The Entrepreneurs

Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo is the co-founder of Fiol Prosecco. Gian Luca grew up in a wine-producing family in the Prosecco region and, after years of working for Armani and Moncler in Milan, he was looking for something to take him back to his home in Treviso. Along with childhood friends Pietro and Giovanni Ciani Bassetti, Passi de Preposulo launched luxury brand Fiol that, he is hoping will boost the profile of prosecco as a premium product.

Alenka Repic is the founder of Kaaita, a Slovenian company that has placed its footwear in dozens of hotels across the world. Trained as an economist, Repic launched Kaaita in 2004 as a creative consultancy helping other companies on environmental issues. Over the years, the company has transformed into a boutique manufacturer making sustainable slippers. For this week’s programme, Guy De Launey went to Kaaita’s headquarters in Ljubljana.

Chris Sheldrick is the CEO and co-founder of what3words, an easy-to-use geocoding system that the London-based company believes can be a new standard for sharing precise locations. It has created a three metre x three metre grid across the globe and assigned unique three-word addresses to every square. Emergency services and delivery companies are using the system to reduce error in reaching hard-to-find locations. Mercedes-Benz took a stake in the company and is integrating the platform into its vehicles.

Stuart Wells is the global head of brand marketing and communications for Adidas Outdoor, made up of Adidas Terrex and heritage brand Five Ten, which focuses on trail running, mountain biking, climbing and outerwear. The department operates as more of a start-up and is driving research and development and collaborations with brands such as Parley for the Oceans. Wells has years of brand and entrepreneurial experience, having worked with Nokia and global agencies McCann-Erickson and BBDO.

Karim Kaddoura is co-founder of Virtuo, the French start-up that’s shaking up car hire. It offers no-nonsense rentals of premium Mercedes not only from airports and train stations but in city centres across France and the UK. The company is expanding quickly, taking away the pain of hiring a car and offering something better than car sharing. Karim’s father owned a dealership and his entrepreneurial journey has been about rethinking our relationship to cars.

Andrea Salinas is the founder of eco-swimwear brand Now Then. While the landlocked Spanish capital of Madrid is the unlikely nerve centre for a women’s swimwear brand, Andrea’s savvy decision to base there has allowed her to shore up business opportunities and reliable logistics. Her eco-friendly fabrics are fitted around the idea that both consumers and industry insiders need to change their ways.

James Uffindell is the CEO and founder of Bright Network, a UK-based platform launched in 2013 that matches more than 200,000 graduates with jobs at more than 300 global businesses, including Bloomberg, Dyson, Goldman Sachs and KPMG. Uffindell began his entrepreneurial career after university by helping prospective students secure a place at Oxford and Cambridge. He later realised that he could help those same people get jobs to match their skills.

Swaady Martin is the founder and CEO of Yswara, a line of ethically grown African teas and accessories. Based in South Africa, the brand was launched in 2012 and is now carried in 30 retailers across 17 countries. Its tea is the first African foodstuff to be sold at Harrods and Selfridges. Before launching her own luxury label, Martin spent a decade at General Electric helping to grow the company’s portfolio across Africa.

Flora Davidson and Gus Bartholomew are co-founders of Supplycompass, a platform launched in 2015 aimed at creating a trusted and transparent supply chain for the fashion industry. From sourcing materials to manufacturing, the platform helps businesses and designers know exactly what they are buying. The firm works with more than 50 factories in India and Portugal and more than one million products having been made through Supplycompass to date, including homeware and furniture.

Tomer Botner is the founder of Florentine Kitchen Knives, the Barcelona-based company he runs with his wife, Noam Blumenthal. The brand is named for the Florentin area of the couple’s native Tel Aviv. Botner started the brand as part of his thesis project while studying industrial design and now produces colourful bespoke knives for hobbyists and top chefs around the world.