Alisée de Tonnac - Leaving the corporate world to travel the globe and run startup competitions in emerging markets

Alisée (@aliseedt) is one of the founders of Seedstars, a global group of companies with a mission to impact people's lives in emerging markets through technology and entrepreneurship. The groups' activities cover over 85 cities with emerging startup ecosystems through a variety of activities, such as hosting one of the world’s largest startup competition “Seedstars World”, organizing training and acceleration programs, offering physical hubs called Seedspace, and doing venture capital investments & company building activities.

Alisée is a board member of the School of Management of Fribourg and a member of the Swiss National Innovation Council. She was nominated Social Entrepreneur Forbes 30 under 30, Innovation Fellow of Wired UK, 50: Europe’s most influential women in the startup and venture capital space and the 29 Powerful Women by Refinery29.

Born in France, she has spent most of her life abroad, from growing up in Singapore, California, and France to studying and working in Italy and Switzerland and finally accomplishing humanitarian missions in Brazil and Cambodia. As of today, she has traveled in 50+ countries.

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Show notes:
02:15 -- Introduction "Who is Alisée"
03:50 -- How and why Alisée joined Seedstars / helped to start the company
06:42 -- The early days of Seedstars - Traveling the world and setting up Startup competitions globally
07:40 -- How Alisée approached the decision to take the leap and quit her job at L’oreal to start Seedstars
09:41 -- How to make a decision between corporate job or startup life
13:46 -- How to overcome the chicken & egg problem in entrepreneurship
15:55 -- Alisée’s favorite moments along Seedstars journey and within her time as an entrepreneur
18:01 -- Seedstars today: How the business look like. Raising Series A VC funds for specific regions - e.g. Africa
20:19 -- How startups can become part of Seedstars and general advice for fellow entrepreneurs
23:47 -- Favorite books
25:48 -- Advice to younger self
26:07 -- Routine / Hobby of Alisée to get her mind off work
27:01 -- What does courage mean to Alisée

Resources mentioned:

• Principles: Life and Work - Ray Dalio
• The Human Network: How Your Social Position Determines Your Power, Beliefs, and Behaviors - Matthew O. Jackson
• Seedstars
• Seedstars World - Startup Competition
• Advice to younger self: "Just chill"
• Tip for aspiring entrepreneurs:
• "Surround yourself with people that support you and give you honest advice & feedback (informal mentors)"
• "Figure out what life you don’t want and be sure what specific value-add you can bring."

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