The Allied for Startups team and the elected Board convened for a Retreat in Lisbon last week. We were thrilled to have (finally!) met the Board in person, after holding all of our meetings online. Here’s the highlights of what we discussed in Lisbon: 

Background: Our Board consists of leaders from Startup Organisations (our Members). They are voted in by the entire Membership every two years. Our current Board was elected in September of 2021 and represents startup communities from 4 continents and 9 countries, which brings a global perspective to the organisation. The Board helps the organisation map the opportunities and challenges of  the startup ecosystem. The role of the Board is to provide thought leadership and strategic guidance. It also interprets the mandate where necessary. 

During the retreat, we reviewed the past year discussed current projects and forecasted our plans for the future. As Allied for Startups is scaling into new markets, close coordination with the Board is crucial. For LATAM, Allied for Startups can already announce Alejandra Plaschinski as the new Director for the region (more on this soon). All parties agreed on an increased focus on sustainability in the coming 5 years.

The Allied for Startups Board published a statement to unequivocally condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and call for the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine and a cessation of hostilities, respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and the protection of civilians. In addition, last month we published a resource list for startup organisations to play their part in helping those in need of urgent support in the Ukraine War.

We thank our engaged Board for all the valuable feedback, insight and encouragement we received at the retreat. Their experience and knowledge of startup ecosystem builders is essential to our growth and vision for the future.