Julie Meyer

Currently working as the CEO of Pelion Pension Advisors, based in Zollikon, Switzerland, Julie has over 20 years investment and advisory experience in helping entrepreneurs to start-up businesses. She has been instrumental in shaping the entrepreneurial and investment landscape in Europe since 1998.

She began her career working for Cunningham Communications Inc in Boston as a consultant for Motorola and PowerPC Alliance. In 1998, Julie started working for NewMedia Investors, acting as an advisor to numerous companies. She began organising networking events on the first Tuesday of every month and it soon became known as ‘First Tuesday’ spreading to seventeen other European cities. This, the first social network for internet entrepreneurs sold two years later for $50m. Julie left First Tuesday to set up Ariadne Capital, a company which allows seasoned entrepreneurs to help new entrepreneurs, a concept familiar to UK TV viewers due to the popularity of Dragon’s Den - Julie was heavily involved in the online version of the programme.

Julie then went on to found business networking company EntrepreneurCountry Global with the aim of connecting the world’s enterprises and the world’s leading digital enablers. Budding entrepreneurs were invited to become ‘citizens’ so that they can be seen by enterprises around the world who are looking to invest in them. With the slogan David & Goliath Must Dance, EntrepreneurCountry Global also wants citizens to share best-practice, knowledge and skills. Julie Meyer’s spin-off book Welcome to EntrepreneurCountry has been sold around the world.

Julie has shared her insights and entrepreneurial experience online with two appearances on TEDx, once in 2011 at TEDx Brussels and then in 2012 at TEDx Salford, with both talks focusing exclusively on Entrepreneurship. A regular contributor to The Financial Times, BA High Life, Forbes and other publications, motivational speaker Julie got her MBA qualification from INSEAD, one of the world’s leading and largest graduate business schools, and she went back several years later to become a board member. Other strings to Julie’s bow include being involved in the early development of such household names as Skype, Monitise, Zopa and lastminute.com.

Julie has won numerous awards including Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year: 2000. She was also appointed to Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Entrepreneurship. She is a leading light in the entrepreneurship movement and she inspires conferences audiences across the globe with her vison and tales of success.

“Julie’s book [Welcome to Entrepreneur Country] has changed so much of the way I think about things…thank YOU…..your citation ‘think big, start small, act fast’ on the back of your book is what I’ve realised defines the 30% Club journey – I didn’t appreciate that at the time, but now it all makes sense that’s how things have ‘happened’ with that project, way exceeding other ventures I’ve been involved with.” – Helena Morrisey, CEO of Newton Asset Management

For too long, we British have been a bit sniffy about entrepreneurialism, regarding individual capitalism as something rather vulgar. Well, personal enterprise and innovation among small companies is the only dynamic that will propel us into a prosperous future. Whether at First Tuesday, Ariadne Capital or through Entrepreneur Country, Julie Meyer has long been a charismatic champion of entrepreneurialism in Britain. She’s shown us the way through her own endeavours and by broadcasting the achievements of others. Julie knows – Britain’s got entrepreneurial talent. She’s a superstar. – Matthew Rock, Co-founder & Communications Director, Caspian Publishing

On behalf of Crimson, I wanted to thank you so much for your contribution to the Startups Awards – not only as a judge but as an award presenter on the afternoon. All the winners’ interviews show you what your judging decisions meant to the winners. Quite touching! We were delighted that you could take part and hope you enjoyed the afternoon. Looking forward to hopefully involving you in our events in the future.
Heather Olhausen – Events Manager, Crimson Business