About

What we do 

At SEIF, we work with impact driven founders who aim to solve our planet’s most pressing global challenges, by employing and leveraging innovative business models within the marketplace. Our aim is to support passionate entrepreneurs in establishing product-market-fit and scale ventures with positive impact integrated at the core of their business model. 

SEIF is well positioned in the heart of Europe’s tech for impact ecosystem with the annual SEIF Awards, where more than 3’200 impact startups have been  evaluated. Since 2015, SEIF Awards finalists have gone on to successfully raise over CHF 40 million in equity funding.

SEIF also offers acceleration and capacity building programs in close collaboration with corporate partners. To date, our programs have supported over 1’000 impact startups and granted exclusive access to an international angel investor network.

 Meet the team 

 

Prof. Mariana Christen Jakob

Founder and Managing Partner SEIF Email • LinkedIn
Impact Investing

With over 20 year’s experience in social innovation, CSR, impact measurement and impact investing, Mariana is an expert within the ecosystem of impact startups with a focus on tech for impact. She founded SEIF in 2011 with the aim to professionalize the impact entrepreneurship sector and provide startups with the necessary support to grow and scale successfully. Today, Mariana works together with her team to develop and implement new programs to accelerate impact driven startups and initiate impact measurement tools for the impact investing sector.

Mandates

BRIDGE, jointly offered by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and Innosuisse, Member Steering Committee
The programme offers funding opportunities at the intersection of basic and science-based innovation for young and experienced researchers

Design Prize Switzerland: Going Circular Economy, Nomination

Green Fintech Network Member, State Secretary for International Finance SIF

MassChallenge, Sustainable Food Systems Challenge, Jury Member

Social Impact Accelerator SIA, Jury Member

Linda Aerne

Senior Project Manager Email • LinkedIn

As Senior Project Manager, Linda is in charge of the Impact Academy, Impact Awards, and other projects. Linda graduated with her Bachelor Degree from San Francisco State University. Currently, Linda is doing her MSc in Business Administration – Major Innovation and Entrepreneurship at ZHAW. Before that, she worked for swissnex San Francisco, where she supported Swiss Startups with their Market Validation and Market Entry to the US. At SEIF, she combines her experience supporting Entrepreneurs and her passion for impact entrepreneurship.

Mandates

WSA National Expert

Roman Suleiman

Impact Management Consultant Email • LinkedIn

As Freelance Impact Management Consultant, Roman supports SEIF in conducting impact management projects. Moreover, he aims to strengthen synergies between startups and corporates in SEIF’s existing ecosystem. He believes that implementing sustainability taking a systemic approach is key to secure the long-term competitiveness of any organization. Besides his engagement at SEIF, he acts as the founder of a climate risk analysis startup. Previously, he worked in management consulting and impact investing, co-founded an agroforestry startup, and brings along additional experience from venture capital and technology. He holds a Master in Finance, Strategic Management, and Sustainable Business from Copenhagen Business School.

Eléonore Güntzer

Impact Manager SEIF Email • LinkedIn

Eléonore leads different impact management projects as well as the impact assessment and due diligence of impact-driven start-ups. Additionally, she supports the development of SEIF’s impact tool kit and data analytics. She is convinced that impact should be approached in a standardized and systematic manner, and is committed to creating a sustainable future through entrepreneurship. Before joining SEIF, Eléonore gained valuable experience at a Swiss start-up measuring the impact of listed equities on the planet & society, and holds a Bachelor in Business Administration from the University of St. Gallen.

Eric Gisiger

Partner Email • LinkedIn
Investments

As Partner at SEIF, Eric acts as Investment Advisor in the development of the platform and the underlying portfolio companies with a Tech for Impact focus. In addition to the positive impact, he sees great commercial potential and thus attractive investment opportunities in early-stage and growth companies addressing some of our most pressing global challenges. Eric is a seasoned and entrepreneurial investment professional with more than 20 years of successful international working experience covering the areas of private equity / venture capital, M&A, corporate development, international project- and institutional relationship management.

Luca Christen

Partner Email • LinkedIn
Finance & Investments

As Partner with a focus on finance and investments, Luca supports the assessment of impact driven investment opportunities. He is a strong believer that entrepreneurs that have an impact purpose and a technical innovation are more driven – and thus more successful in their ventures. Luca currently works for a Swiss based startup active in climate change mitigation. Previously, Luca worked in finance in the agronomy sector in both Europe and South America and has Large Cap M&A experience. Luca holds a Master in Banking and Finance from the University of St. Gallen and is completing his studies in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at HEC in Paris. 

Zoé Dumont

Impact and Project Manager Email • LinkedIn

Zoé supports the coordination of our accelerator programs, while also managing the communication channels to improve the visibility of SEIF’s programs and partners. She thrives in environments that promote innovative ways to solve contemporary challenges. She is convinced that knowledge sharing and the dissemination of both impactful and profitable business ideas are building a more sustainable business ecosystem.

Olajoke Oladipo

Impact Analyst Support Email • LinkedIn

As an Impact Analyst Support, Olajoke supports the data infrastructure management and the development of the SEIF toolkit for impact data. Olajoke is a data enthusiast who is a firm believer that utilizing data-driven strategies is critical for impact-driven startups to expand consistently. She graduated from Covenant University in Nigeria with a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and she is currently completing her master’s degree in Information Systems at the University of Zurich.

Niccolò Schlueb

Senior Impact Analyst Email • LinkedIn

Niccolò’s role strongly focuses on accelerating and supporting impact-driven initiatives and mission-driven entrepreneurs. He has mentored and consulted numerous startups and lead several impact workshops. Besides, Niccolò is also invested in developing and implementing impact management tools and measuring and reporting the impact of young companies.

Our History 

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SEIF has a longstanding history as an impact venture accelerator with a pan-European focus. Founded in 2011 by Prof. Mariana Christen Jakob with the aim of professionalizing the social entrepreneurship sector and providing impact startups with the necessary support to grow and scale successfully.

Over the past 10 years, the SEIF team has built an extensive pipeline and database of impact driven entrepreneurs, whereby a significant gap in external capital made available for early-stage impact ventures in need of first-time financing has been observed.

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