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Future of Business - the FinTech world leaders will meet at the summer edition of Webit on 28 June 2023 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Save the date and join the multi stakeholder network! Some of the trends which will drive the FinTech development and shape the competitive landscape of finance over the next decade as mentioned in a McKinsey analysis are:

• (a) AI will drive massive value creation,
• (b) Blockchain will disrupt established financial protocols,
• (c) Cloud computing will liberate financial services players,
• (d) IoT will drive a new era of trust in finance,
• (e) Open source, SaaS and serverless will lower barriers to entry.

It is expected by the financial institutions - banks, insurers, payment providers, etc. - to bring considerable resources to stay on top of the gathering wave of financial industry disruption. Transactions - the essence of the financial system - have been revolutionized by a variety of FinTech solutions. The transactions have become faster, cheaper, and more secure, enabling customers to conduct business across borders easily. Technologies like payment gateways, digital wallets, fraud detection and prevention tools, compliance and regulatory mechanisms are essential for enabling seamless financial transactions and providing secure and reliable services to customers. Consumer-oriented FinTech products and services include online banking portals, mobile budgeting apps, investment platforms, insurance solutions, and more. FinTech has made it possible for consumers to access those tools easily and conveniently, enabling them to manage their finances effectively. Virtual products and services accessible from anywhere in the world, at any time, using just a mobile device or a computer, have changed forever the way we do business. During the last edition of Webit Founders Games in January 2023 among the finalists of the competition was  Pomelo - a FinTech startup from Argentina. Founders Games 2023 Finals in Davos. Since launching in 2021 and starting with three customers in one market, the company now serves 70+ customers in 5 markets, including several unicorns in Latin America. They have gone from $0 to $10M in annual recurring revenue in the last 12 months.  At the summer edition of Webit the attendees will have great opportunities to meet and learn from FinTech experts, to explore innovative solutions provided by prominent partners of the event and to join the inspiring community of Webit!

Attention all Webit Impact Forum attendees! We are excited to announce that climate tech will be one of the key topics at this year's event, taking place on June 28th. As the world faces increasingly urgent climate challenges, the role of technology in addressing these issues has never been more critical. Climate tech is a rapidly growing sector that encompasses a range of technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. From renewable energy to carbon capture and storage, from sustainable transportation to smart cities, climate tech offers a range of solutions to tackle the climate crisis. At Webit Impact Forum, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field of climate tech and explore innovative solutions that can help to address the urgent challenges we face. Our speakers will discuss the latest developments in the field, share insights into the future of climate tech, and offer practical advice on how organizations and individuals can get involved. One of the most significant climate tech advancements has been the rapid growth of renewable energy. Renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydropower have become increasingly competitive with fossil fuels, making them a more attractive option for energy producers and consumers alike. According to the International Energy Agency, renewable energy sources accounted for over 80% of new electricity capacity additions globally in 2020, highlighting the significant progress that has been made in this field. Climate tech pstartup Ecotree pitch during the Founders Games during Webit Impact Forum 2022 Another promising area of climate tech is carbon capture and storage (CCS). CCS technologies capture carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes or power plants and store them underground. This technology has the potential to significantly reduce emissions from industrial processes and power generation, but it is still in the early stages of development and requires further research and investment. Climate-smart agriculture is another area where technology can help reduce emissions and increase resilience to climate change. Smart agriculture technologies include precision farming, which uses sensors and data analytics to optimize crop yields and reduce fertilizer use, and agroforestry, which combines crops and trees to increase carbon sequestration. Sustainable transportation is another critical area where technology can make a difference. Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular as their performance and range improve, and charging infrastructure expands. Furthermore, new transportation technologies, such as autonomous vehicles and drones, have the potential to significantly reduce emissions and improve efficiency. A demonstration of a drone that carries a person during Webit Festival. Finally, smart cities are emerging as a critical component of the fight against climate change. Smart city technologies include energy-efficient buildings, smart grids, and intelligent transportation systems, which can reduce emissions and improve quality of life for urban residents. While climate tech is a relatively new sector, it is rapidly growing and attracting significant investment. According to Pitchbook, a venture capital and private equity data platform, climate tech startups raised a record $16.1 billion in funding in 2020, up from $418 million in 2013. This trend is likely to continue as governments, investors, and consumers increasingly recognize the urgency of addressing climate change.

We are thrilled to announce the upcoming InvestX event in Sofia on June 28th, a premier event co-hosted with Webit Impact Forum. At InvestX we will welcome investment professionals, representatives from Fund of Funds, sovereign funds, family offices, LPs, VCs and aspiring founders of high growth companies to participate in the event.LPs will hear from their peers and leading GPs on topics such as allocation strategy as the market cycle resets, hedging against correlation, secondaries, liquidity, co-investments, due diligence, regulatory changes, tax optimization, generational wealth preservation, digital transformation of the LP, new fund structures and web3. It is a unique platform for LPs and VCs to learn, share, and collaborate. By attending this event, they will be inspired by the latest ideas and strategies from the brightest minds in the industry. They will be able to exchange ideas and build relationships with other investors and entrepreneurs that can help them stay ahead of the curve and may lead to future investment opportunities. With InvestX we hope to foster collaboration and innovation that will drive real change in the industry. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with industry leaders and shape the future of investment.

Summer is a season of fun and excitement, and it's no different for the tech industry. As we gear up for Webit summer edition, which will be held in Sofia on the 28th of June, we can't help but feel the buzz of anticipation. With a lineup of esteemed speakers and experts from the tech world, this event promises to be one of the most exciting of the year. The theme for this year's conference is "Future to share". And as we look forward to the summer edition of Webit, it's worth taking a moment to reflect on the ways in which the tech industry has already transformed our lives. From smartphones to social media platforms, we are now more connected than ever before. The internet has opened up a world of opportunities, allowing us to work remotely, shop online, and access a wealth of information at our fingertips. And with the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, we're seeing even more possibilities emerge. But as exciting as all of this is, we must also recognize the challenges that come with such rapid innovation. As we embrace new technologies, we must also be mindful of the impact they have on society and the environment. We must work to ensure that these innovations are inclusive, accessible, and sustainable. At Webit, we will have the opportunity to hear from some of the brightest minds in the industry as they share their insights and expertise. We will explore the latest trends and developments in areas such as AI, future of work, life science, fintech, blockchain, defense and cybersecurity, privacy and data and many more and we will discuss how we can use these technologies to solve some of the world's most pressing challenges. We will also hear from entrepreneurs and startups who are using innovation to disrupt traditional industries and create new business models. So, as we look ahead to the summer edition of Webit, we can't help but feel excited about the future of technology and the impact it will have on our lives. We have come a long way, but there is still so much to do. Let's embrace the opportunities before us and work together to create a better, brighter future for all.

The World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer 2023 Gaston Irigoyen co-founder of Pomelo (Argentina) and Marian Bocek, founder of InoBat (Slovakia) are the big winners. A special award ceremony last night in Davos, during the WEF week endorsed and awarded the most successful and impactful global founders of growth companies generating social and environmental impact. Among the registered guests were over 250 VC invetsors, Presidents and CEOs of a large number of Fortune 500 companies such as Salesforce, Henkel, Interbrand, Morgan Stanley to name a few. The award was provided by the publicly listed investment company Webit Investment Network and is part of the worlds biggest annual award of $6M. Only 6 founders made it to the Davos finals. They were selected in 5 rounds from over 3400 candidates in what is known as the most competitive selection on the Planet by 200+ late stage VC invetsors including Earlybird, DN Capital, Lakestar, NEA, Sequoia, Molten and many more. The final jury last night in Davos included Sarah Chen-Spellings (Beyond The Billion), Anthony Scaramucci (Skybridge), Adam Niewinski (OTB Ventures), Nimrod Gerber (Vital Capital), David Gorodyansky (Impact Future) and Omar Al Yawer (Ruya Partners), Ajay Ramachandran (Webit Capitla Partners) and Alexander Galitsky (Almaz Capital). The Founders Awards misison is to identify, endorse as role models and support the high growth companies and their founders who lead the way to achieving the SDGs by creating successful, scalable, sustainable and resilient business ventures. This all gathers up to prove that saving humankind is a multi trillion opportunity. The six finalists who made it to the Davos Grand Founders Finals and pitched at the “magic mountain” came from USA, Australia, Slovakia, Germany. Their solutions are coming from all over the world in various industries such as clean and sustainable technologies, education, robotics, mobility, new materials and financial technologies.

Noyes Technologies - the German company founded by former BMW managers is aiming to revolutionize and simplify small warehouse automation. Answering on the demand for easy, modular and affordable automation and automated warehouse solutions, their simple but sophisticated automated nano warehouse NoyesStorage flexibly boosts efficiency even in the smallest spaces. They have won a 2022 IFOY AWARD, also known as the “Oscar of intralogistics” which is presented in recognition of the year's best intralogistics products and system solutions.

CH4 Global - the US based ClimateTech company is focusing on impacting climate change by harnessing the power of the Asparagopsis seaweed to reduce methane from cows. They are validating a patent-pending process for growing the unique seaweed species and processing it for the production of a viable commercial product. With their product, farmers are able to radically reduce their greenhouse emissions in support of the SDGs 2030 and at the same time, to increase their productivity results in terms of protein gained in the form of milk and/or beef.

Elephant in a Box - the women-led US company is disrupting the furniture and construction industries by bringing honeycomb structures from aircraft and race cars to furniture, sofas, and sectionals. Companies worldwide are pressured to be aligned with ESG goals and need to be more efficient throughout their manufacturing, storage and shipping. The HoST (HoneyComb Support Technology) of Elephant in a Box is 100% biodegradable and recyclable, takes a fraction of the space of shipping and storage when compressed and allows for a stronger and flexible product which is also kind to the environment. Their material innovation patented technology is to be adopted by major furniture brands such IKEA and Tempur Sealy International.

iSchool - the UAE company is the MENA leading online coding platform offering personalized online coding classes for 6 to 18 years old students. There are more than 100 million students with no access to technology education programs, curriculum, or career plans in the MENA region. Tech jobs at the same time are the most wanted hires in the region making for a huge gap between the market need and education. iSchool aims to fill in this gap by empowering today's generations to become tomorrow's technology leaders by providing the tools for starting a career in tech fields e.g. programming, robotics, electronics, AI, graphic design, game development and more. The platform has been selected for The Elite 200 GSV 2023 List for the most disruptive edtech companies with previous nominees such as Coursera, MasterClass, QuillBot and other edtech unicorns.

  These 4 companies have received a check for a total value of $ 800 000 and after passing due diligence their investment may increase. The big winners - Pomelo (Argentina) and Inobat (Slovakia) shared a cheque of $1M.

InoBat - the Slovak company specializes in the pioneering research, development, manufacture, and provision of premium innovative electric batteries. Their products are custom-designed to meet the specific requirements of global mainstream and specialist OEMs within the automotive, commercial vehicle, motorsport, and aerospace sectors. InoBat has signed partnerships with GUS Technology, Cosworth, Green Lithium, Scottish Power, Ideanomics and others to further develop their sustainable future plans.

Pomelo - the Argentina founded company is building a new generation of technology and infrastructure for fintechs in Latin America. Launching and scaling a fintech in the continent is a tedious task as every market has different regulations and local incumbent providers don't have the infrastructure required by tech companies. Pomelo is the first ever regional processor in the continent offering modern technology, transparent pricing and the ability to launch in 5 markets of 450 million people in a matter of weeks. Their platform enables fintechs and embedded financial players to launch digital accounts and provides physical and virtual cards through their customizable solution. The team has managed to attract the attention and investments from Sequoia, Target Global and Index Ventures.

 

5 innovative companies win the selection of an all-star jury and the support of WIN. Over 75,000 attendees took part in the four-day hybrid edition of Webit Impact Forum (www.webit.org) on June 28-July 1. The in-person event in Sofia on June 28 also featured the Finals of Webit’s Founders Games (www.foundersgames.org), one of the world's largest startup challenges supporting exponential innovations for a resilient and sustainable future. 5 companies from 60 semi-finalists succeeded to win the hearts and pockets of the jury from a total of over 3,000 applicants from 140 countries. The winners in the finals were selected by an all-star jury chaired by Tim Draper (venture capitalist and founder of the Draper Venture Network, among the first investors in Spacex, Skype, Tesla, BTC, Twitter, Coinbase), Gilad Novik (former Partner at Lakestar, among the first investors in Facebook, Spotify), Dr. Alexander "Sasha" Galitsky (Founder & MP of Almaz Capital with $2 billion under management), Dr. Risto Siilasmaa, (Founder of F-secure, and Chairman of Nokia 2012-2020), Ajay Ramachandran (Founding Partner of ifMagic VC, one of the top 10 US funds), as well as Dr. Plamen Rusev (www.russev.com) - investor and founder of Webit and WIN. "The selection is extremely diverse in terms of geography and representing a variety of industries - food, mobility, finance, sustainable technology, green planet, media and entertainment. The companies come from countries with very good indicators and a number of already successfully established billion-dollar companies (unicorns) We could not have asked for a better selection and distribution.” commented Dr. Plamen Rusev right after the spectacular Founders Games ceremony. "The fact that Tim Draper spent 2 hours with us and clearly stated the high level of the companies is a clear signal of the great work and potential of our investments" he continued. Each of the winning companies received an investment award of €500,000, with the opportunity to increase the investment up to €1 million per company after the upcoming meeting of the WIN Board of Directors. The finalists went through 4 selection rounds and evaluation of over 200 international investors, including EarlyBird, Sequoia Capital, Channel 4 Ventures, Lakestar, Draper B1, and hundreds of others, as well as corporate investors from Sony Ventures, Toyota Ventures, BMW Ventures and others. They all got to know their business models, uniqueness of their ideas, team capacity, financial stability and their market adoption. Though coming from different industries, business models and countries, the winners have one important thing in common - they are not only successful and fast-growing in their respective markets, they are also making the future of our planet more sustainable. Here are the 5 winners: 1. The Swedish electric bike company CAKE 0 Emission, representing the Mobility & Urban Tech vertical. They aim to contribute to a zero emission society: https://www.foundersgames.org/2022/selected.php?id=3458 To date, CAKE 0 emission has attracted a total of €68 million in investment. Their technology has been compared for safety and sustainability to that of Volvo. 2. EcoTree is a Danish company from the Cleantech & Smart Energy vertical that offers a high quality, certified carbon removal solution that pays for itself and builds biodiversity and sustainable forestry: https://www.foundersgames.org/2022/selected.php?id=3411 To this date, EcoTree has raised a total of €12 million investments. Every year they double their revenue, and in 2019 they had $1.5 million in revenue, in 2020 - $3.9 million, and in 2021 the revenue is $7.7 million. 3. 360VUZ comes all the way from the United Arab Emirates and is representing the Media & Entertainment vertical. The company is building a hyper-connected product to teleport, empower and entertain its users by capturing and delivering live and on-demand 360° video content and interactive experiences. Their mission is to build the ecosystem for VR (virtual reality) to become a mainstream experience for sporting events, celebrity appearances, concerts and more. https://www.foundersgames.org/2022/selected.php?id=3616 360VUZ has raised a total of $20 million in funding to date, with another $10 million round to close within weeks ($30 million total). The company generated revenue of over $3 million for 2021, with 2022 revenue expected to grow to over $8 million. The company owns the largest library of 360-degree video content in the world, which sets it up for a brilliant future! 4. WechselGott GmbH is a German company in the financial sector, whose platform offers automatic collection of customer insurance and energy contracts and processing through various APIs. https://www.foundersgames.org/2022/selected.php?id=3444 The company has raised $6.6 million so far. They have signed contracts with some of the largest banks in Austria and Germany, and express ambitions to expand across Europe. 5. Alver World SA is a Swiss company that produces proteins from the Golden, Diamond and Ruby Chlorella microalgae. They are naturally neutral in taste and smell, which makes them easy to include in everyday foods. https://www.foundersgames.org/2022/selected.php?id=3427 The company has raised $6 million in investor capital to date, with another round to come. Alver has a patent for the most sustainable way to produce protein from algae, which also serves as a binding agent in the production of healthy foods. Webit’s Founders Games have created the FG6 Index as an indicator that finalists from the past 6 years of the competition have increased their capital 6.9 times after winning at the Founders Games. Some of the most successful representatives from previous editions are WeFarm, Lightyear, TestCard, some of which have increased their ratings and value by more than 10 times. Investors in WIN (Webit Investment Network) will very soon acquire ownership in the 5 finalists following WIN being one of the most successful IPOs on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange. Webit and the global community of investors and leaders will further collaborate and nurture together for their future success, to create value for the investors and a better and sustainable future.  

The world's biggest challenge for innovation and scaleups - the Founders Games has just announced the legendary Tim Draper as new member of the all-star finals jury selecting the winners of the $6M investment award. He is joining over 250 international investors from America, Europe, Asia and rest of the world as members of the collective intelligence jury of the World's INNOVATION Olympics. Over 3'000 scaleups have already applied for the Founders Games and compete for the world's biggest ever award of $6'000'000.

• Should you want to join the sponsoring partners of the Founders Games and have access to world's leading innovators and ideas shaping the future - please fill-in this form https://www.foundersgames.org/2022/partners.php and we shall contact you shortly.
• Should you want to join the investors jury and have access to unparalleled deal flow and talents from around the world - let us know by filling-up this form: https://www.foundersgames.org/2022/jury.php
• Startup? The deadline for application has been extended till May 30th, 2022.

Apply Now

  All companies of up to 10 year of age, with an MVP and a solid team are welcome to join the challenge aiming at creating a more sustainable and resilient future. The verticals of the Founders Games challenge include:

• Mobility and Urban Tech (including urban solutions, renewable powered mobility, underground, ground and above ground transportation, etc)
• Financial technologies, DeFi (future of money, payments, banking, crypto)
• Health / Pharma Innovation
• Biotech
• Energy (new / future energy sources, energy management / preservation / distribution, smart infrastructure)
• Robotics (robots, drones, self sustained machines)
• Food and agriculture (new types of food, food security, food systems)
• Defence (cybersecurity, defence innovation, resilient and secured infrastructure)
• Media and Entertainment (gaming and virtual reality/metaverse, esports, future of entertainment, VR/AR, new platforms, virtual real estate, virtual lives, NFTs)
• Marketing and advertising (future of branding and advertising, brand communication)
• Space (space exploration, asteroid mining, space transportation, space communication)
• Fashion (sustainable materials and production)
• Planet and climate tech
• New Materials
• Enterprise
• e-Commerce/Logistics

Visit www.foundersgames.org for a full list of verticals.

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HUNDREDS OF INVESTORS, GLOBAL MEDIA & CORPORATE PARTNERS SHAPE THE GLOBAL COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE JURY

Over 250 investors - VCs, business angels, family offices and tens of corporate partners from major companies around the world participate in the jury and the COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE selection process which identify the global winners of the Founders Games.

Award Ceremony and the Winners of the Webit's "Founders Games"

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The finalists shall be supported by Webit's global network with access to capital, Webit's network of enterprise partners and media relations. Webit shall allocate from $500K to $1,5M of funding in a bridge round or in an upcoming investment round in the finalists. Webit shall also support the investment round by introducing and inviting VCs which may add maximum value for the growth of the finalists.

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FACTS AND FIGURES The previous two Founders Games editions finalists have grown exponentially with an average increase of the raised capital by 4.5 times! (based on the results from the 2019 and 2020 editions). Many have oversubscribed their investment rounds almost immediately after their participation in the Founders Games. Check the rules online and apply

STARTUP? APPLY NOW

 

Do you want to find out: - What’s been the biggest pivot for Mars since March, 2020? - What is Sir Martin's vision on the future of the advertising and marketing industry in the following 3-5 years? - How to measure success when it comes to Brand Purpose? - What are the greatest examples of creativity seen in recent months? - What innovations or trends will have the greatest impact on the future of the industry? Register and if you ask a question during the registration you may get invited to Webit's virtual BACKSTAGE today and meet Sir Martin and Jane Wakely in person and hear the answers to the above and many more questions from these two marketing and advertising legends! Today we shall welcome over 20,000 virtual attendees from all around the world with global marketing and advertising leaders. Take advantage of your complimentary access to this virtual event starting in:

REGISTER FOR LIVE PROGRAM ACCESS & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS

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The Fintech Week on Webit Virtual has met us yesterday with the CEO of Revolut Banking, Richard Davies and the founder of 30 countries in 4 continents, lending over $8 million USD daily - Channel VAS, Bassim Haidar. If you have missed this live, virtual Webit event you may still WATCH it in our time capsule here.

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Coming up next in:

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STARTUP? APPLY TO PITCH

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On Thursday, in

Stay tuned for challenging discussions on the trends in the fintech industry, are banknotes obsolete, who are the winners and who are the losers in the industry, which are the new players coming on next?

REGISTER FOR LIVE PROGRAM ACCESS & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS

Ping me over Twitter or LinkedIn and use #webit so I can ask the question on your behalf during the live program now on Webit Virtual | The Thought Leadership Network.

Webit Virtual is powered by TheVirtual.Show

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Watch the previous events of Webit Virtual here

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Check the upcoming Themed Weeks until August 2020 and join as speaker or Webit Virtual partner.

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BECOME A PARTNER OF WEBIT VIRTUAL

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Warm regards, Dr. Plamen Russev Executive Chairman, Webit Foundation

Goodwill Ambassador for Digital Affairs, Republic of Bulgaria Serial Entrepreneur / Investor www.russev.com | www.webit.org

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