addition, Mr Altuntas is the developer of the world-renowned entrepreneurship theory, the Altuntas Start-up Compass Theory; author of ‘Off the Bus, Into a Supercar! How I Became a Top TV Star and Celebrated Investor’; and a co-author of ‘Planet Entrepreneur: The World Entrepreneurship Forum’s Guide to
Business Success Around the World’. He is an advisory board member of the South East Europe Research Council in Greece, and follows Ban Ki-moon (former Secretary General of the United Nations) as an Ambassador for JCI. Mr Altuntas has also been recognised by the European Trade Association of Business Angels (EBAN) as ‘the Best Individual in Europe Engaging with the Global Entrepreneurial Ecosystem’ in 2014 (Ireland), 2015 (Netherlands), 2016 (Portugal) and 2017 (Spain).
baybars.altuntas@wbaforum.org
QATAR
Abdulaziz Al-Khalifa
A
World Business Angels Investment Forum, Board Member Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Development Bank (QDB), Qatar
bdulaziz Bin Nasser AlKhalifa is the CEO of Qatar Development Bank (QDB) - the leading development and financing body driving the growth of Qatar’s private sector and its contribution to GDP. He previously held leadership positions at QDB, where he was the Executive Director of Strategy & Business Development
for three years, serving simultaneously as Vice President of several internal and external committees. Prior to joining QDB, Mr Al-Khalifa worked at Qatar Shell as a Business Development Manager for nearly three years; and held technical and managerial positions at The Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation for six years prior to that. He has extensive experience in
“Mr Al-Khalifa has has extensive experience in the SME, private and entrepreneurship sectors; and has played a leading role in the launch of several flagship development initiatives.”
the SME, private and entrepreneurship sectors. He played a leading role in the launch of several flagship development initiatives, including the Al Dhameen Partial Guarantee Program, Tasdeer Qatar Export Development Agency and the Housing Loan Program for Qatari citizens. Mr Al-Khalifa holds an MBA degree from Qatar University, a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California and has received several specialized diplomas from Harvard and INSEAD Universities.
abdulaziz.al-khalifa@wbaforum.org
www.wbaforum.org
19
MIDDLE EAST
BOARD MEMBERS
Abdul Malek Al Jabaar World Business Angels Investment Forum, Board Member
D
President, The Middle East Trade Association for Business Angels (MBAN), UAE
r Abdul Malek Al Jabaar has a wealth of experience and a long record of achievements locally and regionally in the ICT, Services and Financial industry. He is the Founder and Chairman of MENA Apps, the former COO of Zain Group and CEO of Zain Jordan. Prior to joining Zain, Dr Al Jabaar served as CEO and Vice Chairman of Paltel Group, where he was responsible for profit growth from $15 million to $100 million in a record time. During his tenure, the Paltel Group became the first Palestinian company (and 2nd company in MENA) to adopt the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards
20
World Excellence Awards 2018
on Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Practice and Reporting, as well as the first company in the country to form a corporate foundation. Dr Al Jabaar serves as chairman of the Golden Wheat Mills Company and is Chairman of Middle East Payment Services - the leading payment processor in the Middle East. He also sits on a handful of regional and global boards of companies and institutions. In 2010, Dr Al Jabaar was ranked by Global Telecoms, # 62 on its annual power 100 list. He is the first Jordanian recognized on this list. He was ranked again in 2011 at #69 and # 70 in 2012. In addition to this, in June 2011 Dr Al Jabaar was also ranked
number 21 in the top 50 most powerful people in the Media, Marketing and Advertising. He was also awarded by HRH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid (PM of UAE) as Best Arab Manager. Dr Al Jabaar is a member of the Arab Business Council, WEF, The Arab Technology Forum, YPO and the Global Agenda Council. Dr Al Jabaar is a member of the Advisory Council of Kuwait National Fund for Entrepreneurship, Chairman of Oasis Venture Fund and Founder or Arabreneur.
abdul.malek.jaber@wbaforum.org
UNITED STATES
Dr Charles Sidman World Business Angels Investment Forum, Board Member
C
Founding Member, Angel Capital Association (ACA), USA
harles Sidman, MBA, PhD, is an Angel Investor and managing partner of ECS Capital Partners, LLC - a global innovative early-stage venture fund based in Bar Harbor, Maine, USA. He is a founding member of the American Angel Capital Association, past president
of the Crowdfunding Professional Association, and a frequent advocate for, contributor to and speaker on financial and entrepreneurship issues in Washington, D.C. and beyond. Dr Sidman retired as Professor of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology from the College of Medicine at the University of
“Charles Sidman is a founding member of the American Angel Capital Association and a regular speaker on financial and entrepreneurship issues in Washington, D.C.�
Cincinnati, where he also served for many years as Professor of Management in the College of Business and in the universitywide Honors Scholars Program. His education includes a PhD in Immunology from Harvard University, an MBA specializing in Management from the University of Cincinnati, and sabbatical study in Complex Systems at the Santa Fe Institute.
charles.sidman@wbaforum.org
www.wbaforum.org
21
AFRICA
BOARD MEMBERS
Harry Tomi Davies World Business Angels Investment Forum, Board Member
H
President, The African Trade Association for Business Angels (ABAN), Nigeria
arry Tomi Davies (TD) is an ICT Expert with a background of technology management for FTSE 100 level companies in the UK, US and Africa. He directs and advises a broad range of organisations globally, writes and blogs (occasionally) while maintaining a significant network of connections across most of the major social media platforms. He is a regular public speaker and mentor of a broad range of individuals with a personal goal of “maximizing the creation of social and economic value using digital technologies better”.He is an acclaimed
22
World Excellence Awards 2018
expert in project management of technology systems analysis, design & implementation, an area that is the subject of his 2014 book “The African Project Manager”. Mr Davies’ focus in
“Tomi Davies’ focus in the last decade has been on technologybased entrepreneurship in Africa.”
the last decade has been on technologybased entrepreneurship in Africa, where he invests, mentors and continues to work on developing an ecosystem of technology start-ups based around coworking spaces; incubators; accelerators; angel funding; VC Capital; entrepreneur capacity development; and national and state government policies. He is the founder of the Lagos Angel Network and President of the African Business Angels Network (ABAN).
harry.tomi.davies@wbaforum.org
UNIDO
Dr Hashim S. Hussein World Business Angels Investment Forum, Board Member
D
Head, The United Nations Industrial Development Organization - ITPO, UNIDO
r Hashim S. Hussein is the Head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization - Investment & Technology Promotion Office (UNIDO-ITPO) and Director of the Arab International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Investment Training (ARCEIT) – Kingdom of Bahrain. Dr Hussein has acquired rich experience in the field of Industrial Development as well as Investment and Technology Promotion in the last 22 years. He’s had extensive experience of over 20 years in SME and Entrepreneurship development
and he is an international advocate for Women’s Economic Empowerment. Dr Hussein holds a PhD (Honors) in International Law from the Universite de Nantes, France; and has obtained a Doctoral Research Programme from the University of Maryland at College Park, Centre for International Development and Conflict Management (CIDCM). He has worked at various responsibility levels in different countries like USA, Egypt, Sudan, Austria and the Kingdom of Bahrain. He joined UNIDO in 1991 as a Program Officer posted in the Kingdom of Bahrain to eventually become the Head of UNIDO-ITPO in
1996. Dr Hussein is also the Director of the Arab International Center for Entrepreneurship & Investment (AICEI), playing an instrumental role in its establishment in Bahrain in 2001. Through AICEI, he initiated and developed the Enterprise Development & Investment Promotion Program (EDIP), which is currently implemented in over 49 regions from Uruguay, to Africa, to the MENA region and all the way to China.
hashim.hussein@wbaforum.org
www.wbaforum.org
23
ASIA
BOARD MEMBERS
Inderjit Singh World Business Angels Investment Forum, Board Member
I
Co-President, World Entrepreneurship Forum (WENF), Singapore
nderjit Singh serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Infiniti Solutions Ltd; as well as President of the Singapore Chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs - a network of entrepreneurs and professionals founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley, California. He served as Head of Knowledge Management Centre at Escorts Agri Machinery, Inc. since February 2007. Previously, Mr. Singh founded United Test and Assembly Centre Limited, or UTAC, a Singapore-based semiconductor test and assembly company, and served as UTACs President and Chief Executive Officer. Before founding UTAC, Mr Singh served at Texas Instruments Singapore
24
World Excellence Awards 2018
(known as Micron Semiconductor Asia since 1999) for 13 years, holding the post of Director of Assembly and Test Operations for the Memory Division from 1996 to 1998. Mr Singh also serves as a Member of Parliament and Deputy Chairman of the Singapore Government
“Mr Singh serves as Deputy Chairman of the Singapore Government Parliamentary Committee for Finance, Trade and Industry.�
Parliamentary Committee for Finance, Trade and Industry. Mr Singh serves as a Member of the Board of Several Statutory and Public Bodies, including the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board. He also holds directorship positions and investments in a number of startup companies. Mr Singh holds a degree in Electronics Engineering from the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and an MBA from the University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom.
inderjit.singh@wbaforum.org
UNITED KINGDOM
Peter Cowley World Business Angels Investment Forum, Board Member
P
The Best Angel Investor of UK in 2015 and 2016, UK
eter Cowley is a Cambridge University Engineering/ Computing graduate who has founded and run over ten technology and construction businesses for 35+ years. Since then, has invested in over 55 start-ups,
mainly in Cambridge and London, having been named UK Angel of the Year for 2015 and 2016. He is a non-executive director of five of those startups and a board observer of four others. Mr Cowley is chair of the Cambridge Business Angels,
“Peter Cowley has personally invested in over 55 startups - earning him recognition as the ‘UK Angel of the Year for 2015 and 2016’ by the UKBAA; and ‘Best Angel of the World in 2017’ by WBAF.”
is a Fellow in Entrepreneurship of the Cambridge Judge Business School and has mentored countless entrepreneurs. He set up, and now runs, the Martlet early stage corporate Angel Investment fund of Marshall of Cambridge, which has invested £5M in 40+ startups, and is a member of the investment committee of the £100M UK Government Angel CoFund. For over 15 years, Mr Cowley has also been involved in charity and social enterprise governance as chair and treasurer of various trustee boards.
peter.cowley@wbaforum.org
www.wbaforum.org
25
WORLD BUSINESS ANGELS INVESTMENT FORUM WORLD CONGRESS 2019 24–26 FEBRUARY 2019 ISTANBUL www.wbaforum.org
WBAF
WORLD EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2018 The WBAF World Excellence Awards salute those who stand out in imagining, discussing, and shaping the future of an entrepreneurial world. They seek to recognise the year’s most disruptive new market entrants and provide a definitive list of who to watch in the early-stage investment space.
28
World Excellence Awards 2018
www.wbaforum.org
29
GRAND AWA R D
THE BEST LEADER OF THE WORLD INVESTING IN THE NEW GENERATION His Excellency Dr Gjorge Ivanov President of the Republic of Macedonia
WBAF GRAND AWARD
DR GJORGE IVANOV
The Grand Award of the WBAF World Excellence Awards 2018 is the World Business Angels Investment Forum’s highest recognition for individual achievement. This award acknowledges and celebrates exemplary leadership that has had a significant positive impact on implementing investments for the future of the world’s young generation.
President Gjorge Ivanov is a leading expert in the field of civil society and was among the very first to introduce systematic research of this area in Macedonia. He began his career as a journalist, before going on to become Head of the Political Studies Department and Vice Dean at the Iustinianus Primus Faculty of Law. Elected President in 2009, during his first term he sustained a record diplomatic agenda, holding over 200 bilateral meetings with heads of state; over 150 meetings with prime ministers and heads of diplomacy; and over 100 appearances at international events.
Macedonia’s School for Young Leaders is an initiative aimed at both educating the youth for a promising future, as well as creating a more promising future for the youth. At the official opening ceremony of the School, the founder - His Excellency Dr Gjorgje Ivanov, President of the Republic of Macedonia declared, “We need leaders, but not only in politics. We need leaders in economy, in culture, in business, in sport – everywhere”. His Excellency has showed a unique vision for the future of young people and has set an outstanding example for all world leaders with this initiative.
30
World Excellence Awards 2018
President Ivanov is dedicated to the strengthening of state unity at the national level. Led by the principle of openness to all in matters of foreign policy and diplomacy, he contributes to improved friendships and new partnerships for Macedonia in Europe and across the globe. In the 2014 Presidential Elections, President Ivanov was re-elected for a new five-year term of office.
His Excellency Dr Gjorge Ivanov, President of the Republic of Macedonia
www.wbaforum.org
31
AWA R D S
THE BEST MINISTERIAL POLICY OF EUROPE SUPPORTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WINNER
Ministry of Development Turkey
32
INVEST IN ISTANBUL
LUTFI ELVAN
Policymakers are crucial drivers of the future of early-stage equity markets. Their decisions have an impact on the future of start-ups, scaleups, SMEs and entrepreneurs. One of the most important functions of entrepreneurial ecosystems is connecting local entrepreneurs with global markets. One way to do this is to ease access to local markets by creating one-stop-shops for global investors. The Development Ministry of Turkey launched the unique initiative ‘Invest in Istanbul’ to ease access to local markets. ‘Invest in Istanbul’ is an excellent model for all development agencies, not only in Turkey, but for development agencies worldwide.
Lutfi Elvan is a pioneer in the implementation of regional development planning and EU Regional programmes. He has conducted research in the mining, economy, and local and regional development sectors; and has delivered more than 40 seminars on district and regional development. Lutfi has also written two books and many articles for local and international magazines. In the 2007 general elections, Lutfi was elected to be a Member of Parliament, and currently holds the position of Development Minister of the Republic of Turkey. He has a M. Phil of Mine and Operating Research and a MA of Economics.
World Excellence Awards 2018
His Excellency Mr Lutfi Elvan, Development Minister of the Republic of Turkey
www.wbaforum.org
33
AWA R D S
THE BEST START-UP INITIATIVE OF CENTRAL EUROPE WINNER
Visegrad Four Group Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia
34
VISEGRAD FOUR GROUP
BALAZS HENDRICH
The Visegrad Group reflects the efforts of the countries of the Central European region to work together in a number of fields of common interest within the all-European integration. The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia have always been part of a single civilisation, sharing cultural and intellectual values and common roots in diverse religious traditions, all of which they wish to preserve and further strengthen. Hungary is the current term President of the Visegrad Group.
Balazs Hendrich is the Consul General of Hungary in Istanbul, representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary. Balazs began his professional career working for Hypobank and Erstebank, focusing on corporate and asset-based financing and leasing. He is also a successful business strategist, management consultant and entrepreneur, with his own consulting company Grid Consulting.
Easing access to finance is crucial for creating global success stories for the Visegrad Four countries, so they launched a start-up programme called ‘Startup Campus’. The main objective of the programme is to boost the discoverability of the V4 regional start-up ecosystem, mainly by highlighting the economic and innovation potential of the V4 countries. At each event, 8 to 10 innovative startup companies operating within the V4 region are selected and given the opportunity to introduce themselves to international markets.
Zsolt Kovács is the CEO of the ‘Startup Campus’ and Director of the ‘Startup Campus V4 Global Tour’ - boosting the discoverability of the V4 region’s start-up ecosystem. As the Head of Enterprise Hungary, he is dedicated to developing the Hungarian start-up ecosystem. Zsolt has organised several international startup competitions, and he is a key member in the expansion of the ‘Startup Campus Soft Landing’ and the ‘Startup Campus Incubation’ programmes.
World Excellence Awards 2018
ZSOLT KOVACS
His Excellency Mr Balazs Hendrich, the Consul General of Hungary in Istanbul. Mr Zsolt Kovacs, CEO of the Startup Campus.
www.wbaforum.org
35
AWA R D S
THE BEST START-UP FRIENDLY CITY OF EUROPE WINNER
City of Porto Portugal
36
CITY OF PORTO
RUI MOREIRA
Porto is a melting pot where people, tradition, history, and the amenities of a modern metropolis come together in one of Western Europe’s most vibrant cities. As Portugal’s second-largest city, it is not just a prime tourist destination, but also a home to a burgeoning tech start-up scene and a myriad of innovative ventures. In fact, it is one of the only municipalities in Europe that has a start-up programme to encourage and stimulate entrepreneurship.
Rui Moreira began as a political commentator on television, before he was elected President of the Commercial Association of Porto - a position he held for 12 years. In parallel Rui also held advisory positions in the areas of trade, culture and higher education at the University of Porto, and at the Catholic University. Rui Moreira led an independent bid for the Porto City Council in 2013, where he took his position as the residing Mayor of Porto.
World Excellence Awards 2018
Filipe Araujo, Vice-Mayor of the City of Porto; and His Excellency Rui Moreira, Mayor of the City of Porto
www.wbaforum.org
37
AWA R D S
THE BEST GLOBAL ORGANISATION IN THE WORLD SUPPORTING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS WINNER
Junior Chamber International United States
GLOBAL YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FUND The Global Youth Empowerment Fund taps into a largely overlooked renewable resource: the passion and energy of young people. This fund is an initiative designed to inspire and empower young people around the world to make an impact in their communities by investing in grassroots community projects. Initiated by the Junior Chamber International (JCI), it offers grants, financing and training to youth-led projects and social enterprises that advance Global Goals for Sustainable Development in local communities around the world. JCI has over 200,000 alumni in more than 100 countries; and is a global movement that challenges the status quo by i) encouraging young people to take responsibility for creating a better world; and ii) by empowering them to drive change.
38
World Excellence Awards 2018
DAWN HETZEL Dawn Hetzel is the 2017 JCI President. She believes that young active citizens have a responsibility to be informed, involved, and to take ownership of the problems facing their communities. Dawn is also a JCI Senator and a Phil Pugsley Patron of the JCI Foundation.
ISMAIL HAZNEDAR Ismail Haznedar is a former JCI President (2015) and JCI Senate Chairman (2016). An experienced Angel Investor, he is the residing President of JAIN Global - a Angel Investing Network based in New York. Ismail is also a JCI Senator, Foundation Member and Certified National Trainer.
JCI World Presidents, Ms Dawn Hetzel (2017) and Mr Ismail Haznedar (2015)
www.wbaforum.org
39
AWA R D S
THE BEST BUSINESS WOMAN ROLE MODEL OF SOUTH EAST EUROPE WINNER
Danela Arsovska Macedonia
40
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
DANELA ARSOVSKA
Making a name for yourself in the business world is not easy; but for a woman, it can be especially challenging. Even though women make up 50.8% of the population, 60% of students receiving undergraduate degrees, and 44% of students receiving master’s degrees in business and management, these figures are not reflected in powerful positions in management. Only 4.6% of Fortune 500 CEO positions are held by women. In the finance, healthcare and social assistance industries, not a single CEO position is held by a woman. Yet, there are some game changers out there. Danela Arsovska, President of the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce, is one of them, and she is a perfect role model for women entrepreneurs.
Danela Arsovska is the President of Macedonian Chambers of Commerce, Chair of Macedonian Union of Employers’ Organizations, Macedonian Representative to the International Chamber of Commerce World Council, and Court Member of ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris. With over 15 years of management experience in the private sector, she is a leader of the Macedonian Business community. Danela is a strong advocate for women’s rights, one of the founders of the Macedonian Women Entrepreneurs Association, and an initiator of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Macedonian business sector. She is member of the Economic Council of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, as well as the National Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness Council of Republic of Macedonia.
World Excellence Awards 2018
Ms Danela Arsovska, President of the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce
www.wbaforum.org
41
AWA R D S
THE BEST GLOBAL ORGANISATION OF THE WORLD SUPPORTING SMES WINNER
SME Finance Forum United States of America
42
SME FINANCE FORUM
MATTHEW GAMSER
More than 96% of the world’s economy is driven by SMEs. 200 million businesses worldwide need financing to invest, grow and create new jobs. There are institutions all over the world that support SMEs, but one institution has been globally recognised for doing more than simply producing reports. Every year the SME Finance Forum brings together policymakers to find better solutions for SME Finance. The Forum was established in 2012 by the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion as a knowledge centre for data, research and the promotion of best practice. Supporting SMEs globally, the SME Finance Forum sets an outstanding example for all NGOs.
Matthew Gamser is CEO of the SME Finance Forum, the world’s leading center for knowledge exchange, good practice promotion and networking for the finance industry in this field. Dr. Gamser has over 35 years’ experience in private enterprise and financial sector development. He has worked for IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, for 13 years in various positions from Washington, DC, and Hong Kong. Prior to that he spent 25 years in management consulting and in senior leadership in an international NGO. He holds A.B. and A.M. degrees from Harvard University, and M.Sc. and D.Phil degrees from Sussex University (UK).
World Excellence Awards 2018
Mr Matthew Gamser, CEO of the SME Finance Forum
www.wbaforum.org
43
WBAF
WORLD EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2018
HIGHLIGHTS Each year, the World Excellence Awards VIP Gala Dinner brings together over 200 thought-leaders of the early-stage investment ecosystem to highlight and celebrate the year’s most innovative investors and angel-backed businesses from across the world.
44
World Excellence Awards 2018
www.wbaforum.org
45
HIGHLIGHTS
Lutfi Elvan, Development Minister of Turkey
Laing of Singapore and Adamou of Niger
Modwenna Ress-Mogg of UK
Al-Suroor and Arkovska of ICC
46
World Excellence Awards 2018
Lutfi Elvan, Development Minister of Turkey
Adnan Akdemir, Maria, Charalampia, Elina and Panos Ketikidis
Rui Moreira, Mayor of Porto; Lutfi Elvan, Development Minister of Turkey
Dr Ivanov, President of Macedonia and Ms Ivanova, First Lady of Macedonia
www.wbaforum.org
47
HIGHLIGHTS
Mr and Mrs Al-Jabaar
48
World Excellence Awards 2018
Alara, Baybars and Eda Altuntas
Inderjit Singh, Co-president, World Entrepreneurship Forum
www.wbaforum.org
49
HIGHLIGHTS
Balazs Hendrich, Consul General of Hungary
50
World Excellence Awards 2018
Davies, ABAN President; Al-Halifa, Former State Minister of Bahrain; Johnson, EBAN President
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WORLD EXCELLENCE AWARDS Find all the photographs on the WBAF 2018 website: www.wbaf2018.istanbul
www.wbaforum.org
51
AWARDS INDEX
AWA R D S
THE BEST LEADER OF THE WORLD INVESTING IN THE NEW GENERATION
THE BEST GLOBAL ORGANISATION IN THE WORLD SUPPORTING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS
His Excellency Dr Gjorge Ivanov President of the Republic of Macedonia
Junior Chamber International
THE BEST MINISTERIAL POLICY OF EUROPE SUPPORTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Ministry of Development, Turkey
THE BEST BUSINESS WOMAN ROLE MODEL OF SOUTH EAST EUROPE
Awarded To: His Excellency Mr Lutfi Elvan, Development Minister of the Republic of Turkey
Ms Danela Arsovska President of the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce
THE BEST STARTUP INITIATIVE OF CENTRAL EUROPE
THE BEST GLOBAL ORGANISATION OF THE WORLD SUPPORTING SMES
Visegrad Four Group
SME Finance Forum
Awarded To: His Excellency Mr Balazs Hendrich, the Consul General of Hungary in Istanbul Mr Zsolt Kovacs, CEO of the Startup Campus
Awarded To: Mr Matthew Gamser, CEO of the SME Finance Forum
THE BEST START-UP FRIENDLY CITY OF EUROPE City of Porto Awarded To: His Excellency Rui Moreira, Mayor of the City of Porto 52
Awarded To: Ms Dawn Hetzel, JCI World President (2017) Ismail Haznedar, JCI World President (2015)
World Excellence Awards 2018
THE BEST BUSINESS INCUBATION CENTER OF THE MIDDLE EAST Qatar Business Incubation Center Awarded To: Mr Abdulaziz Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Qatar Business Incubation Center