Guest Speaker Panels

Fintech (Blockchain, Alternative Investments, Trading in the Future)

• Alessandro Lanteri - Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence
• Lauren Farina - Nivaura
• Danny Goh - Nexus Frontier Tech, Co-founder
• Eduard Steimle - Feral Horses, Business Developer

Professional Career Development (Growth in and around the classroom: Early-stage business minds & Preparing to Succeed in the Future)

• Melissa Mitchel - Volo (Careers, Professional Development specialists)
• Daniella Camilleri - Plum (Despite being a fin-tech company Daniella specialises in team building, community, and what it takes to succeed in business overall; Growth as entrepreneurs)
• Aga Gajownik - Innovation and Integration (building the entrepreneur)

Entertainment & Retail Technologies (Satisfying global consumer communities with Artificial Intelligence & Data)

• Hugo Lemy Rodriguez - TradeIt, Founder
• Giada Puntin - Global SEO Assistant (Burberry)
• Raghava Manglik – Plentific

Social Enterprise (Impactful Business, Empowering Entrepreneurs)

• Paul Coyle - Entrepreneurial Mindset Network, Founder
• Lorenzo Santos - Titan energy
• Edoardo Achenza - Solalyte
• Jean-Charles Seghers - The Climate Change Group

General Speakers

• Hanny Semere - Enpov
• Adina Tarry - Author, AI
• Alexandra Welch - Harvester City, Founder

Alumni

• Lorenzo Santos - Titan energy
• Edoardo Achenza - Solalyte
• Hugo Lemy Rodriguez - TradeIt, Founder
• Eduard Steimle - Feral Horses, Business Developer

Corporate Leaders

• Ben Dyer - National Enterprise Challenge, Founder
• Paul Coyle - Entrepreneurial Mindset Network, Founder
• Melissa Mitchel – Volo (Careers, Professional Development specialists)
• Vic Arulchandran & Lauren Farina – Nivaura
• Craig Welch - Bloomberg

Fireside Chats

• Paul Dinulescu – Silicon Roundabout
• Aga Gajownik - Innovation & Integration
• Antonio Ricciardi - Product-market fit

Workshops

Chris Howard - Startup Surgery

Paul Dinulescu - Sillicon Roundabout

Alexey Gutin - Synergy Startups

Alessandro Lanteri - Artificial Intelligence

Giada Puntin - SEO Optimisation by Burberry

Jean-Charles Seghers - The Climate Change Group: Accelerating Sustainability in your Startup

Jolly Ndikumana - Fintech and the Future of Investments by Barclays

Tatiane Rodrigues & Carlos - Graphic Design

Michael Crickmore - EY (stretegic investments)

Competition

Judges

Eva Rez, Episode 1 Ventures

Melissa Mitchel, Volo

Paul Dinulescu, Silicon Roundabout

Mentors

Gloria Walker

Theocaris Papadopolous

Georgio Georgiades

Wahyd Vannoni

Daniel Rukare

Tasos Kostrivas

Montse Ventosa

Kashani Wijetunga

Workshops

Startup Surgery by Chris Howard

• Want to have a quick fix? Startups surgeon Chris Howard is here to help. This is your chance to find solutions for the most pressing challenges in your startup. By successfully launching 4 businesses, one of them exiting with an IPO, Chris acquired the necessary skills and experiences to move your team to the next level. Surgeries run on Sunday between 11am - 4pm with 20min slots for each operation. Don’t miss out and reserve your spot early through our Swapcard app.

Paul Dinulescu - Silicon Roundabout

• How to take an idea and develop the first wireframes for the product, and do the very first working prototype without coding. Talk about UI/UX design patterns, free tools for you to use, idea iteration A/B testing, and proof of concept. Paul Dinulescu runs an intensive boot camp that runs you through the practical essentials as you start your business. Work with entrepreneurial mega-star The Silicon Roundabout, a platform that puts young businesses at the front of the London tech scene, wants to on-board Vertex participants into their community.

Alexey Gutin - Synergy Startups 

• Synergy Startups is a legal specialist who connects investors from outside of the UK with early-stage businesses in London. Alexey Gutin wants to educate our international community about the options young entrepreneurs have when it comes to establishing a business in the United Kingdom. Synergy Startups specialises in connecting foreign investors with growing business under entrepreneur visa programs. There is a pool of people outside of the country waiting for your idea to invest. Don’t miss out.

Alessandro Lanteri - Artificial Intelligence

• Alessandro is a leading professor of entrepreneurship with experience in teaching about business ethics, artificial intelligence, and blockchain. He speaks on prestigious stages including Hult, Ashridge Executive Education, Knowledge Group, Grenoble Graduate School of Business, Abu Dhabi University, ESCP, and TedX. Professor Alessandro consults on a number of projects for multinationals including Ford Motors, UBS, and Unilever while serving governments through the UN International Labour Organization, the World Health Organization, and the UAE Prime Minister’s Office along with the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and an advisory role at the World Economic Forum. A chance to learn about the integration of AI in the world’s leading industrial solutions, and how your business of the future can harness this development to make impactful change.

Giada Puntin - SEO Optimisation by Burberry

Jean-Charles Seghers - The Climate Change Group: Accelerating Sustainability in your Startup

Jolly Ndikumana - Fintech and the Future of Investments by Barclays

Tatiane Rodrigues & Carlos - Graphic Design

Competition

Judges

Eva Rez, Episode 1 Ventures

• A specialist in venture capital… Eva is an investor at Episode 1 ventures, and is an active member of the Tech London Advocates group. She has several years of strategic experience serving on boards in the disruptive technologies space. A team who Eva advised secured EUR 15m with her support in 2017, and at her previous firm she managed EUR 6m in private funds. She’s a graduate of Hult’s MBA program, holds a master in finance from Corvinus University of Budapest, and additional certificates in startups financing. During her time at Hult Eva won the much revered Hult Business Challenge, in agency for Mercedes-Benz, and has since gone on to win Female Role Model of the Year at the Central European Startup Awards.

Melissa Mitchel, Volo

• Motivated by innovation in career development, Melissa founded Volo as a platform for students to track their volunteering experiences credibly and apply for placements with trusted social businesses around the UK. Resume building requires utmost professionalism and Melissa has a keen eye for it. She is a master in corporate entrepreneurship. has led the business development team at Bloomberg, and has coached students in several disciplines including careers in finance and management consulting projects. Her network spans students and graduates from London’s top institutions and corporates ranging from SMEs to market leaders.

Paul Dinulescu, Silicon Roundabout

• An innovator with a knack for early stage business, Paul is the founder of London’s go-to tech hub – the Silicon Roundabout. With the ambition of developing the Angel List of Europe, Paul’s platform sees 15,000 startups battle it out to pitch through his series of meetups to investors and other movers of industry who can grow startups and help successful ventures to scale. 

Mentors

Gloria Walker

• Gloria Walker is a communications consultant and researcher, based in London, England. She has held positions in the U.S. and in Europe in corporate communications, internal communications, public relations and public affairs, both in-house and in consultancies. She has also taught in undergraduate and graduate programs in the U.S., the U.K. and Thailand. Gloria is a specialist in strategic planning and communications, managing her own consultancy while holding 2 lecturing positions at the London College of Communication and Hult. She has been hailed by her previous associates for excellence in business development, as well as in coaching and mentorship. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriawalkerabc/ 

Theocharis Papadopoulos

• Theocharis Papadopoulos is a Professor of Economics at Hult International Business School. He also currently teaches several management courses in the BBA program such as Hospitality & Tourism, Operations, and Project Management. He has taught numerous postgraduate and undergraduate courses in British Institutions at Greece (Anglia Ruskin University, University of Huddersfield, University of Wales) and in 2011-12 served as an executive associate for the Greek Prime Minister. Since moving to the UK Theocharis worked for University of Cambridge, Glyndwr University and London School of Business and Finance. He is also a Visiting Lecturer for University of Westminster and 3 additional University Programs. Theocharis has won Hult’s Most Innovative Professor of the Year award and inspires students to design business ideas with effective processes. https://www.linkedin.com/in/theocharispapadopoulos/ 

Georgio Georgiades

• Dr Georgio has taught various subjects such as Strategy, Leadership, Entrepreneurship at the University of Wales, the Australian Institute of Business, and Hult. He specializes in Research Methods, supervising both undergraduate theses and MBA students as they conduct independent research. He currently teaches Introduction to Business and Business Ethics. He holds a PhD in Management and is sought out by many for his advice across many disciplines. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-georgio-georgiades-6994453a/ 

Wahyd Vannoni

• Professor Wahyd holds an MBA from Boston University. He has more than 15 years of international experience in media, corporate communications, digital marketing, and social media. The Professor began his career at CNN International's Business-Today show, and today runs a major network of media consultancies, further appearing as a columnist at PBS News Hour. Dr Wahyd’s current clients include a USD4 billion market-cap company as well as the Italian energy regulator. In 2005, he was also Elected Member of the Board at the American Chamber of Commerce in Croatia. https://www.linkedin.com/in/vannoni/ 

Daniel Rukare

• Daniel is a Professor of Entrepreneurship at Hult International Business School, lecturer at Oxford Cherwell Valley College-Oxford Brookes University, and a business Lecturer at Swansea Metropolitan University. His commercial experience has seen him work at: FedEx and DHL, and he is an entrepreneur who runs two private businesses in consulting and ranching. He is the Discipline Lead for Hult’s Undergraduate entrepreneurship program, manages the Hult Founders Lab closely with students, and has been a favourite mentor to young entrepreneurs at the institution since 2013. Some awards of his include most innovative professor (2018), Professor of the Year in Entrepreneurship (2016, 2017 & 2018), and the Most Inspirational Professor (2015 & 2016). With such positive feedback from those who are coached by him, he has consistently ranked in the top 0.5% of reviews by students at Hult. https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-rukare-36323399/ 

Tasos Kostrivas

• Tasos is an Ashridge Executive Education MBA program graduate with a strong understanding of technology. A career engineer, Tasos now has a Chief role at an offshore oil & energy business solutions provider with a demonstrated history of helping the energy industry. He is driven by creating and delivering value, and is looking to deliver his technicality to The Vertex. Expertise focuses on systems designs and assessment, selection, and operations with significant presence in the energy sector. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tasoskostrivas/detail/photo/ 

Montse Ventosa

• Montse, Ventosa, mentoring you to increase your Change-Ability™. According to Inc.com, your mentor should show ability to be:  communicative, able to listen, be diplomatic and honest, show objectivity and fairness, and demonstrate compassion/genuineness. Whether we collaborate or not, use these as a guide, but listen to your whisper. Montse says that none of these will make the slightest difference unless your mentor supports you to grow your Change-ability™. To grow your ability to effect change in the world, using your unique mix of knowledge and personality. Montse is an award-winning thinker, born in Barcelona, based in London, she has been a national athlete, part of the explosive growth of Inditex Zara, Managing Director of Great Place to Work Spain, she is a thought leader in Diversity, and founder of GROOOOOW.COM

Kashani Wijetunga

• Kashani Wijetunga brings over 15 years of Management and Project Leadership in commercial real estate with a global vision and tireless curiosity.  She is a qualified architect and has extensive experience in commercial property development across the UK and Middle Eastern markets.  She is currently completing an Executive Masters in Business at Hult International Business School, London with a focus on Lean Project Management, Disruptive Business Models and Innovation. She is a highly effective change agent, coach and mentor, and brings with her a high level of reliability with an integrated, collaborative approach that bridges commercial disciplines and personal mind-sets

Alessandro Cerrone

• Worked several years in strategy consulting both in Italy and in the UK, with focus on M&A and Private Equity. More recently, worked as a Portfolio Manager for a London based fintech accelerator and in the investment team of a seed VC fund. Currently advising and investing in early stage businesses and mentoring founders at a number of London-based accelerators. Passionate about technology and startups. My favourite sectors are Fintech, Applied AI, SaaS, Marketplaces