Introducing our August Cohort
We’re happy to introduce a new cohort of Bridge for Billions entrepreneurs about to start their incubation journey in August! For the next three months they will be working alongside their mentors, through our Eight Business Creation Tools, in order to strengthen and develop their businesses. Our August cohort features an international group of entrepreneurs and mentors spanning five countries, speaking seven languages, and involving a variety of projects from food to solar panels. This diverse group is composed of:
Lindsey Powers
Lindsey Powers is an entrepreneur from Denver, Colorado. Motivated by her friend of 14 years and business partner, Kyle, who broke his neck in an ATV accident, Lindsey strives to help those people who are confined to a wheelchair through ChairGLO. Lindsey’s product improves both the safety and social lives of those who use it. They provide LED lights that greatly improve the visibility of the wheelchairs while allowing the users to better see their surroundings at night. The ability of the wheelchair lights to be synched with music makes the wheelchair great for social occasions as well. Lindsey will be mentored by Hailey Powell, who holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business from Oklahoma University, and is currently pursuing Master’s Degree in Global Affairs. Hailey also has close friends with physical handicaps which drew her to this project. Coupled with her determination to help others start businesses and reach economic stability, Hailey is very excited to be joining the ChairGLO team and Bridge for Billions.
Karla Mitchell
Karla Mitchell has a passion for herbal medicine, and this passion has inspired AfroHerbalism. The goal of AfroHerbalism is to teach young people and families about herbal medicine from a culturally appropriate perspective. This project in the Medical and Health Sector wishes to educate and empower people with knowledge about herbal medicine. Karla, from Detroit, Michigan, hopes to use Bridge for Billions to help her organize her vision into a powerful pitch to help her gain investment. Karla will be mentored by Malaika Neri. Malaika holds a Bachelor’s in Development Economics and a Master’s in Non-Profit Management, she has worked in sustainable certifications including Fairtrade International and FSC and is an advocate of sustainable and natural consumption, making her an apt mentor for this project.
Carlos Hernandez
Carlos Hernandez started GolfWink with the goal of connecting golf enthusiasts with the golf products they wish to buy. He wishes to help consumers easily access golf products at reasonable prices by connecting the users and their clients. Carlos hopes to strengthen his Value Proposition with his mentor and Bridge’s platform and cement what he can offer his clients. Carlos is from Madrid, Spain, and will be mentored by Xandru Cancelas. Xandru is an entrepreneur who has founded two companies: SmartData Protection and XandruSoft. He is interested in helping entrepreneurs realize their ideas, and with his experience in niche platforms such as GolfWink, Xandru perfectly positioned to help Carlos throughout his entrepreneurial journey with Carlos.
Leyre Romero y Pedro Olazabal
Leyre Romero and Pedro Olazabal are the founders of Areteia, a consulting company that offers Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Corporate Social Responsibility analysis in order to help them to improve their social impact and sustainability. Leyre and Pedro heard about our platform through Bridge for Spain, the collaboration between Impact Hub Madrid and Bridge for Billions. Motivated by a desire to work in a more just and equal world, Leyre and Pedro are tackling the issue of Social Responsibility in small and medium enterprises. Based in Madrid, Spain, they will be mentored by Emilio Frojan. Currently Business Development Manager at Impact Hub Madrid, Emilio also worked for AIESEC Spain, an organization dedicated to using the talents of young volunteers to help solve current social issues. Emilio chose to join Bridge as a Mentor because he believes in our mission, and wishes to help projects to contribute to the sustainable development of our planet.
Niki Francesca
Niki Francesca has started Think Tank Distribución. This environmental social enterprise works to make electricity more accessible to remote areas of Latin America. They also work to make sure that the light which results from these solar panels is healthier, accessible and high quality. Located in Andorra, Niki and his mentor Olga Porro and Luis Solórzano, from Spain can use the online platform to seamlessly collaborate and improve his business plan. Olga was interested in improving the impact she makes on entrepreneurs especially in the area of social entrepreneurs, which is her area of expertise, and hopes that Bridge for Billions can help her achieve that goal. Her current role as Responsible for the Acceleration Sector in Foundation Ship2B, as well as her Master of Business Administration from the ESADE Business School make Olga a wonderful fit for Niki’s social enterprise. Luis Solórzano, who heard about us on Twitter (you can follow us here!), is currently a Social Business Consultant with Fundación EHAS, where he has been analyzing the social impact of mobile services in isolated rural areas. This experience in social business along with the regional similarities in his professional experiences makes Luis a valuable asset to Niki’s team.
Mariana Castañeda
Mariana Castañeda wishes to bring unique, homemade dishes to those with adventurous palates, while providing employment opportunities for refugees and asylum-seekers. Her project, Gastronaut, aims to create employment opportunities for these displaced populations, while helping them become self-sufficient and helping them integrate themselves into their new homes. Through this project, Mariana is able to combine her interest in food and culture with her passion for social justice, and have an impact on a population in need. Mariana will be mentored by Aaron Cohen. Passionate about social entrepreneurship and sustainable business, Aaron has consulted on or opened five entrepreneurship endeavors and is currently working on a sixth. Aaron is currently exploring the root causes of our food waste, and searching for innovative solutions, which creates strong synergies between his ideas and those of Mariana. Aaron joined Bridge because he strongly believes that “we need to champion the work and spirit of others, and encourage people to dream big.” He hopes to be able to help entrepreneurs to “work through their fears and emerge with the strength and courage to not back down from any challenge.”
If these projects piqued your curiosity, and you want to learn more about Bridge and what we do you can find out more at bridgeforbillions.org, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
