High-Impact Entrepreneurship

From September 29 to October 1, Endeavor hosted its 36th International Selection Panel (ISP) in Pebble Beach, California, welcoming 23 new High-Impact Entrepreneurs (representing 13 firms) from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Jordan, Mexico and Turkey. Endeavor now supports 540 High-Impact Entrepreneurs from 349 companies.

TechCrunch reporter Sarah Lacy, who attended the event, published this commentary (Oct 1).

Congratulations to the organizers and panelists at our first-ever West Coast ISP, and to the following selected entrepreneurs:

Argentina

Entrepreneurs: Andres Alterini, Mariano Elizari & Santiago Pinto Escalier
Company: Smowtion
Description: Smowtion operates an ad serving network that maximizes ROI for advertisers and publishers through innovative use of targeting and optimization technology.

Entrepreneurs: Martin Enriquez, Juan Manuel Damia & Gustavo Arjones
Company: Socialmetrix
Description: Socialmetrix provides market research solutions that monitor companies’ presence across social media and helps them improve their image, products and communications.

Brazil
Entrepreneur: Tiago Moura Mendonca
Company: ABC – Atacado Brasileiro da Construcao
Description: ABC operates a growing chain of home improvement stores in the province of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Entrepreneur: Marcos Burattini
Company: Vivere Brasil
Description: Vivere is a first-mover in providing an innovative BPO solution to the real estate loan market in Brazil, helping to make that country’s rapidly expanding mortgage market more efficient and accurate.

Chile
Entrepreneur: Dr. Pamela Chavez-Crooker
Company: Aguamarina
Description: Aguamarina is the leader in the development of biotechnology processes and services for the mining industry in Chile and abroad.

Entrepreneurs: David Assael & David Basulto
Company: Plataforma Networks/ArchDaily
Description: Plataforma Networks operates important online media platforms that connect architects and companies worldwide.

Colombia
Entrepreneurs: Pedro Tosin & Diego Diaz del Castillo
Company: Oruga
Description: Oruga is an emerging player in the Colombian animation industry.

Egypt
Entrepreneur: Ahmed Hindawi
Company: Hindawi Publishers
Description: Hindawi uses an Open Access publishing system that has made it an emerging player in worldwide scientific research and journal publishing.

Jordan
Entrepreneurs: Ramzi Halaby & Zafer Younis
Company: Modern Media
Description: Modern Media delivers comprehensive integrated marketing solutions that enable clients throughout the MENA region to use social media to stand out and connect with their target audience.

Entrepreneurs: Firas Al-Otaibi, Mohammed Asfour, & Wael Attili
Company: Think Arabia (Kharabeesh / Untitled)
Description: Think Arabia is an innovative player in developing creative Arabic animation content for new media platforms.

Mexico
Entrepreneurs: Eduardo Graniello & Felipe Labbe
Company: Intellego
Description: Intellego provides business intelligence solutions that increase clients’ revenues, cut costs and improve performance.

Turkey
Entrepreneur: Yunus Guvenen
Company: Digitouch
Description: Digitouch is creating a marketing revolution in Turkey by creating the first affiliate marketing network in that country.

Entrepreneur: Erdem Yurdanur
Company: Kokteyl
Description: Kokteyl focuses on business-to-consumer marketing projects on both mobile and web platforms.

From June 13 – 15, Endeavor Turkey held its third International Selection Panel and selected 11 new Endeavor Entrepreneurs, representing eight companies from all four participating countries at the ISP. This brings our total to 517 Entrepreneurs selected from 336 companies.

Congrats to our newest Endeavor Entrepreneurs!

Jeeran (Jordan) – A vibrant web community platform that provides the Arab world with the latest web technologies and the means to communicate and connect. Jeeran was founded by Omar Koudsi and Laith Zraikat and is now the leading online community for user-generated content in Arabic.

Mastretta (Mexico) – The first Mexican sports car company, developed by a Mexico City based transportation design company with 20 years experience in the field of specialized vehicle design and led by Carlos Mastretta.

MexQ (Mexico) – Founded by Oscar Carillo Munoz, MexQ provides quality control services for the automotive and industrial manufacturing industries.

Mutfak Sanatlari Akademisi (MSA) (Turkey) – MSA is the first private culinary school in Turkey and the only culinary school with both international and domestic accreditation, offering courses certified by the UK’s City & Guilds Agency as well as the Turkish Ministry of Education. Surprisingly, founder Mehmet Aksel is not a cook!

Previta (Mexico) – Provider of timely and effective disease prevention and management services that curb the onset and progression of poor health in Mexico. Previta was founded by brothers Dr. Morgan Guerra Gea and Christian Guerra Gea.

Rafinera (Turkey) – Didem Altinbasak Tulgan founded Turkey’s first packaged daily meal plan service, which caters to clients with special dietary needs and goals.

Socomal (Chile) – Agricultural company founded by Patricia Cuevas that cultivates, processes and sells lupin to Europe, Asia, Africa and America.

Youtholding (Turkey) – Youtholding consists of three youth-specialized agencies: The Uniclub ( Youth marketing), Egitisim (youth-development and campus recruiting), and Youth Media (digital youth marketing and market research). Youtholding was founded by Emrah Kaya who has since joined forces with Aslı Caner.

In conjunction with the ISP in Istanbul, Endeavor also hosted its first Middle East & Turkey Mentor Capital Summit, marking a rare gathering of top entrepreneurs and pioneering venture capitalists in the region. Twenty-four top investors from the Middle East, Europe, and the US joined the Summit to discuss the development of the region’s venture capital ecosystem, and to evaluate business pitches from four Endeavor Entrepreneurs graduating from the Mentor Capital Program.

Beyond providing entrepreneurs with exposure and feedback, the pitch forum succeeded in facilitating proper introductions to potential investors, several of whom expressed significant follow-up interest. The Summit closed with a private workshop for MCP graduates. The next Mentor Capital Summit will take place October 6-7 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.