High-Impact Entrepreneurship

Endeavor selected 17 High-Impact Entrepreneurs from 11 companies from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Greece, Mexico, South Africa and Uruguay at its 48th International Selection Panel. Endeavor now supports 801 High-Impact Entrepreneurs from 500 companies in 15 emerging and growth market countries. The entrepreneurs were chosen at a panel held from May 6-8 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“It’s exciting to have so many new companies join the Endeavor community,” said Endeavor Co-founder and CEO Linda Rottenberg. “And it’s very special to have an ISP held in the birthplace of Endeavor, where some of our greatest entrepreneurs have come from!”

The International Selection Panel (ISP) is the culmination of a rigorous multi-step selection process. At the ISP, top local and international business leaders interview candidates about their businesses and high-impact potential, and then vote on whether or not candidates become Endeavor Entrepreneurs. Post-selection, Endeavor provides entrepreneurs with customized services, including introductions to local and international business mentors and volunteers from Fortune 500 consulting firms. Endeavor Entrepreneurs have had a significant track record of creating thousands of jobs and building sustainable growth models in their home countries.

Endeavor will host three additional International Selection Panels this year: Johannesburg, August 2013; Palo Alto, CA, October 2013 and Dubai, UAE, December 2013.

Brief descriptions of the selected entrepreneurs and companies follow:

Argentina

Entreprenuer: Ariel Gesto

Company: InvGate (www.invgate.com)

Description: InvGate develops software for IT infrastructure management that allows medium-to-large enterprises to configure, monitor and manage all of their IT assets remotely, as well as centralize IT help requests. By incorporating the latest trends in Web 2.0, gamification and social networking, InvGate is able to deliver an innovative and user-friendly interface.

Entrepreneurs: Luis Robbio, Alejandro Robbio, Federico Robbio

Company: Belatrix Software SA (www.belatrixsf.com)

Description: Belatrix provides software innovation and quality assurance services to firms across multiple industries in North America and Europe. Belatrix is engaged by customers to co-innovate with them, ideate, design, and develop custom software products and to ensure that existing software products perform as expected. Belatrix hopes to lead the trend as IT outsourcing moves away from India: the company has operations in Argentina, Peru, and the US.

Brazil

Entrepreneur: Darci Schneid

Company: Sirtec (www.sirtec.com.br)

Description: SIRTEC builds and maintains electrical networks for power utilities in Brazil, ensuring that the electrical providers meet key performance indicators related to frequency and duration of energy disruptions. With 900 employees, SIRTEC currently services three large utilities in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), providing third party implementation, repair, and transmission services

Entrepreneur: Jamie de Paula

Company: Neoway (www.neoway.com.br)

Description: Neoway’s proprietary Market Intelligence Software (SIM) accesses and analyzes large, publicly available databases in Brazil, aggregating the relevant information for customers to generate business leads. Neoway’s software can isolate information across a variety of key market factors with intuitive data visualization outputs. Currently, Neoway’s core client base spans the healthcare, construction and oil and gas sectors.

Chile

Entrepreneur: Pablo Godoy

Company: Inzpiral (www.inzpiral.com)

Description: Inzpiral is a BI software solution company consisting of three product platforms, each compiling, consolidating and analyzing large data sets for the optimization of pricing and distribution strategies. Inzpiral’s solutions primarily apply to the Retail/CPG market, however, Pablo has also proven his platform’s value to mining and telecommunications customers. Operating solely in Chile, Inzpiral is set to expand to Peru in 2014 and has managed to maintain a 100% client retention rate with some of Chile’s largest retail and CPG companies.

Colombia

Entrepreneurs: Juan José Mesa, Andrés Angel

Company: Glüky Group (www.gluky.co)

Description: Glüky provides corporations with the technology, strategy, and operational capacity to design and implement incentives programs for employees, sales channel partners, and clients. Its new cloud-based platform, the Glüky Network, harnesses the power of social networking features to provide clients with a robust platform to recognize, reward, and effectively motivate their employees and partners.

Greece

Entrepreneur: Christos Papadimitriou

Company: Papadimitriou (www.papadim.com)

Description: Papadimitriou is a family business founded in 1939 in Kalamata to export currants from the Pelopponese region of Greece. In the late 1990′s, Papadimitriou transformed to become a producer of all-natural balsamic vinegars and mustards in unique Mediterranean flavors, all derived from currants. Today it sells these value-added products in major supermarkets in Greece, where it is the balsamic vinegar market leader, as well as in 28 export markets.

Mexico

Entrepreneur: Juan Carlos Guerra

Company: Eco-Klin (www.ek.com.mx)

Description: Eco-Klin offers Mexican auto shops nationwide an integrated, environmentally friendly solution for their waste management needs. This consists of auto parts washing machine service, used oil collection, and hazardous waste collection. Clients receive credits for each liter of used oil collected, which can be used to defray the cost of the other services. Eco-Klin then sells the collected oil to re-refineries at a significant profit.

Entrepreneurs: Alejandro Cuervo, Arturo Macip

Company: IPETH (www.ipeth.edu.mx)

Description: IPETH, a new university based in Puebla, Mexico, offers bachelors degrees in physical therapy and primarily targets low-income students who would not normally enroll in a four-year degree program. The university focuses on providing world class instruction and solid employment opportunities for alumni. IPETH is now expanding with a new campus in Mexico City and new undegraduate and post-graduate degree programs, and plans to rapidly scale its enrollments over the next few years.

South Africa

Entrepreneurs: Dennis Marketos, Paul Marketos

Company: Metrix Software Solutions (www.isometrix.com/index.php)

Description: In a global regulatory environment that is becoming increasingly standardized and stringent across industries, companies are at risk of irresponsible corporate practices and violating industry requirements for which they can be heavily fined. Metrix Software Solutions offers evaluation tools that review governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) status in real-time and display it for company personnel in a user-friendly, fully-customizable dashboard. Metrix first launched its proprietary GRC software product, IsoMetrix, in the mining sector in South Africa, and has since expanded across industries and geographies.

Uruguay

Entrepreneurs: Sergio Fogel, Andrés Bzurovski

Company: AstroPay (www.astropay.com)

Description: AstroPay enables international ecommerce websites to accept local payments from Latin America. Through its innovative platform, AstroPay addresses the three fundamental problems facing the Latin American e-commerce consumer: it provides a payment method for those without an international credit card, protects against phishing and identity theft, and prevents purchases from being rejected because of the merchant company’s regulations.

Endeavor is excited to announce the first group of confirmed speakers for the 2013 edition of our biennial Endeavor Entrepreneur Summit, to be hosted in San Francisco from June 19-21. Building on the success of the 2011 Endeavor Entrepreneur Summit, which drew 450+ participants – including 170 Endeavor Entrepreneurs and 90+ expert speakers – Endeavor expects this year’s event to be the largest and most dynamic Summit in its history.

The all-star line-up includes:

• Jack Dorsey, Co-founder & Chairman, Twitter; Co-Founder & CEO, Square.

• Ben Horowitz, Co-founder & General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz. Voted VC of the Year in 2011, Horowitz is widely considered one of the leading serial entrepreneurs turned investors in Silicon Valley.

• eBay President & CEO John Donahoe. In 2012, Donahoe oversaw eBay in enabling $175 billion of commerce in 2012 (roughly 18% of all e-commerce worldwide).

• SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg, who has raised over $450 million in equity financing for the world’s largest survey company.

Other notable confirmed speakers include company culture guru Jenn Lim (Zappos, Delivering Happiness); tech entrepreneur and sustainable food & agriculture angel investor Ali Partovi (Code.org, invested in Farmigo and Bright Farms); Cowboy Ventures founder and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byer partner Aileen Lee (also a former exec at the Gap, Odwalla and NorthFace); former Google exec and U.S. Navy officer Roy Gilbert; and Mitch Free, founder of MFG.com, the leading online marketplace for manufacturing products.

Attendees can also expect:

• Exclusive “fireside chats” with long-time Endeavor supporters Wences Casares, Chris Schroeder, Gina Bianchini, John McIntire, and Andres Moreno of Open English

• Small-group “hot topic” sessions with Endeavor Global Board Member Nick Beim; Amazon.com SVP International Diego Piacentini (a smash hit in his session at the 2011 Summit); Y Combinator Partner Geoff Ralston and a dozen others

• In-depth workshops led by SAP’s design thinking team; Patrick van der Pijl, CEO of Business Models, Inc and producer of Business Model Generation; and the team behind “Delivering Happiness”

Select Endeavor Entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to join 20+ of Silicon Valley’s leading venture capital investors during a June 19th gathering of the Endeavor Investor Network (scheduled to take place just before the Summit kicks off). To register, click here.

Summit early bird prices for Endeavor Entrepreneurs and Endeavor network members run through Tuesday, April 30th. Over 100 Endeavor Entrepreneurs have already registered – don’t miss out! Register today!

Endeavor selected 18 High-Impact Entrepreneurs from Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Lebanon, Mexico, Turkey and Saudi Arabia at its 47th International Selection Panel. Endeavor now supports 784 High-Impact Entrepreneurs from 489 companies in 14 emerging market countries. The entrepreneurs were chosen at a panel held from March 11-13 in Athens, Greece.

“It’s very exciting to have so many new companies join the Endeavor community,” said Endeavor Co-founder and CEO Linda Rottenberg. “And I’m particularly pleased that the selection panel took place in Greece, where, amidst much economic chaos, we launched an office in September. I often say that when economies turn down, entrepreneurs look up!”

The International Selection Panel (ISP) is the culmination of a rigorous multi-step selection process. At the ISP, top local and international business leaders interview candidates about their businesses and high-impact potential, and then vote on whether or not candidates become Endeavor Entrepreneurs. Post-selection, Endeavor provides entrepreneurs with customized services, including introductions to local and international business mentors and volunteers from Fortune 500 consulting firms. Endeavor Entrepreneurs have had a significant track record of creating thousands of jobs and building sustainable growth models in their home countries.

Endeavor’s next International Selection Panel will be held in Buenos Aires this May.

Entrepreneur(s)/Companies selected:

Egypt

Entrepreneurs: Gamal El Din Sadek, Mohamed Rafea

Company: Bey2ollak (www.bey2ollak.com/desktop.html)

Bey2ollak aims to help individuals in congested cities like Cairo avoid traffic, ultimately improving people’s quality of life by saving them time and money. As a simple, user-generated traffic tracking system, Bey2ollak’s cross-platform mobile application helps users find the fastest and safest routes.

Greece

Entrepreneur: George Patsis

Company: Obrela (www.obrela.com/home/)

Obrela is an IT security outsourcing company that offers comprehensive “security as a service” packages to enterprise clients and SMEs. Clients are able to buy the packages that match their needs–anything from a single software license to a fully-integrated suite of outsourced services–and Obrela will step in to optimize almost any IT security environment.

Entrepreneurs: Kerstin Trikalitis, Daphne Loukas

Company: Out There Media (www.out-there-media.com)

Out There Media (OTM) offers advertisers and mobile operators the technology and know-how to execute efficient and highly targeted advertising campaigns on mobile phones. OTM’s mobile advertising development and sales unit offers brands convenient and specialized end-to-end solutions for generating ads best suited to mobile and brands’ core audiences. The company’s Mobucks platform connects operators, publishers, brands and their agencies to distribute targeted ads across mobile channels to end users.

Indonesia

Entrepreneur: Sugianto Tandio

Company: Tirta Marta (www.tirtamarta.com)

Tirta Marta was established in 1971 as a pioneer in flexible packaging material.  In 2010, Tirta Marta launched two groundbreaking eco-friendly technologies: OXIUM® (a natural additive to plastic that ensures rapid degradation) and ECOPLAS® (a biodegradable plastic polymer made from tapioca). Through these products, Sugianto hopes to provide a long-term answer to the problem of waste accumulation and pollution. Today, over 90% of Indonesian modern markets and convenience stores exclusively stock OXIUM® plastic shopping bags.

Lebanon

Entrepreneur: Omar Onsi

Company: Nymgo (www.nymgo.com)

Nymgo is making the world smaller by connecting under-privileged immigrants with their families back home. Nymgo’s Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) software offers immigrant communities a low-cost and high-quality solution for calling landlines and mobile phones in regions where Internet and broadband infrastructure remain scarce. Nymgo’s VoIP calls are a fraction of the cost of its competitors. The product can be downloaded onto computers, mobile phones and tablets and offers a very simple design to make cheap calls to landlines and mobile phones around the world.

Mexico

Entrepreneurs: Claudio del Conde, Claudia de Heredia, Paul Marquard

Company: Kichink! (www.kichink.com)

Kichink! is an ecommerce solution that is designed and built to be as simple, intelligent, personal and safe as possible to allow anyone to start selling in minutes, without upfront investment.

Entrepreneur: José Luis Cisneros

Company: La Zarza (www.lazarza.com.mx/directorio.php)

La Zarza makes classic Mexican desserts and pastries from the highest-quality ingredients and distributes them across Mexican states through 61 proprietary and franchise stores. The company is planning an aggressive expansion of both its geographic reach and its portfolio dessert options.

Entrepreneurs: Manuel Villarreal, Jorge Bouffier

Company: Sin Secretos (www.frutosdevida.com, www.holasmoothie.com)

Sin Secretos produces 100% natural and preservative-free fruit juices and smoothies under brands Frutos de Vida (Fruits of Life), Frutos de Vida for Kids, and HOLA Smoothie. The juices are available on the shelves of most major Mexican supermarkets and price clubs, and will soon be at convenience stores. The company emphasizes the positive nutritional benefits of its products for adults and children alike.

Entrepreneur: Manolo Diaz

Company: Yogome (www.yogome.co)

Yogome develops educational tablet and mobile games to help kids ages 4 -10 learn in a fun way through technology. The multi-lingual games are among the top 10 in the Apple App Store’s education category, are developed by pedagogical experts, and cover a range of school subjects taught by engaging “Yogotar” characters. The company aspires to become a global kids’ brand.


Saudi Arabia

Entrepreneurs: Abdulmohsin Alrabiah

Company: Shawarmer (www.shawarmer.com)

Shawarmer has transformed the way Saudis think about and eat shawarma, the most popular Arabic sandwich. This chain of fast-casual restaurants, with 28 locations throughout Saudi Arabia, is devoted to serving shawarma and other Arab foods, freshly prepared with high-quality ingredients and served with Arab hospitality.

Entrepreneur: Naif Alqahtani

Company: LSS (www.lss.com.sa/)

Logistics Solution Services (LSS) is a leading logistics provider in Saudi Arabia offering storage, distribution, and supply chain management services. LSS operates state-of-the-art warehouse technology and has achieved international logistics standards. LSS prides itself in serving some of the most significant clients in the region, including Halliburton, DB Schenker, and Saudi Aramco.

Turkey

Entrepreneur: Murat Özler


Company: KobiMaster (www.kobimaster.com)

KobiMaster provides small and medium businesses with an integrated software and services solutions to build and manage their ecommerce presence. The company also aims to fulfill various integration solution demands such as supplier integration, inventory management, accounting, and user traffic integration solutions.

Entrepreneur: Kaan Aykaç


Company: Gezlong (www.gezlong.com)

Gezlong’s localized hotel bookings platform – the first of its kind for Turkish travelers-has disrupted the largely untapped online travel and hotel accommodation market in Turkey. Gezlong offers travelers flash deals as well as season-long sales to premium and boutique hotels in Turkey and across Europe.