Introducing The Second 5 Women BIPoC Founders From Our Video List…
In our article from last week, we already introduced the work of 5 women BIPoC founders from different regions in the world. Today, based on our second women BIPoC founders portrait video, we will introduce the work and missions of five more founders. If you are interested to find out more about BIPoC founders in Europe – and organizations which support them – then you may, among others, also want to check out the work of Startups Eurolatinas, the Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (REDI), the Business Association for Latin America (LAV), the German-African Business Association (‘Afrika-Verein der deutschen Wirtschaft’), the Sub-Saharan Africa Initiative of German Business (SAFRI) and many more! For now, find the portraits below!
- Ivelyse Andino
As you may know from our second video portrait of women BIPoC founders, Ivelyse Andino is the Latinx founder of Radical Health, the New York-based AI and healthtech start-up, which seeks to facilitate dialogue about a variety of health topics and questions through a roundtable format, which might particularly speak to indigenous founders. As Ivelsye Andino emphasizes on the website of Radical Health, “we are people not just patients”. Especially because access to healthcare in the US constitutes a fundamental issue for ethnic minorities with racial discrimination drawing itself through this system as well, Radical Health seeks to also promote a mind shift through its initiative. By sitting down on a table and actively taking time to connect doctors, nurses and patients/people with one another, the time which is normally not invested in minority groups is practically ‘reclaimed’. This is not to say that Radical Health’s work makes up for systemic errors – which urgently have to be erased and replaced – however, Radical Health addresses the very challenge, which lies ahead.
- Adriana Vazquez
As indicated earlier in our video portrait, Adriana Vasquez is the founder of Lilu, a breastfeeding technology start-up, which seeks to comfort new moms including while transitioning back from maternity leave. As Adriana Vasquez reminds on her website ‘Wear Lilu’, breastfeeding is hard – it requires time and energy alongside additional efforts such as breast massage, which can make it possible to “pump 30-50% more milk per session”. What Lilu’s hands-free pumping bra does, is exactly that. It offers a massage aiming to save valuable time and energy. Massaging both breasts at the same time, its ergonomic structure has been designed for the ultimate comfort of new mothers. Approved by magazines such as mothering, sheknows and medgadget for changing women’s lives and “alleviating clogged ducts”, the bra is available in various sizes. If you are curious to give it a try, then you might also benefit from the tips on Lilu’s blog on breast health.
- Sarah Sparks
As you may know, Sarah Sparks is the founder of the Indigenous Professional Association of Canada (IPAC), a Toronto-based start-up that seeks to boost the careers of First Nations, Metis and Inuit professionals. Seeking to “advance indigenous leadership in the private, public and social sectors”, the IPAC offers a huge network of programs and services that include sponsorship, an Indigenous Achievement Award, an IPAC Sharing Cycle and Pathways To Success programme, and – finally, a Sharing Excellence initiative. In other words, the IPAC works actively towards the representation of indigenous professionals as well as the upward trajectory of their careers. Thereby, mentoring constitutes a central element of the IPAC’s strategy, which underlines that each and every professional – needs targeted support – thanks to the systemic errors in our societies.
- Tebogo Mokwena
From our video you may have gotten aware about the work of Tebogo Mokwena, co-founder of Akiba Digital, a Johannesburg-based fintech start-up, which seeks to “build an alternative credit scoring infrastructure that connects credit providers to small businesses”, unlocking financial opportunities by relying on alternative data. Enabling lenders, banks, fintech companies and retailers to both – quickly extend credit and by now and pay later (BNPL) – Akiba Digital offers financial solutions for “under-served customers”, whereby their single-API platforms enables clients to gain insights about borrowers and their behaviours. Indeed, verifying borrowers and generating automated credit decisioning belong to Akiba Digital’s mission. Working towards the digitization of credit borrowing and lending, Akiba Digital’s tools and technologies offer selfie ID verifications, risk scoring and default prediction. Who knows, maybe you want to inquire more information from Tebogo Mokwena herself?
- Jeniffer Mulinde Schmid
Jeniffer Mulinde Schmid is not only a founder, but also the owner of the Swiss-inspired restaurant ‘Schwarze Heidi’ – which serves culinary art, ranging from ‘Schwapas’, Toblerone mousse and truffle cheese fondue to hungry customers. Having received a four-star-ranking on Tripadvisor, customers overall value the food and customer service alike. As one particular customer writes, “it was really Swiss food, friendly people [and a] kind owner with many jokes”. Being located in a quiet location, Jeniffer Mulinde Schmid’s restaurant might offer a break from Berlin’s city life right in the middle of it, close to Oranienstraße. Whereas ‘Schwarze Heidi’ may not particularly serve cheap and fast food, it might hence be a retreat for the patient Swiss-cuisine aficionados.
Centurion Plus
If you are a BIPoC*-led start-up or a SME who aims to support diversity and non-discrimination in Germany, then our team will gladly support you on the legal side. We are not only specialized across various African jurisdictions, but also in supporting businesses between Germany and Africa in a variety of legal domains. Our support starts with providing help on immigration and relocation matters, but it does not stop there – taxes, tech, intellectual property…You heard us! Find out more about potential synergies today by pitching us your business or expansion idea/plan! We cannot wait to hear from you…
