Round-Up Talk on Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship

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Five experts, five questions

In this multi-part interview, five international experts from academia and practice report on how they deal with the topic of social innovation and entrepreneurship in very different ways around the world. They share their insights and experiences from their personal commitment to a more livable future.

As part of our roundup talk, the experts answer a key question on social innovation and entrepreneurship every week. They discuss how social innovations are defined and which current challenges they address. The concept of social entrepreneurship, which combines entrepreneurial approaches and impact orientation, will also be discussed. The experts will also provide practical tips for all future founders who want to turn their ideas into viable business concepts.

Immerse yourself in the inspiring perspectives and experiences of our social entrepreneurs in our roundup talk and be inspired to take action yourself!

Our experts

Magdalena Parcheva

Magdalena Parcheva holds a PhD in Administration and Management. Currently, she is Head of the Social, Economic and Legal Sciences section at the Research Institute, Technical University of Varna, Bulgaria and part-time Assistant Professor at the Management and Administration Department, University of Economics of Varna, Bulgaria. She has experience as a lecturer in management and entrepreneurship and as an expert in project management. Magdalena has participated in the management teams of five EU-funded projects and is project manager of two international projects. She is a national expert consultant to the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works for awarding a European label for innovations and good governance at local level. Also, she is the author of 52 academic publications. Her research interests lie in the fields of:entrepreneurship, corporate entrepreneurship, social innovation, and wworkplace innovations. She is alumna of the Roman Herzog Research Fellowship of the and a member of the following professional organizations: Union of Scientists of Varna, Bulgaria, Economic Sciences Section and Humboldt Union in Bulgaria, Social Sciences and Humanities.

To Magdalena Parcheva's community profile Magdalena Parcheva on Research Gate

Evans Quartey Hammond

Evans Quartey Hammond is a alumnus and an energetic and enthusiastic energy engineer from Ghana. He has a bachelor's degree in Renewable Energy from the University of Energy and Natural Resources, as well as a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering (Energy and Power Technology option) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is the CEO of Ecox Energy Consult, a Ghanaian start-up that specialises in solar system design, installation, and maintenance, HVAC design, bio-briquette production from agricultural waste, biogas digester design and construction, energy efficiency projects, and the promotion of green hydrogen development projects. The company is open to collaboration and all forms of financial assistance.

To Evans Quartey Hammond's community profile Evans Quartey Hammond on LinkedIn

Tamara Ferreira Schmidt

Tamara Ferreira Schmidt is a Brazilian physicist specializing in Financial Engineering, Capital Markets and Derivatives. She has over 15 years of experience in investments and product structuring in traditional and disruptive markets. As a consultant and creator of personalized content about investments, startups, innovation, digital currencies and blockchain, Tamara has already lectured at São Paulo Tech Week, Tech Week FATEC, Trevisan Business School, Brazil-Germany Fintech eTour, , among other events. In 2020, Tamara was granted the from the . She had the opportunity to investigate for 17 months the impacts of alternative financing and policy instruments on the Brazilian and German early-stage entrepreneurial ecosystems in partnership with the German Crowdfunding Association. Tamara is a mentor in entrepreneurship and startup areas at the Women’s Global Mentoring Program, which supports women in the STEM industry at all levels. In March 2022, she was selected as a female blockchain talent to participate in the DLT Talents Program from the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. Tamara can be reached via and her .

To Tamara Ferreira Schmidt's community profile Tamara Ferreira Schmidt on LinkedIn

Ingo Steffgen

Ingo Steffgen has accumulated over 20 years of professional experience – as an academic, entrepreneur, and business whizz alike. He studied computer science and holds two international postgraduate degrees – a Master's degree in Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA). He is a Social Entrepreneur, Coach, and Mentor as well as Certified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist. He describes his life's work-in-progress blueprint being about integrating professional and personal lives. Ingo is a semi-part-time digital nomad and has been moving countries at least twice a year since 2007. In 2011, after 14 years in the corporate world, he moved from for-profit to impact-first sector. In his mind, self-employment is for everyone and enables people to stay in control of their lifes.

To Ingo Steffgen's community profile Ingo Steffgen on LinkedIn

Raju Gurung

Raju is currently a venture advisor, entrepreneur and consultant working at the intersection of technology, globalisation, biology and sustainability. He first got into entrepreneurship at the age of 17, shipping arts and crafts from Nepal to Asia pacific markets. He has been through typical start-up stages, made mistakes and continues learning. Currently, he runs two social-impact start-ups – IKIGAAI and PlanetLocal – to empower small independent artisans and women in the developing world. He also runs 10x innovators – a consulting unit dedicated to helping aspiring start-ups, entrepreneurs and corporations to build new ventures. He supports them in customer development, entering new markets, finding product-market fit, exceeding customer expectations, reducing organisational complexity and building solid systems to drive impactful innovation and resilient futures.

Over the last six years he has been actively involved in the European start-up eco-system to help entrepreneurs realising their ikigai – their reason to wake up in the morning. He organised start-up weekend events in Denmark, has served on the jury at numerous events, including iGEM x Y Combinator-hosted competitions, and been part of Founders of Tomorrow. Most importantly he has personally coached over 60 start-ups around the world through his engagement at Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship (CSE), TH.O Hackathons, Venture Cup, Global Innovation Catalyst, among many others. He is sector and region agnostic, and he supports start-ups and ventures across all verticals and stages. When he is not working, you'll find him stretching and meditating, exploring new places, and engaging in photography.

To Raju Gurung's community profile Raju Gurung on LinkedIn