During my visit to China in Spring 2023, I witnessed China's active pursuit of a sustainable, low-carbon economy. From large-scale renewable energy projects to smart grid technologies, China's efforts contribute significantly to global climate change mitigation. Inspired by these groundbreaking endeavors, I initiated The Next China project in 2023 May.

After three decades of rapid development, what lies ahead for China? I aim to spotlight the exceptional work of startups and individuals driving a greener and more sustainable future in China.

While hiking in Gotland in October 2020, I got an email. It was the offer for the CEO position at Skåne Startups. The organization is located in the bustling city of Malmö. Never had I thought of moving to Malmö, a city that had been associated with mixed reputations.

As the offer sank in, I felt hesitant yet intrigued by the leadership position. The role was unique. It was mixed with many different skill sets that I knew would challenge me. It was an opportunity to lead and support a community of entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, and stakeholders, and to help build a thriving startup ecosystem in the region. After much contemplation, I decided to take a leap of faith and relocate to Malmö in November 2020.

Being the only paid full-time employee/CEO, I knew I had to act quickly and creatively. The immediate challenge was a lack of funding and human resources. So, I focused on meeting with all the stakeholders and partners and prepared to secure short-term and long-term funding. At the same time, I utilized my scholarship alumni network to recruit the most qualified interns and quickly train them to ensure we were delivering the best possible work with limited resources.

The role demanded a lot of responsibilities from me, including:

• fundraising, developing and maintaining relationships with stakeholders at regional and national levels
• increasing brand awareness and creating effective marketing strategies
• hiring and training interns and employees
• devising and implementing activities and initiatives to benefit local entrepreneurs and global investors
• ensuring clear and regular communication with the board members
• and collaborating with the team to execute plans and drive the organization toward achieving our objectives.

I had to wear many hats. But I was determined to succeed. Within two years, my leadership led to exceptional outcomes, including securing a total of 3 million SEK in private and public grants/funding. With meticulous planning, we organized and facilitated 54-60 impactful startup events, both online and offline, attracting 10 to 600 attendees. I've always been the kind of person who sees the world through rose-tinted glasses. I'm incredibly resourceful, always finding a way to get things done and make things happen, even when the odds are against me. 🦾

Below you can read more about my work:

Fundraising and Sponsorship Management

Action:

• Identify and cultivate relationships with later-stage startups, corporations, and community organizations
• Formulate compelling grant proposals and reports, and manage stakeholders' relationships
• Develop and execute the fundraising plan, including goals, strategies, and tactics for public grants, corporate sponsorship, and events

Talent Attraction and Culture Building

Action:

• Develop and implement recruitment strategies to attract and retain top talent in the Skåne region, including sourcing candidates in various social platforms, screening resumes, and conducting interviews
• Build and maintain relationships with potential candidates and develop a pipeline of hires through students & startups related events
• Educate and train the team to equip them with up-to-date knowledge on venture capital, startup community, and business development
• Create and build a positive and inclusive culture within the team, and coordinate team-building exercises and initiatives

Marketing and Communications

Action:

• Set up clear branding and communication guidelines and strategy including brand positioning and messaging, target audience, brand identity, tone of voice, content strategy, and communication channel
• Support the team in creating and curating startup and investment-related content, including blog posts, articles, and videos, that aligns with the organization's brand and marketing objectives
• Guide the team to manage the organization's social company page, including posting updates, engaging with followers, and monitoring metrics

Events management

Below are a few highlights:

• GrowInvest Helsingborg, 2021 and June 2022
• Startup Live! Helsingborg, June 2022
• The Drop Conference Malmö, September 2022
• Women in Entrepreneurship events: weekly events with a different theme each week
• Startup Coffee events every two weeks
• Investor Chat events every month

Action:

• Identify the suitable skill sets of each team member and form a capable project group to host different kinds of events
• Develop project plans and timelines and ensure that all tasks are completed on time and within budget
• Communicate and update effectively with stakeholders and partners to ensure satisfactory results

Startups Mapping and Investor Relations

Action:

• Build up the Investor Service team and trained the team members on venture scouting and supported the team to build and maintain the database of 450 startups and evaluate the data quality
• Built and maintained relationships with global VCs, CVCs, and angel investors and guided the team to prepare quality deal flow for investors
• Organize bi-weekly in-person or online investor events for local founders (participants from 20 - 90 people)
• Support the team to publish the Mental Health Tech Report Sweden 2022

Community Engagement and Partnership Building

Action:

• Meet with community partners and stakeholders regularly to find opportunities to collaborate and co-develop short-term and long-term initiatives including Women in Entrepreneurship, Startup Coffee, Startup Live! and many more
• Present Skåne Startups at tech events such as Slush, Nordic Demo Day, and SaaSiest and engaged with relevant founders and investors in the community
• Act as a jury and speaker for numerous startups & business events/competitions including Venture Cup, Malmö Näringslivsgala, Venture Lab, and Lund University student demo day
• Maintain active & positive relationships with Minc, Fast Track Malmö, Hetch, Mindpark, Malmö Stad, Invest in Skåne, Almi Företagspartner, SEB, Sony, and many other stakeholders who are keen on building a strong tech community

Board Management

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with all board members and the Chairperson
• Act as a liaison between the Board and the organization's staff, volunteers, and external stakeholders
• Organize and coordinate board meetings, including preparing agendas, minutes, and supporting materials

Web Development

Action:

• Design the website with Miro, and work closely with the web developer to build the website on Ghost that enables simplified content publishing and better customisability

Budget and Financing

• Work closely with an accountant to prepare budget and yearly forecasting

I was glad when I received an invitation to be a guest on Victoria's podcast called Minus Million Dollar Idea.

Vic and I had an engaging discussion on the Nordic tech ecosystem. You can listen to the podcast on Spotify.

Let's build a future where people in positions of power will invest, hire, and mentor more founders, talents, and students from diverse backgrounds.

For seven years now, MINC has been hosting the Nordic Fe: Male Invest Summit to gather female founders and investors to inspire, lead, and innovate. On the 12th of October, at Malmo Town Hall, the Skåne community focuses on creating opportunities and encouraging more people into the startup world. Below are some key learnings from the conference.

Changemakers Journey

Siduri Poli is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and author. Siduri is the co-founder and Head of Business & Brand of Changers Hub, an important entrepreneur hub. The project aims to democratize success and enable young people in marginalized areas to succeed with their start-up ideas.

She believes that innovation and new technologies must be linked to democracy and inclusion for our society to move forward. Now Siduri is investing and advising multiple companies and initiatives within tech, branding, and social change.

As an investor, Siduri pays attention to the meaningful human moments that companies can create for their customers. “The moments when the idea changes and gives extra value to someone else’s lives,” she says.

She believes in the value of ideas and founders with diverse backgrounds and situations. She said that we tend to invest in people who look or think like us, however, it is important to reduce bias and offer opportunities for minorities to succeed.

Unconventional fundraising

Miriam Olsson Jeffery, a business reporter from HD-Sydsvenskan. With experience from working as a business and tech journalist both in Sweden and in Silicon Valley, where Miriam was a correspondent for Svenska Dagbladet, Dagens Industri, and IDG, she has a deep understanding of the tech world. She has for many years put effort into covering equality, diversity, and inclusion in tech, and is a co-organizer and moderator of the Female Founders event at Di Digital/Dagens Industri. She hosted this insightful discussion with Thea Messel, the General Partner of Unconventional Ventures.

They noticed that many great ideas, entrepreneurs, and solutions stay overlooked and unsupported. These ideas are not conforming, known, and expected by the traditional investment landscape.

Unconventional Ventures launched the first alternative investment fund. It required time and effort because of the legislation, but they were happy that the fund kept growing. However, female General Partners only led 15% of funds in Europe. Creating a VC fund is challenging, but she wanted to create something to help amazing founders.

Male investors sometimes ask hilarious questions such as “Can women in minorities build scalable companies?” She explains that the question itself is not mean. Many companies started by minorities remain small in most cases. She says there should be something more progressive and supportive in the system. It is crucial to invest in diverse founders because they perform very well. She urged LPs and GPs to support these companies built by diverse founders.

Democratize access to capital: Investing in diverse founders

In this open discussion, Carmen Beltran, Somit Fessehazion, and Christian Tooley shared perspectives and experiences about fundraising as minority founders. Tove Lilliestierna, an impact investor from Norrsken VC moderated the discussion. The Nordic countries are more egalitarian societies. Yet, it is still quite common that the minories have a more difficult time in building and growing their business.

Panelists agree that diversity is more than gender. Somit Fessehazion mentioned that ethnic minorities need more support sometimes. Ecosystem support organizations and different stakeholders should be aware of this.

Christian Tooley is listed as a Top LGBTQ+ Future Leader by Yahoo Finance, winner of McKinsey's Achievement Award, and is recognized as a Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum. It is key to ensure diversity in the decision-making group (i.e. board members, the investment committee). The panel shared the concept of Intersectionality. It means that one person can have multiple experiences from the intersection of systems of inequality based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, class, and other forms of discrimination.

Tove Lilliestierna mentioned that investors should focus on the strength of the idea rather than ticking all the boxes. Carmen Beltran has built a financial wellness platform for women. She has a background in finance and business development with more than 12 years of experience building teams in different industries in Colombia, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, Thailand, The Netherlands, and Sweden. Passionate about adult education, financial inclusion, and diversity in tech. Board member of Emmstech- women of color in tech Nordics. She mentioned that men receive more funding than women to try and test though women started more businesses than men.

Dragonflies and Damselflies: Four Lessons in Gender Lens Investing

Lauri Robbins Ericson is an international speaker from the US. She is a consultant, advisor, and speaker with a focus on social impact and social innovation. Her work in Europe, West and South Africa, India, Central America, and the United States has magnified how important it is to transform the perception of females in society so their contributions are valued. Her TEDx talk, titled “Shifting Gender Paradigms: Speak Up, Stand Up, Rise Up” is now featured on TED.com.

She said that when it comes to raising capital, males consistently outperform females. What is worse, she mentioned, is that despite a lot of advocacy, we have not done much to change this. Sadly, obstacles remain unchanged in norms and attitudes. Some of these obstacles are not discussed or questioned. This leaves women undervalued. Women work more, earn less, and have fewer choices.

Even Sweden, a country that represents what is possible for gender equality, faces challenges in investing in female founders. We need to teach girls to raise their hands at school, ask questions, and stand up in front of the crowd, so they perceive themselves as smart and powerful. If we teach girls to do it, they will apply for jobs and will not wait until they are ready. They will negotiate better pay, take risks, invest, and start companies. Lori believes that the Nordics will lead in the future because of Nordic values such as the way of working, and the ideals of gender and inclusion.

Men as allies in the ecosystem

Heidi Lindvall, Sandra Wirström, and Sami Niemi discussed the importance of men as allies in the ecosystem. Heidi has a background in media and human rights. She has founded tech startups and spent time in London and Silicon Valley and more recently set up a startup accelerator in London before moving to Sweden to help run Fast Track Malmo. Sami is a Partner at Spintop Ventures, the leading Nordic early-stage tech VC. He has roots in mobile imaging technologies, having co-founded Scalado. The company grew to become a world-leading Mobile Imaging SW company, with more than 1 Billion licenses sold worldwide to essentially all the OEMs and many of the sensor/chipset makers.

Sandra is the Co-Founder & CPO of LEIA, the world's first postpartum tracker app. Mother of two with, Sandra started her career at Klarna and took her passion for user experience and women's health to Natural Cycles as the product owner. With the bad experience she had after both of her births, she took matters into her own hands and co-created LEIA. The world's first postpartum tracker app, through daily tracking, helps identify women at risk and gives them the tools they need to have a happier and healthier postpartum experience.

While there has been a generational shift in support and a perception of women, the annual startup reports and world policies do not seem to show major changes. According to Sami Niemi, men are still the main gatekeepers to access resources or power.

Panelists agreed that men have an important role in changing the situation.
Heidi Lindvall mentioned that companies should have general training and information to educate all members of the board about biases. However, it is not enough. They should proactively make an effort to include women or people who have diverse backgrounds.

In major startup communities like Silicon Valley, there are still ridiculous biases that affect women's access to resources, like the way a woman combs her hair during a meeting, attractiveness, and more. This trend also explains why minorities are less likely to be funded if there is a homogeneous view of the world from the board members, the General Partners, and the Limited Partners.

My power is in strong proactivity - by utilizing the right network, entrepreneurial knowledge, solid personal skill-set, and an extreme passion
for empowering individuals and scale-up businesses.

What's your story before you joined Skåne Startups?

Coming from a post-communist country like North Macedonia and living through the transition, I could see from first-hand the importance of creating a sustainable innovation ecosystem. Consequently, people lost their jobs due to this new wave of privatization and were branded as a "surplus". This affected almost every Macedonian household. Things are getting better now and the country is developing at a rapid pace.

However, there is a new challenge on the horizon. According to the reports of Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, in the last six years, North Macedonia continuously ranks in the bottom four countries in terms of the number of female entrepreneurs. And I am on a mission to change this for them.

My international academic career in North Macedonia, Slovenia, Portugal, and Sweden has driven me to achieve at a competitive level. My commitment to change pushed me to co-found Elekta in 2018, an NGO with more than 350 members, aiming to support youth entrepreneurs in Macedonia. My work was recognized by Swedish Institute Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP).

I was fortunate to be sponsored to join its Summer Academy, and take part in a peer shadowing program at VentureLab, a student accelerator at Lund University. During my work at Venture Lab, I’ve launched a collaborative initiative between St.Cyril Methodius University and LU Innovation. This improved the Triple Helix model on a national level through a successful entrepreneurship Bootcamp. In March 2020, on behalf of The Swedish Institute, Lund University and the Swedish Embassy in Skopje, I led a project on the topic of ‘Women's Entrepreneurship initiative for the Western Balkans’, with the focus on researching the National Strategy of North Macedonia for female entrepreneurship.

My professional affiliation to Sweden and my academic ambitions guided me back to Lund to pursue my Master at the top fifth course in Sweden. I served as a Chairperson on the SI NFGL board in Lund and as a board member of the SI Alumni North Macedonia, committed to use my learned skills and talents for worthy causes.

What was your role at Skåne Startups?

I started at the Investment team at Skåne Startups as a Venture Advisor. My role required me to scout, research, and evaluate more than 300 start-ups in Skåne. This experience allowed me to learn the pitfalls from highly successful founders and gain practical insight on how to scale a global tech business. Additionally, I was responsible for guiding investors to understand the local start-up ecosystem.

🔎 Evaluating startups' potential from investors' perspectives, and connecting them with relevant global investors;

🤝 Identified and established solid professional relationships with international investors VCs and CVCs and provided quality deal flow;

🗒️ Co-led the Startup Database Project where she scouted and mapped out detailed startup database of over 430 tech companies;

☕ Led the Startup Coffee Meetup and actively engaged in over 25 events designed to create a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem in Skåne;

What did you enjoy the most at Skåne Startups?

Regularly meetings the team. They are best people I know in this part of the world.

Can you tell us about your current work?

Currently working in Denmark as a Lead scout for Accelerace, Nordics' leading pre-seed VC investor and early-stage accelerator. Since 2008 Accelerace has worked with over 1000 startups (88% are still on the market today), made 70+ pre-seed investments, and matched startups with industry-leading companies such as Tetra Pak, Arla, and Elia.

What is your advice for other talents?

If you have everything under control, you are moving too slow.

Something you are unreasonably passionate about?

Discovering the motivations behind people's business ideas and listening to their experiences.

Embrace your strengths. We don't all have the same goals and values, and your path does not need to fit anyone else's box. Explore the things that you like, understand the aspects of yourself that make you thrive and dare to go for the opportunities that fit with your definition of happiness.

What's your story before you joined Skåne Startups?

My love for Chemistry and Biology, back in high school, drove me to a Bachelor's degree in Food Technology. Even though I loved eating the food that we were producing in our labs, during my 3rd year my interests vastly changed.

I immersed myself into personal finances, stock market investments and how entrepreneurship can be a catalyzer of achieving your financial goals. I got hooked and watched every single seminar and course that I could find on the topic, but I still felt that I needed to know more.

In 2018, I had finally saved enough to leave Greece and attend a one year Master's program in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. My world was blown. The educative approach in Lund University was immersive, extremely fast-paced and catapulting me out of my comfort zone. I saw a world of entrepreneurship that is socially and environmentally conscious and learned a lot of the values that I represent today.

After a brief exploration of a real estate career, my love for the entrepreneurial ecosystem became undeniable and unavoidable and that's when I returned to Sweden and started working at Skåne Startups.

What was your role at Skåne Startups?

Besides panicking every time Zhenni Liang asked me to present myself  on stage😅, my main task was to build a database with all the Scanian-based startups. That gave us the opportunity to map out the local startup ecosystem, understand their needs and connect them with the right stakeholders.

I loved creating dealflows for local and international investors and making startups visible to investors that might not have come in their way otherwise. I got to collaborate with Sony and find relevant investors for their Accelerator startups and spent (MANY) hours transcribing and creating a cohesive text for our blog posts after each event.

I created life-long friendships, saw tiny startups grow and achieve great things, and met bold people that actively contribute to a better world.

What did you enjoy the most at Skåne Startups?

On a professional level, I learned so much about the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the different stakeholders. I saw first-hand the dynamics between investors and entrepreneurs and unlocked this completely new path of a career in VC.

On a personal level, every day at Skåne Startups I was surrounded by people that I deeply admire and love. I will forever cherish the bond we've created with my colleagues, the camaraderie, support and the ability to lift each other up in the hardest of times. Skåne Startups is full of daring dreamers that will get out of their way to help and give back in any way they can.

Can you tell us about your current work?

My experience building the startup database for Skåne Startups became my ticket for my next job opportunity at Pale blue dot.

Pale blue dot is an €87M seed-stage venture capital firm, investing in climate tech startups that reduce and reverse the climate crisis and help us prepare for a new world. Pale blue dot is based in Malmö, Sweden, and invests in early stage companies in Europe and the US.

I do data management, and beyond the database, I collect, organize, and present different types of information for a variety of applications. Some of these are: sourcing new dealflow, finding startups within a specific industry to support the investment decision process, and finding investors for the future rounds of our portfolio companies. I treat data as an asset and I always aim to create high quality outputs that bring great value to the team.

What is your advice for other talents?

Embrace your strengths. We don't all have the same goals and values, and your path does not need to fit anyone else's box. Explore the things that you like, understand the aspects of yourself that make you thrive and dare to go for the opportunities that fit with your definition of happiness.

Go where the people you admire and appreciate are. Surround yourself with role models and people that can see your worth. Ask what you don't know, ask for guidance, and give back as much value as you can.

Something you are unreasonably passionate about?

The importance of vulnerability as key to achieving greatly both in personal and professional setups. And gender & racial equity, of course (but this isn't unreasonable!).

Earlier 2022, Zhenni recruited Zarish Adil via Jobbsprånget platform to join Skåne Startups to work in Investor Relations. Though Zarish has no prior direct experience working with investors, but her years of both academic and professional experience in health tech sector was impressive.

I am a passionate, striving and experienced manager, who enjoys being part of a successful and productive team. I have strong analytical mindset, solid knowledge in digital tools, expertise in agile project management, design thinking, Scrum and LEAN thinking and leadership.

What's your overall background?

I have a university degree in life sciences, that is recognized by enic-naric/ Swedish University council and UK NARIC. I have worked as a Clinical RnD professional and healthcare manager. I have around 8 years of experience in leadership and management industry in Pakistan, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

In my previous role I was working as a project manager at NCC Malaysia. I was managing multiple parallel development projects and marketing campaigns. I was actively driving business strategies, building relationships and to positively influence peers and key stakeholders and ensured timely delivery of milestones in deadline driven and fast-paced environment.

I was responsible for providing status report of holistic view of business, sales and budgeting and was also performing analytical and administrative tasks. I was adapting to multidisciplinary teams and involved in digitalization, relationship building, marketing and communication activities to ensure the growth of business.

What was your role at Skåne Startups?

My time was short but I was responsible for updating the startup database and maintaining relationships with investors.

What did you enjoy the most at Skåne Startups?

I enjoyed the company culture and the team spirit. We were 6 member team and I enjoyed the people I worked with. It was a friendly and supportive atmosphere and I enjoyed going to work each morning.

Can you tell us about your current work?

I am working as a communication manager in a  medical device company based in Stockholm. It offers advanced breakaway connector for IV lines, designed to reduce complications and costs associated with accidental disconnection events in healthcare settings.

What is your advice for other talents?

The tech ecosystem n Sweden is exponentially booming and Sweden is a fertile breeding ground for new tech unicorns. My advice would be stay focused, work smart, and create partnerships. You can be the next tech unicorn of our tech community.

In Autumn 2011, Zhenni recruited  Punit Thorat via Jobbsprånget platform to join Skåne Startups to work in marketing and communication. Punit consistently demonstrates unwavering diligence and a commitment to delivering exceptional results. Her dedication to her craft is unparalleled, as she consistently go above and beyond to meet project objectives and exceed expectations. Regardless of the challenges faced, she embraces change with grace and resilience, showcasing her ability to thrive in both their professional and personal life.

I am known as a person who takes the phrase 'hand-holding' to the next level by bringing value to the discussion board. I gain lot of positivity while working with self-motivated, passionate professionals. I believe I am forever in the process of learning and adapting.

What's your overall background?

I belong to this fascinating world of public relations with a proven career graph of 9 years of marketing and communications experience. My previous professional engagements ensured that I get ample of exposure in working with multiple aspects of public relations viz. media planning and monitoring, brand reputation management, crisis handling, marketing strategy and research, etc. Over the years, I have predominantly worked in B2B vertical along with corporate and finance, healthcare, telecommunications, media and entertainment, etc.

After getting a bachelor's degree in mass media with a concentration in journalism, I went on to get a master's degree in communications and journalism and a master's degree in English literature from the University of Mumbai, India. Thus began my decade-long journey in public relations and brand communications, working for several leading advertising agencies, including the globally recognized Lowe Lintas Group. Public relations offers so many opportunities and challenges that I enjoyed every second of my career - until Life 2.0 came along.

Not only did I embrace and adopt a new chapter in my life, but I went all guns blazing with an open mindset to accept any work that came my way. In the first few years after moving to Sweden, I worked in a second-hand shop in Helsingborg and in a non-profit organization that helps underprivileged women and children in Asia and Africa.

What was your role at Skåne Startups?

During employment of Skåne Startups, I was involved in a variety of roles. First and foremost, however, I was a Marketing and Community Manager responsible for all marketing communications and community engagement. Later, I dabbled in Community Outreach with the primary objective to fill any communication gaps for startups and ecosystem partners in southern Sweden. If you ask me, I would like to describe my role as an extended marketing arm for the startup community in the region.

In addition to the constant events on the sidelines, one of the highlights of my time was the opportunity to be one of the co-organizers of Startup Live! 2022 a Skåne Startups legacy that everyone in southern Sweden swears by.

What did you enjoy the most at Skåne Startups?

I am a people person and the first thing I would attribute to my time is the opportunity to engage and interact with the community through various channels. Even though I could only play a small role in this dynamic pool of talent, it gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in the changing business scenarios of today.

It allowed me to connect with passionate people who believe in new ideas and work tirelessly to make their ideas a reality. Believe me when I say that I was overcome with excitement whenever I heard young dreamers speak passionately about their groundbreaking ideas.

Second, is the collaborative team that I worked with. Here is a place that welcomed international talent with open arms and gave everyone the opportunity to be heard.

Can you tell us about your current work?

I work for a young e-commerce startup and manage the marketing communications portfolio. In addition to communications, I am actively involved in the growth of the company, taking on numerous other tasks. On a freelance basis, I help in content creation and social media marketing for small-scale brands. I strongly believe in open-mindedness and diversity and am open to working with professionals who choose to work with international talent.

What is your advice for other talents?

Never say, never! Be open, show willingness to learn, have faith in your ideas, love what you do, stay true to yourself, follow the rules, and never stop dreaming!

Something you are unreasonably passionate about?

I love telling stories - be it my own or others. I am passionate about writing, be it anything - professionally or personally. I think it is therapeutic in more ways than one. On a personal level, I am passionate about exploring new places and right now Europe seems to be my playground! I love hosting/moderating at parties and events, it gives me a different high to meet and get to know people from diverse backgrounds.

Earlier 2022, Zhenni recruited Allan Clark via LinkedIn to join Skåne Startups to work on The Drop Conference. He is an exceptional project manager with a remarkable ability to orchestrate successful events with meticulous attention to detail. His expertise in event organization is unmatched, as he effortlessly handles all aspects of project planning, coordination, and execution. With a keen eye for logistics and a knack for anticipating challenges, Allan ensures smooth operations and flawless experiences for attendees.

I am an energetic and hands-on Events and Logistics professional with over 15 years of experience in Europe and the Middle East across multiple sectors. High attention to detail and driven to bring quality and innovative ideas.

What's your overall background?

I have lived and worked in Dubai for the past 17 years working on the event industry, managing a wide range of  events in Europe and the Middle East across multiple sectors including Mega Events, Concerts, Conferences, Brand Activations, and Exhibitions. For brands such as Expo 2020, Tesla, JLR, Shell, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Dubai Tourism Authorities, Rolls Royce and Monte Blanc to name a few.

What was your role at Skåne Startups?

I have been the Project Manager for The Drop, a climate technology conference held in Malmö on September 21st, 2022. I acted as the primary lead on handling all communications with the stakeholders, including project partners, sponsors, and speakers on behalf of the project team. I was responsible for communication with key stakeholders both internal and external on planning, progress and event outcomes. I collaborated with web developers and freelancers in the creation and review of websites, marketing materials, and marketing campaigns.

Moreover, I led site inspection development and delivery, development of conference agendas, management of production, provide and deliver on the administration of mobile apps, onsite management coordination, sponsorship management, and creative and content management.

I managed activities development, food and beverage management, ground transportation coordination, onsite support, project plan development, web conference management, virtual meeting project plans, attendee management, and post event reporting.

What did you enjoy the most at Skåne Startups?

The team, the diversity and the network.

Can you tell us about your current work?

I oversee all elements of The Drop conference from budget, supplier and operational management to marketing and creative. We aim to build a place where climate minds meet, learn and collaborate. It is designed for people who want to meet and learn from the founders, investors and climate experts who are driving solutions to the climate crisis forward - and make connections they will carry forward for many years of impact to come.

What is your advice for other talents?

Network, put yourself out there and talk to people, the more people you know the more opportunities will come your way.

Something you are unreasonably passionate about?

Sports, mainly football and golf.

Earlier 2022, Zhenni recruited Belinda Kaur via Jobbsprånget platform to join Skåne Startups to support marketing analytics. After taking a career break to prioritize family, Belinda has returned with an unwavering determination to succeed in her work.  She approaches her work with precision and thoroughness. She brings a sense of positivity and joy to the team.

I am a mother of 3 beautiful angels. I find positivity in every situation. Moving to the Nordics has given me the opportunity to look at things differently. I'm also a detailed oriented person which leads to good observation and decision-making.

What's your ovearall background?

I worked in the banking industry in Malaysia for 5 years as an experienced credit risk analyst. In my credit risk analyst role, I exercised a calculated and methodical approach to problem-solving.

Additionally, I am knowledgeable in risk validating and I have amazing communication, decision-making, and customer service skills. I was also awarded two awards, Mortgage Service Guarantee Award and Customer Banking Star Award- International Value Award during my role.

What was your role at Skåne Startups?

I'm responsible for the marketing data analysis. Specifically, I have completed LinkedIn page analysis for Skåne Startups in the past 24 months and offered solutions and suggestions for improvement.

Based on my observation we have a wide range of international talent who are in Skåne, at the same time we continue to share stories of our events, startup communities' news, and founders' stories which have gained a lot of attention from locals and the international crowd. Our data shows people like what we do, and they support our activities.

What did you enjoy the most at Skåne Startups?

I enjoy the diversity, we have people from different parts of the world within the team. I like the connections that Skåne Startups has made within the community and definitely from my side am meeting new people and learning from each person that I meet.

Can you tell us about your current work?

It's my very first time doing marketing analysis. It is a new journey but I am excited to take on the analytical role and immerse myself into all kinds of data.

What is your advice for other talents?

I will say mingle more, there are a lot of amazing people who can share their advice and guidance.

Something you are unreasonably passionate about?

If it is work-related, I will say data analyst. Socializing is another thing that I love doing., I love communicating with different people. I'm friendly and fun to be around.

Earlier 2022, Zhenni recruited Poliana Dias via Jobbsprånget platform to join Skåne Startups to work in marketing and communication. Poliana is an extraordinary marketing manager who brings a unique blend of creativity, friendliness, and efficiency to every project. Her vibrant personality and warm demeanor make her a joy to work with, fostering positive relationships with colleagues, and stakeholders alike.

"An organized, results-oriented marketing professional. Excellent communication, relationship-building, and influencing skills; I can bring fresh perspectives and add ethical value to the planning and strategy." says Poliana.

What's your overall background?

A great learner with a problem-solving mindset, I have 8 years of experience in my own agency in Brazil and a degree in Business Administration with a major in Marketing. As a Marketing Manager, my team and I covered all touch points with the clients. During my time at our agency, I was responsible for inbound marketing and sales, tailored customer service, and established it as the agency's flagship.

During my first years in Sweden, I decided to study design, and Hyper Island was my choice. Now, I am a proficient user of Adobe products, in addition, I have acquired a wide range of skills that enable me to integrate into the culture of a group or team and continuously strive for common goals. Hyper Island has greatly contributed to my team building. I work as a freelancer as well, in partnership with visual artists, animating and managing 2D projects.

What was your role at Skåne Startups?

I was responsible for optimizing the marketing strategies as well as increasing brand awareness. I was involved in all kinds of startup events including Women in Entrepreneurship, Nordic Demo Day, SaaSiest and Startup Live! 2022. I designed all the marketing materials and visuals for Startup Live! event in Helsingborg. As the project lead, I developed the marketing plan and event concept, coordinated with the event agency, and ensured the success of the event. The event page reached out 3000 page views, more than 300 registration and 250 joined in person in Tivolli Helsingborg.

What did you enjoy the most at Skåne Startups?

I felt like I belonged at Skåne Startups because our team was so unified. Inclusiveness and diversity is ingrained in our team culture. Zhenni Liang brings people together and make them work as a team. I also enjoy being involved in the startup community and I have made many connections and friends.

Can you tell us about your current work?

Now I am doing a master's degree in Communication for Development at Malmö University, where I am encouraged to apply my creative thinking to a better future with less inequality and exclusion.

Something you are unreasonably passionate about?

I love meaningful conversations, kids, dogs, and sushi, and I am always willing to listen and share my experiences with interesting people.

On Spring 2022, Zhenni recruited Alejandra Durón Briones via Jobbsprånget platform to join Skåne Startups to work on marketing and communication. Zhenni had the pleasure working with Alejandra on different branding and marketing projects. Alejandra took the initiative setting up the branding guidelines based on our organisation's mission. She pays close attention to details, takes feedback and is quick to capture new ideas. Also she actively works with our colleagues and was responsible for designing the Swedish Mental Health Report 2022.

"I fell in love with the architecture when I saw Venice for the first time. It was impressive how each city adapted to its surroundings. Until now that has not changed, and that is why I decided to become an Architect, I enjoy getting to know new cities and knowing the history of each one of them, either through a book, a movie, or visiting them." says Alejandra.

What's your overall background?

I studied architecture in Aguascalientes, Mexico and completed one exchange semester in Malaga, Spain. It was an experience that aroused my curiosity to see the world and love architecture even more.

My professional career began in 2012 in Mexico, I have worked in different branches of architecture, from large-scale construction, such as shopping centers and hospital remodeling and to restorations of Mexican Heritage buildings, such as the interior design of homes and offices. I have also worked at the National Institute of Anthropology and History, protecting the Historical Heritage of Aguascalientes. I have been Project Director at the architectural firm ARKIDEK Construction & Design.

Years after finishing my studies in Mexico I decided to move to Spain where I worked as a Project Draftsman at CIAMAX Arquitectos y Abogados, soaking myself in ancient Andalusian architecture.

What was your role at Skåne Startups?

As a Brand Strategist, I supported the marketing team on all marketing and communication related activities. For example, I developed all kinds of visual content and materials for the social media channels. I built the branding and communication guidelines for the team and created guidelines that define our company’s voice both online and offline (including terminology and slogans). Most recently, I was involved in the project of designing the Health Tech Sweden report.

What did you enjoy the most at Skåne Startups?

I enjoy the teamwork and get support among colleagues, brainstorming, and the moments where we talk about plans and strategies to carry them out.

What is your advice for other talents?

My advice is to not stop being curious and to have the confidence to take advantage of the opportunities.

Something you are unreasonably passionate about?

As an architect, what irrationally fascinates me is architecture, but this passion has come to me since I was little, since I love art in general. I am happy spending an afternoon walking and seeing museums, just as I am spending an afternoon painting or watching a good movie.

"Living abroad and working in international environments has taught me to see individuals with personalities, values and traits not as a simplistic representation of their nationality. That is why I like meeting people from different parts of the world and experiencing different cultures, traditions, places and food. It makes me value my country and be more critical of other things I do not like. I discovered that, at the end, people have more things in common than differences." says Nantli.

What's your story before Skåne Startups?

All my professional life has been connected to corporate communications. Before Skåne Startups, I was working at Tetra Pak in a temporary assignment doing internal communications for the Human Resources Department. Previous to that, I lived one year in Lund when I was studying for a Masters Degree at Lund University.

I was one of the eldest students of my master’s program. It was strange because I have almost nine years of experience working in companies like Siemens and L’Oréal in Mexico and going back to the university was a shock. I did not expect that.

However, I enjoyed my time in Lund and I learned a lot. I valued the opportunity that I had, and I am thankful for receiving an scholarship to study at Lund.

In Mexico I worked in communications departments doing internal campaigns, employer branding, external communications, and supporting different business areas in their marketing efforts. One thing that I am proud of is that I help strengthen the reputation of Siemens in Mexico after a long period of crisis and  I positioned L’Oréal on the list of the most socially responsible companies in Mexico. I feel proud of those and more achievements because they were the beginning of a strong presence of both brands in the country. Today I feel happy that both continue growing.

What was your role at Skåne Startups?

As a Marketing and Communication Manager, I developed the strategies and took the plans into action. I prepared different marketing materials, planned and scheduled promotional events, developed content for company newsletters, and tracked ROI and the effectiveness of various marketing campaigns/ communication strategies.

I represented the team and attended all kinds of startup events and increased brand awareness on various social media platforms and offline modes. I like learning about the entrepreneur life and all the actors involved. The more I learn, the more I can understand the needs and help the community.

What did you enjoy the most at Skåne Startups?

What I like the most is the opportunity to meet people from the community. Skåne Startups is an organization that helps build and strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem and it is necessary to interact with multiple stakeholders.

Can you tell us about your current work?

I love writing and making visuals for social media. It seems easy but when you are responsible for multiple channels you need to take care of details and keep up with the plan.

What is your advice for other talents?

I think that starting your own company is a challenging and rewarding experience at the same time. So, take your time to recognize the strength that you have and think how unique you are just for that. Keep close to people that inspire you in your journey.

Something you are unreasonably passionate about?

Crafts. I really like painting, cutting, sewing or making things.

I got told I can’t do anything just because I wasn’t good at mathematics. But you know what, life is more than calculus and algebra.

What's your overall background?

Being brought up by Asian parents, I thought I was going to be a lawyer (or something similar) when I grew up. Fortunately, I made them happy by pursuing the same degree that my mum studied - English Language and Literature. I tried my best to appreciate Shakespeare’s work, but I failed. I believe he would be chuffed to know that.

My capriciousness then took me to the UK which I call my second home. In 2017 I completed my M.A. in Translation and Interpreting at the University of Nottingham. Then my nerdy brain challenged me once more and I decided to study for a Diploma in Professional Digital Marketing from The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) which was completed in 2021.

I worked as a consultant in the higher education sector for four years and a half before joining Skåne Startups. It was a ‘jack of all trades’ position and I was part of projects in sales, marketing, account management, customer success and operations. The world of business is like a kaleidoscope and I was fascinated massively by it. Prior to my professional experience in the UK, I worked many short-term jobs such as: EFL&CFL teacher, translator, interpreter, cleaner, event assistant, call centre agent, and even model.

What was your role at Skåne Startups?

Skåne Startups offered me a platform where I could make the most of my knowledge in digital marketing as a Communications and Marketing Coordinator. From managing social media channels to organising both online and in-person events, from creating digital content to working with local startup ecosystem players, not a single day at Skåne Startups was the same.

I was the Project Lead for the Student Startup Matching, which was later on taken by my ex-colleague João Nunes. Skåne Startups gives people the space to grow and thrive. I enjoyed creating digital content including pictures, videos, blogs, tweets and blogs. Working with Zhenni Liang has also given me the opportunity to meet stakeholders, such as Minc, The Ground, Venture Cup Sverige, Ideon Science Park etc. Most importantly, we have fun every day, even if it’s not written in the job description.

What did you enjoy the most at Skåne Startups?

I enjoyed all the challenges at work. How to make sure event attendees have a great experience? What content could catch readers’ attention? When is the best time to publish the social media post? How to handle event emergencies? Those questions puzzled me, but they also nurtured me to become a better business professional.

Of course, it was the people from Skåne Startups that I enjoyed the most. I never felt Zhenni Liang was my manager, but a mentor, a friend and a listener. The unique working culture at The Ground is something that I have never experienced before and I am grateful to still be in touch with my ex-colleagues.

Can you tell us about your current work?

In March 2022, I joined Web Manuals, a Swedish tech company offering solutions for the aviation industry, as a Business Development Representative. Four months later, I was promoted to Sales Executive which is my current role. I am glad that I could stay in the tech ecosystem after I ‘graduated’ from Skåne Startups. My fascination with the aviation industry has grown day by day since I joined the company and I am grateful to be part of the force helping aviation more digitized and sustainable.

What is your advice for other talents?

Listen, learn and take action.

Something you are unreasonably passionate about?

I want to say food, but it seems like a bland answer. I recently started to listening podcasts and I highly recommend them. Currently on my playlist:

• WorkLife with Adam Grant, by TED
• The Food Programme, by BBC Radio 4
• Comfort Eating with Grace Dent, by The Guardian
• Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques, by Stanford GSB

The story above is updated on November 2022. You can learn more and reach out via LinkedIn.

"It can be daunting going out to meet new people, pitch an idea or feel inexperienced amongst veterans. The best thing to do though is to just go for it." says Karolina.

What's your overall background?

I was a fulltime physicist doing my PhD at Lund University. Having had a passion for science my whole life and an insatiable curiosity I left my hometown of London to study Physics in Glasgow. Being half Swedish and always loving my holidays at my grandmother's house while growing up, I ventured to Lund to do my masters and later my PhD.

During my years in Lund my specialization was in photonics where I have worked on projects in quantum information, optical design and snapshot encoded imaging. Alongside my studies I also worked on an optical skin cancer diagnostic tool as I am keen to see the commercialization of research and specifically in ways which can positively impact the world and society.

What was your role at Skåne Startups?

I was part of the investor relations team working as a venture advisor. Later I also took on responsibility for the bi-monthly networking mornings hosted at GoTo10. As a venture advisor I spent time updating information in the start-up database, contacting and meeting with start-ups and helping to connect them with the right resources for their needs. I also met with investors both locally and internationally to establish what their portfolio interests were in order to provide them with suitable deal flows. I was also involved in numerous events across the Skåne start-up ecosystem providing a variety of  back stage and front of house support. For Skåne Startups own flagship event Startup Live! in the summer on 2022 I took to the stage as the event host.

What did you enjoy the most at Skåne Startups?

I really enjoyed working with the team. I joined at the transition from one team into another so I got to meet and learn from colleagues who were moving onto different roles elsewhere and also grow alongside the new members. The team was international, openminded, varied in experience, skills and culture and really supportive of each other. Even when there were busy, stressful or tough times for some or maybe all of us, we always had each others backs.

Can you tell us about your current work?

I now work at a start-up called forloop.ai which develops a data sourcing, cleaning and preparation tool for external data, based on AI and ML methodologies. I joined as a grant writer/project manager where my main focus was to source and compile non-equity funding applications.

Since then my role has expanded to include business development where I scope out markets to focus on and build a client base. I enjoy this role as it incorporates existing strengths of mine as well as allowing me to develop new skills and grow my experience in business. The nature of the role and work also means I need to have a good understanding of the business as a whole.

What is your advice for other talents?

Don't be too in your head and don't be shy. It can be daunting going out to meet new people, pitch an idea or feel inexperienced amongst veterans. The best thing to do though is to just go for it. An idea cannot grow if you just keep thinking about it but do nothing, and you cannot solve all the problems you will face before you start.

Something I’m unreasonably passionate about?

I would argue that I am not 'unreasonably' passionate about anything, just justifiably passionate about many things! Maybe that's the just the scientist in me speaking though. Beyond science I love food, travel, music, comedy, poker, gardening and shamelessly the Eurovision song contest. Having nothing to do is not a feeling I am familiar with and there is always something I am doing, need to do or want to do.