Didem Altop

"Developed and piloted in 2019, the CCEI model helps places “grow from within” by leveraging cross-sectoral resources to invest in local assets that generate positive economic and public health outcomes." Ellavoz.com is a #placebased #valuecreation #sharedvalues #taxefficient #impactinvestment advisor which is 1 of the 4 essential pillars of CCEI

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It was my 12th #ClimateWeekNYC slash #UNGA in a row and this merry bunch from Urban Partners along with thousands of other mission aligned people from government, business, organizations has been roaming around the city, discussing, partnering and sharing solutions. People come here to be part of the transition. In very real ways. So encouraging to see the focus on actual delivery and implementation, getting sh*t done 🙌 We covered all things #cities #decarbonization and #transitioncapital and how deploying capital towards the green transition of our cities is a must-win for global climate action. And an unprecedented business opportunity. Feel so much energy and traction in this space which gives me strong confidence in our purpose; investing to help cities win the battles for our future 💪🌆 Always inspiring and meaningful to partner up with the likes of C40 Cities UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) Laudes Foundation Realdania Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners PKA Arup Ramboll PensionDanmark Bloomberg Consulate General of Denmark New York Bloomberg New Economy Henning Larsen and many others. The merry bunch is now a tired (but still merry) bunch back in Copenhagen. Climate action and pushing the boundaries of sustainability is a game of inches, and I’d like to believe we keep on moving in the right direction, inch by inch ✅ Jesse Shapins Sofia Helena Hernesniemi Knudsen Alexander St John Jens Christopher Stender Mikkel Bulow-Lehnsby Christian Jølck Peter Hirsch Jil Lindau, CFA ESG Kristoffer Thygesen

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You know why we don't have more creativity around economic development and growth in the DMV? I have a new theory -- we are having a bad case of the Innovator's Dilemma. Check out Terry Clower's and my latest piece in the Washington Business Journal. "We believe that for our region to grow it needs an economic development innovation cell. We need a small group of highly engaged people, with the financial and moral support of the broader business community, to look to look at our region with a fresh set of eyes. This innovation cell should be separated from existing customer bases, and free to come up with solutions that are bold, controversial, and difficult to implement." What do you think? https://lnkd.in/ec-SnrkU

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Disrupt Development is now a proud member of the Post-Growth Alliance from the Post Growth Institute. This strategic partnership aligns us with a global community committed to building economies and enterprises that prioritize well-being over endless growth. The need for post-growth enterprises has never been more urgent. Traditional growth-centric models have led to significant socio-economic inequalities and environmental degradation. Post-growth enterprises offer a viable alternative by: 🍀Promoting equity: ensuring fair distribution of resources and opportunities, reducing the gap between the rich and the poor. 🍀Sustainability: encouraging practices that minimize ecological footprints and foster environmental stewardship. 🍀 Resilience: building adaptive and resilient communities capable of withstanding economic and environmental shocks. 🍀Well-being: prioritizing the health, happiness, and overall well-being of individuals and communities. Read more about how Disrupt Development is pioneering a future beyond capitalism

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Practice your #voting skills and help us highlight #regenerativefinance at SXSW!

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Another exciting update on the CIVA journey! These last few months have been transformative for us at CIVA! As we wrap-up Q2 I'm beyond excited to share some more things we have in pipeline! #startup #CivicTech #CommunityEmpowerment

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This week I was honored to join a panel for the Women Supporting Women event, organized by Startup Boston, Womenx Innovators and Center for Women & Enterprise. It was inspiring to be in a room filled with talented and driven women, all united by a shared goal of empowering and supporting each other. During the panel, we discussed the unique challenges women face in the startup world, and I was thrilled to share insights and strategies to help us all navigate the entrepreneurial landscape. It's incredible to see how our stories, experiences, and advice can uplift one another. If you're looking to build your network and support other women in startups, here are three steps you can take right now: 1. Join WomenX Innovators Slack Channel – A community of over 300 women founders in Boston, where you can share ideas, get support, and collaborate. (https://lnkd.in/eFM-zcG4) 2. Reach out to an inspiring woman – Invite her for a coffee chat. You might find a fantastic mentor or at least some invaluable advice. 3. Support a younger woman founder – Share your experiences, insights, and network. A little guidance can make a big difference for someone just starting out. A special shoutout to our moderator, Michelle Miller, and my fellow panelists, Melissa James and Queen Allotey-Pappoe, for their incredible insights and energy. Together, we can create a strong, supportive community for women entrepreneurs. Let's keep building each other up! #WomenSupportingWomen #StartupBoston #WomenInTech #WomenInnovators

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POV: Critical role of community and education in the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

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This was fascinating. A great addition to the SmartCitiesExpo USA that took place just the day before, which I had also greatly appreciated. My own take on our GTF Science Hub meeting content: 🤖 AI procurement seem to be a much under-discussed topic. It felt like there was very little consensus on how cities and government agencies should approach AI products. Should they co-develop them together with the private sector, as Bob Bennett suggested? Should they develop (at least some solutions) internally? Should they just choose options from what there is on the market? 🌆 When it comes to the cultural aspect of Artificial Intelligence, I really like Mark Minevich's ambitious philosophy of actually re-routing all AI-focused policies and research towards the common good. His thoughts on the egoism of big corporations and the necessity to build citizen-centric solutions resonate with my own understanding of the topic. All and all, this event was amazing, and we will soon be releasing the detailed analysis of the discussions.

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I'm always impressed by how clearly, honestly, and insightfully the maze impact team voices their work. 🧡 This article from maze’s founder Antonio Miguel about how maze approaches venture capital (VC) as a tool for impact is, once again, full of sharp insights - particularly when it comes to their thoughtful strategy around first investments versus follow-on funding, as well as their keen understanding of why science-based ventures are so crucial for driving deeper impact and systemic change. If you're at all interested in the intersection of VC, technology, and social impact, I'd highly recommend giving this article a read. https://lnkd.in/dXVcGkGQ

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This week we had Ashley Aviram from Wedbush Ventures and and Robert Berluti from RTP Global join us for our cohort deal room. Among the many valuable insights shared, these three particularly resonated: 🚫 Ignore "headline" venture rounds - Outsized venture rounds often flow to executives from well-funded VC companies or founders with very unique networks. These are not the typical startup trajectories - and not worth being distracted by. 🏃‍♀️ Execute with urgency - Early-stage investors care about how effectively you've used your time. Especially in the early days when there are not many metrics to benchmark your start-up -- executing with urgency and focus is super important. ❤️ Focus on customer love first, funding second - Building something users genuinely want creates natural market pull. While understanding venture is helpful, deep customer engagement is crucial.

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Thanks to the Inside Network Jamie Nemtsas @laurence Parker-Brown for their CEO Forum. I did the opening interactive keynote on futures. What I remember from them was 1. AI would dramatically impact investing, i.e. holograms of thought leaders including the rise of digital deities. 2. The nation-state was now a stumbling block in creating a more equitable planet - the problems are planetary: solutions need to be as well. 3. A new model of global shareholding was needed so that anyone, anywhere, could safely invest (apps allowing fractional ownership), and 4. Disintermediation was here to stay ...thus, investment must be greener, more focused on all the eight billion, and that tech/ai would continue to disrupt in ways that we cannot imagine today. This was not the vision of the end of capitalism but clearly the outlines of a new global economic system.

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Summary: A settlement agreement has been reached between Venture capital firm Fearless Fund and the American Alliance for Equal Rights, resulting in the shutting down of Fearless Fund's Strivers Grant program. The program was initially developed to provide funding for small businesses owned by Black women, but faced a lawsuit for alleged discrimination against non-Black founders. Key takeaways: The Fearless Fund's program has been shut down due to a lawsuit from AAER claiming it discriminated against non-Black founders. The fear of legal repercussions has resulted in the Fearless Fund losing partnerships and shifting focus away from initiatives benefiting minorities. Despite the settlement, Fearless Fund remains committed to helping under-resourced entrepreneurs. Counter arguments: Some argue that using the Civil Rights Act of 1866, intended to help the formerly enslaved, against a program benefitting Black entrepreneurs is ironic and counterproductive. The shutting down of the program is a blow to the diversity, equity, and inclusion movement, as companies continue to struggle with addressing disparities in funding and opportunities for minority groups.

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BAM! With Bing Chen, mover and shaker and founder of Gold House, the leading AAPI cultural ecosystem. During his opening remarks, he gave a shoutout to the #HBR article Joy Chen (陈愉) and I wrote about the overlooked potential of our community. So gratified to know that the piece continues to bring heat and light to this important advocacy work. Here’s the article: https://lnkd.in/e9w6pKha

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Major announcements today: Terra Praxis announces U.S. Government-Funded Coal-to-Nuclear Project in Ukraine, Generative AI Capabilities with Microsoft, and Global Framework with the World Economic Forum to Deliver Fast, Low-Cost, and Scalable Nuclear Deployment. We are honored to be the recipient of a grant from the U.S. Department of State to help facilitate the transition of Ukraine’s coal-fired power plants to advanced nuclear. We are also announcing new AI for licensing capabilities, following our collaboration with Microsoft, to accelerate repowering of hundreds of retired coal plant sites with advanced nuclear. We are also proud to be a collaborator with the World Economic Forum as we launch a ‘Collaborative Framework for Accelerating Advanced Nuclear and Small Modular Reactor Deployment’. Learn more about these resources, capabilities, and activities. https://lnkd.in/e88_enVq

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"Digital health is no longer the future; it is the present, reshaping our healthcare landscape in real-time." Excited to be part of the UCSF Digital Health Hub Foundation's Quarterfinalist Party! As a past board member, I'm honored to celebrate the outstanding quarterfinalists. As we reflect on the state of digital health in 2024, it's evident that the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally transformed healthcare delivery. The rapid adoption of telemedicine during the crisis has become a permanent fixture, with over 60% of physicians continuing to utilize this technology. The sprint towards smarter healthcare, catalyzed by necessity, has shattered preconceptions about digital-first health experiences. Virtual care is no longer a stopgap but an integral part of a seamless, anytime, anywhere health ecosystem. 🌍 We're witnessing the rise of B2B2C models in remote consultations, with companies like Teladoc Health and Amwell partnering with insurance providers to integrate their services into health plans. Public sector collaborations, like eConsult Health 's partnership with the NHS in the #UK, underscore the potential for remote consultations to enhance efficiency and accessibility at a national level. The digital health landscape is evolving rapidly, with advancements in remote consultations, mental health support, at-home diagnostics, and patient monitoring. AI and generative AI transform care delivery, making it more efficient, personalized, and patient-centric. 🤖 Yet, challenges remain. While venture capital funding for digital health has stabilized after the pandemic boom, it remains below its 2021 peak. Sectors like digital therapeutics face reimbursement hurdles, and we've seen major players like Walmart and Optum close telehealth businesses. Looking ahead, we anticipate further consolidation in digital health, driven by acquisitions to create broader ecosystems encompass telemedicine, mental health, and other specialized services. As healthcare leaders, we must leverage these digital advancements to improve access, enhance patient outcomes, and drive efficiency in our healthcare systems. The future of healthcare is digital, and the time to embrace this transformation is now. Congratulations to all the finalists! 🎉 Looking forward to the grand finale at #HLTH2024 in #LasVegas! 🙌 By the way, the pink drink that we were holding was delicious—and nonalcoholic! The Digital Health Hub Foundation - Digital Health Awards #HealthcareInnovation #DigitalHealth #UCSFHealthHub #Networking #HealthTech #Entrepreneurship #LasVegasFinale Walter Greenleaf, PhD Daniel Kraft, MD Unity Stoakes StartUp Health University of California, San Francisco UCSF Innovation Ventures American Association for Precision Medicine (AAPM) WISE World Investors & Entrepreneurs Society #AAPMhealth #aapm_health

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One of the most fulfilling aspects of my journey has been serving on the Board of Directors and Advisory Boards for public and private companies around the world. There’s something incredibly meaningful about sitting alongside visionary leaders, diving deep into strategy, and being part of a company’s growth and impact on a global scale. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working across industries, from high-growth startups to established corporations. I bring years of experience in corporate training, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, and building strategic partnerships. Having built, scaled, and invested in multiple businesses myself, I understand the intricacies and challenges of creating sustainable, impactful growth. Beyond business, my commitment is to make a positive impact that goes far beyond the bottom line. When I take a seat at the table, I do so with a heart for mentorship, a focus on long-term vision, and a dedication to bringing value to every conversation. If you’re looking to bring on a Board member or Advisor who is as invested in your mission as you are—who’s ready to roll up their sleeves and help you navigate challenges, expand possibilities, and reach new heights—I’d love to connect. Let’s build something extraordinary together.

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Prime Coalition has long taken a different tack to climate finance compared to its for-profit brethren. It makes the usual venture-style investments in startups through Azolla Ventures and also helps philanthropists direct their money to climate-related projects that it deems high impact. Trellis Climate follows the latter model with a focus on middle stages, where capital has grown scarce. #climatetech #climateVC #climatefinance

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