AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Chivas Venture judge Zoe Saldana attends the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
9th May 2019: Actress, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Zoe Saldana was in Amsterdam tonight to help select the winner of the 2019 Chivas Venture – a social startup competition that gives away $1m in no-strings funding to businesses who blend profit with purpose to have a positive impact on the world. From 20 global finalists, Mexico’s Xilinat walked away with the largest amount of funding, receiving $310,000, following a live pitch at Europe’s leading tech festival, TNW Conference.
Looking to transform the global sugar industry, Xilinat converts agricultural waste into a natural sugar substitute that looks and tastes like normal sugar yet is low in calories; helping tackle obesity while providing a sustainable alternative for diabetics and the health-conscious.
Reacting to his win, Javier Larragoiti, Co-Founder and CEO of Xilinat said:
“This moment tastes pretty sweet! I’m super happy to have been crowned winner of the Chivas Venture 2019; with this funding we can go ten times bigger - and that means helping so many more people around the world.”
Chivas Venture judge Zoe Saldana commented on our collective responsibility to drive positive impact:
“We are all responsible for the future of our planet and our societies; we need our governments to be agents of positive change and it’s up to us to let them know when they’re doing a good job and when they’re not.
“Big businesses around the world also need to take responsibility and I’m in awe of what Chivas as a brand is doing; investing funds and driving awareness of these incredible entrepreneurs who are building businesses that are making our world a better place.”
The Global Final – hosted by BAFTA-winning actor and director, Richard Ayoade – was the culmination of the fifth year of the Chivas Venture. This year’s competition featured 20 entrepreneurs from across the world, all competing for a share of Chivas’ $1 million fund. Through quarter and semi-final pitches, the 20 finalists were whittled down to five Grand Finalists, who had just three minutes to impress a panel of judges and an audience of global business leaders, tech professionals, investors, and entrepreneurs.
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Chivas Venture judges Zoe Saldana and Executive Director of the Beeck Center for Social Impact and innovation Sonal Shah speak on stage at the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Chivas Venture judge and Executive Director of the Beeck Center for Social Impact and innovation Sonal Shah, Chivas Venture Judge Zoe Saldana, Chivas Venture Award Winner Javier Larragoiti of Xilinat, Alexandre Ricard chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard and Chivas Venture judge and Founder of Change Please Cemal Ezel pose at a a press conference after the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Chivas Venture Judge Zoe Saldana, Chivas Venture Award Winner Javier Larragoiti of Xilinat and Alexandre Ricard chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard pose at a a press conference after the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Chivas Venture judge Zoe Saldana attends the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Chivas Venture judge Zoe Saldana attends the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Chivas Venture judge Zoe Saldana attends the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Alexandre Ricard chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard and Chivas Venture judge Zoe Saldana attend the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Chivas Venture judge and Executive Director of the Beeck Center for Social Impact and innovation Sonal Shah, Alexandre Ricard chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard, Chivas Venture judge Zoe Saldana and Chivas Venture judge and Founder of Change Please Cemal Ezel attend the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Finalists Martyna Sztaba of Syntoil, Javier Larragoiti of Xilinat, Tey el-Rjula of Tykn.Tech, Hugo Menino Aguiar of SPEAK, Komal Ahmad of Copia and Chivas Venture judge Zoe Saldana attend the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: (L-R) Chivas Venture judges Executive Director of the Beeck Center for Social Impact and innovation Sonal Shah, Alexandre Ricard chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard, Chivas Venture Judges Zoe Saldana and Founder of Change Please Cemal Ezel speak on stage at a a press conference after the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Chivas Venture judges Executive Director of the Beeck Center for Social Impact and innovation Sonal Shah, Founder of Change Please Cemal Ezel, Zoe Saldana, Alexandre Ricard chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard, Host Richard Ayoade, finalists Hugo Menino Aguiar of SPEAK, Komal Ahmad of Copia, Chivas Venture Award Winner Javier Larragoiti of Xilinat, Martyna Sztaba of Syntoil and Tey el-Rjula of Tykn.Tech pose after the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – MAY 09: Host Richard Ayoade speaks on stage at the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference on May 09, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.The Chivas Venture gives $1m in no-strings funding every year to the hottest social startups from around the world. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for The Chivas Venture)
Gopi Adusumilli is a Programmer. He is the editor of SocialNews.XYZ and President of AGK Fire Inc.
He enjoys designing websites, developing mobile applications and publishing news articles on current events from various authenticated news sources.
When it comes to writing he likes to write about current world politics and Indian Movies. His future plans include developing SocialNews.XYZ into a News website that has no bias or judgment towards any.
He can be reached at gopi@socialnews.xyz
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