Six experts from different professional backgrounds make up for a multi-disciplinary group, each contributing unique expertise and perspectives to the Learning Launch Pad.
Nzau is product manager – agriculture incubator at Mastercard. For the past 10 year he has engaged in working in providing strong contributions to developing a credit information sharing mechanism in Africa. Currently he works for Mastercard Labs in Nairobi Kenya, one of the 9 labs in the world. The Kenyan-based technology hub is committed to empowering 100 million Africans previously excluded from formal financial sector by 2020.
Expertise he adds to the Launch Pad: ‘My expertise is in data analytics. Through a data driven approach I develop business solutions. During this week I want to enable SpiceUp to be able to use the data that helps smallholder farmers to get fair pricing, better input and access to financial services.’
Koen Verberne is one of the founders of 52impact. 52impact transforms spatial imagery and data into actionable maps and information products. They develop, present and commercialize spatial data products and services for new markets, making complex (space) technology meaningful and beautiful.
Expertise he adds to the Launch Pad: ‘I will share my knowledge on satalite and geographical data, as well as business development. One of the primary objects of this week is to find out how to continue SpiceUp after funding ends, for that a sustainable business model is needed.’
Antoni Hauptmann a software engineer and advisor for supply chain management and efficiency management. He is the founder of OURZ, a supply chain management platform for the food sector using blockchain technology.
Expertise he adds to the Launch Pad: ‘What I see is that there are many problems around traceability, communication and transparency in supply chains. I want to help SpiceUp solve this in their to be developed platform.’
Nienke Bernard is a legal consultant with a focus on Commercial Contracts (IT, Outsourcing, Data & Tech), M&A, financial markets regulation, fintech and payments. She works on a global scale with many international clients.
Expertise she adds to the Launch Pad: ‘I’m an expert on data privacy and data in general. I’ll advice on how to be compliant with the general data protection regulations, but also other legislation.’
Bernadette Farias Lóscio is an Associate Professor in Computer Science at the Center for Informatics at Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil, where she got her PhD in Computer Science in 2003.
Expertise she adds to the Launch Pad: ‘I work mainly with data on the web, data integration, open data and data ecosystems. I think it’s important that we identify the data ecosystem of the pepper industry.’
Ananth Gudipati is the digital transformation project lead of the digital program of the World Food Program. He has over 13 years of experience in smallholder farmer focused supply chains in Europe, US, East and Southern Africa and India. Also he set up Farm to Market Alliance – a consortium of major public and private sector firms.
Expertise he adds to the Launch Pad: ‘I work at the intersection of technology and agriculture. So mainly using the business side of the agricultural sector and the technology companies to create solutions. What I hope to add is to make some broad recommendations on what kind of technologies as well as business models can be used to apply to spice farmers in Indonesia.’
Evert-Jan Verschuren is Chief Representative Officer for Verstegen Spices & Sauces in South-East Asia. One of the projects he manages is SpiceUp, an information service that supports 100,000 pepper farmers in Indonesia to increase their production, income, food security, and optimize their inputs of water, fertilizers and pesticides.
Evert-Jan is the challenge owner in the Innovation Launch Pad and the solutions created during the Innovation Launch Pad are tailored to the SpiceUp case.
Jay Akkireddy is senior manager Smallholder Inclusion & Tech at IDH. He is an expert in developing inclusive business models and leading agribusinesses. Bringing innovations across industries and geographies, and pulling different pieces together for a bigger picture are natural to him. Before joining IDH in the Netherlands, Jay worked with World Food Programme to build smallholder resilience in Zambia.
Jay is the organizer of the Learning Launch Pad.
Senior Innovation Manager - Digital & Financial Inclusion