Zeluis Teixeira: Portrait of a GroundBreaker
GroundBreakers is delighted to feature Zeluis Teixeira, the Co-Founder of Annona, on this week’s Portrait of a GroundBreaker Series.
Zeluis Teixeira is the Co-Founder of Annona, a social enterprise providing free supply chain management software for all global food companies. Through mobile and web technology, Annona is connecting stakeholders across the global food industry and promoting inclusivity and transparency within global supply chains. Annona seeks to improve smallholder farmers’ incomes through connecting them to new and existing markets on a mobile trading platform boosted by blockchain. On this week’s feature of GroundBreakers’ Portraits of a GroundBreaker Series, our discussion with Zeluis ranged from his background in the arts to how understanding local cultural contexts is critical to the work of Annona.
Read on to learn more about this GroundBreaker’s inspiring work and be sure to check out the Annona!
What motivated you to start Annona?
I met my co-founder Ashley King-Bischof at the Halcyon Incubator in Washington, D.C. She had started a trading company in East Africa and was sourcing from small scale farmers in Kenya. At the time, she was struggling to manage the high number of small-scale farmers she was sourcing from for the large orders she was getting. When we started working together on a solution, we uncovered several more sustainability issues that were being faced by retail brands all over the world. The inception of Annona was when we decided to start a company to tackle the traceability issues that exist in global food trade to make supply chains transparent and inclusive of small scale farmers.
“We are creating a platform for all of the members of global food trade to be a part of. We are not just a source for information and support but we’re also opening up the avenues for inclusion…We’re creating global standards and operating procedures for the exporters and their farmers to match so that we can improve the quality of the global food supply.”
What advice would you give to young people who want to become social entrepreneurs?
If you have an idea, take action. People tend to get stuck in an analysis paralysis. These key motivating questions are very important: What will I commit myself to? What will I do? How will I do it? If you don’t take action, you’re going nowhere. You may have the best idea in the world, but until you do something with it that’s all it will be, an idea. If you’re interested in becoming an entrepreneur, start building the habit of taking action because whether it’s for your current company, your customers, or your family — if you keep moving forward you’ll be closer to working towards your goal. Always be planning, never stop moving.
Who are some of the people who inspire you in your work? Some of your mentors?
I’m always inspired by the farmers on our platform, who literally work to feed the world. I am similarly appreciative of all the social entrepreneurs I meet along my journey- as a colleague, mentor, or even roommate. We have a lot of people doing good in this world and it’s great having features like yours to showcase their work. I have been blessed over the years to be supported by several great programs like the aforementioned Halcyon incubator and the PeaceTech Accelerator. Andrew Bertamini has been a mentor of mine since my Wells Fargo days, and had a big impact on my development. He recognized my desire to make a bigger difference in the world and gave me the space to use my creativity within the company. He also supported me during my transition from banking into the entrepreneurial space. My father, Airton Teixeira, has also always kept me grounded and focused on the simplicity of what makes sense from a personal and professional perspective.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? Did you always see yourself as a social entrepreneur?
I am a reverse engineered entrepreneur. Acting and singing were my passions when I was younger. I come from a traditional household though, so went into the business world rather than pursuing the arts full time. I started out in the corporate sphere, climbing up the management ladder of Fortune 500 companies and this experience gave me a strong foundation to becoming an entrepreneur. I have always wanted to make a difference and leave a positive mark on the world.
I went from the creative space, where you’re building worlds for audiences through singing and acting, into the corporate space which can be very bureaucratic. I was resistant at first but knew that in order to be successful I had to adapt and incorporate these more structural elements into my day to day life. I came to understand how those systems and policies function and why they are so important. When I went back to the creative side of being an entrepreneur and building businesses up from scratch, I was able to apply these learnings to make sure that our teams moved toward sustainable success. We had to ensure that the business is working from a strong foundation while leaving room for the creativity that you need in the startup world.
How is blockchain a powerful vehicle for social impact and how is this software used to power Annona?
Blockchain is very popular right now, but the key to blockchain is the foundation of the data that is going onto the blockchain itself. Blockchain is at its simplest, a digital distribution ledger that is only as strong as the information that is being put into it.
We’ve joined the Blockchain for Social Impact Coalition and they have been helpful in providing resources and working with us as thought partners. We have also been working on what it means to establish blockchain as a standard for tracking how our food is made and where it comes from. Farmers’ information is sacred — they are the ones who own their information and we’re very responsible about protecting that valuable resource.
Farmers need representation in global food trade and to be rewarded for the incredibly tough and risky challenges faced doing the hard work of making the world’s food. Blockchain can be a tool we use to give them that in a fair and cost effective way.
One product we are working on at Annona is a blockchain-enabled weather-index crop insurance. When the extreme weather conditions of climate change impact a farmer- whether that’s drought, inconsistent rainfall, or hurricanes- they can lose their whole lot. Due to poor infrastructure and many of them being unbanked, it’s been historically costly to provide microinsurance to these small scale farmers in developing countries. Now with mobile money and blockchain, we can protect farmers when they need it most, and help them get back on their feet for the next season.
What are the primary exporting countries on Annona’s platform?
Because of our focus on fruits and vegetables, we are currently working mostly in East Africa and namely Kenya and Tanzania. The vast majority of fruits and vegetables from East Africa are being shipped to Europe. Avocados are the biggest crop, mangos, coconuts and green beans are also very popular.
We are also collecting information with partners in markets at the local level. Our app is free to use and we want it to be available for everyone. Many local markets use our app just to organize their own orders, and this allows us to see how local markets behave compared to international trade and analyze that data together for the first time.
How is this work adapted to different cultural contexts?
I’m a cultural anomaly myself, being a Brazilian Ecuadorian that grew up in Suriname and Belize. I believe in Nelson Mandela’s quote, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
When running a global business, it’s important to note that while there are certain similar characteristics across multiple markets, the team needs to understand local context if they want to succeed.
Local ambassadors are key to Annona’s work. The team needs to apply the global perspective of requirements and certifications that exist in global food trade, but in engaging with local audiences we simply cannot do this alone. Local ambassadors help us by sharing information as well as provide insights about local customs and services.
“We’ve joined the Blockchain for Social Impact Coalition and they have been helpful in providing resources and working with us as thought partners… Farmers’ information is sacred — they are the ones who own their information and we’re very responsible about protecting that valuable resource.”
What is your vision for Annona?
We are creating a platform for all of the members of global food trade to be a part of. We are not just a source for information and support but we’re also opening up the avenues for inclusion. For importers who want to expand their horizons and enter into other markets, we’re giving them the resources to be able to do that research up front. We’re also creating global standards and operating procedures for the exporters and their farmers to match so that we can improve the quality of the global food supply. Our vision for Annona is to continue to do this throughout the world and be a strong partner in global food trade-facilitating importers, and exporters, and farmers as technology becomes more available.
