Empowering and inspiring entrepreneurial leaders

I work with startups, venture capital, private equity funds and non-profits who are aiming for global social and environmental change.

Kindness is my Strategy

I am a big believer in leading with kindness. Having a long term view on our economy and the world allows me to have strong conviction that being kind and empathetic is the best strategy and way to build profitable, sustainable and impactful ventures.

What do I do?

  • For VCs and PEs

    I work with Venture Capital Funds and Private Equity Firms as a Senior Advisor, Venture Partner and Member of the Board and Advisory boards of Venture Capital Funds, helping funds building and designing their investment thesis, access to networks and deals and making investment decisions.

  • For Corporations

    I have built 2 Venturing Units and CVCs in organizations of 100,000 people, and built the startup and VC programs functions at Amazon. I advise Corporate CEOs and top executive on how to work with startups, investors and change organizational mindsets.

  • For Startups

    I built 4 startups as a member of the founding team and founder. I was a CEO and CPO and build companies in climate tech, SaaS, medical and consumer software. I work with founder and their boards on company building, product validation, fundraising, culture and board management

“The biggest risk you can take in life, is not taking that risk.”

What my founders and VCs say

  • Sahar Sazgar, Business Creation Manager, EIT Hub Israel

    "Illai delivered two insightful sessions for the Q2Scale programme—one focused on Working with Corporates and the other on Fundraising with AI, which stood out for its practical approach to leveraging AI tools in fundraising initiating strategies & Market Research. Illai's expertise and engaging delivery made it a valuable and impactful experience for our cohort."

  • Ofir Dagan, CEO & Co-Founder, Movmenta

    “We had the privilege of working with Illai Gescheit through the TEL program at London Business School, and his guidance has been instrumental to Movmenta’s journey. As a mentor, Illai brought exceptional wisdom and experience, helping us refine our investor deck to align with the stage of our venture and providing critical insights into the fundraising process. Since then, he has continued to support us as a board advisor, offering strategic advice and leveraging his extensive experience and network within the VC ecosystem. Illai’s contributions have been invaluable, and we are fortunate to regularly consult with him as we navigate growth and strategic milestones. His expertise and his genuine commitment to our success have made a lasting impact on Movmenta. We highly recommend Illai to any entrepreneur or company seeking a knowledgeable and dedicated fundraising and venture development advisor.”

  • New List Item

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1:1 Executive Coaching Consultation Call

Per hour Executive Coaching sessions (starts with £650)

  • 60 minutes consultation call.

  • On-demand based on challenges.

3-6 months Executive Coaching package

  • Bi-weekly 60 minutes consultation calls (6-12 sessions).

  • On-demand email and messaging support.

  • Structured goal-setting canvas.

For details about the Equity Program: https://www.illaigescheit.com/equity-program

Areas of expertise: Company building, Venture Fundraising, Building and managing your board of directors, Corporate innovation and venturing, Leadership and company culture, Strategy and Vision

I have mentored and advised over 200 founders and entrepreneurs, helping them build and scale their startups.

For Startups and VCs

My workshops

I work with startups and VCs to educate, train and strategize on how to work with large corporates and strategic CVCs to gain both commercial and investment values. Workshops are delivered for VC portfolio founders and teams, as well as for Startup executive teams.

For Corporations and Non-Profits

How to work with corporates

I work with corporates and Non-Profits to educate, train and strategize on how to work with startups, founders and the VC industry. Workshops are delivered for Corporate executives, Innovation Management teams and Board Members

How to work with startups

If you are a startup founder and looking to work with me as a Board Advisor or Ned

Apply to my Equity Program

STARTUPS/VCs/CORPORATES

STARTUPS/VCs/CORPORATES

I am a 4x startup founder, I built 2 Corporate Venturing arms for 2 of the largest energy companies in the world. I served as board member in growth stage startups, and in early stage startups. Here are some of the companies I have worked with.

If you want to learn more visit my Linkedin Profile.

  • I am the Founder of Mindset & Planet, a platform where I share insights and experience about leadership, entrepreneurship, climate and impact investing and more.

  • I am a Member of the Advisory Board of Atlas Capital, A Singapore based Climate Venture Fund focused on the built environment.

  • I am a Member of the Board of Directors at Barka Fund, a Bezos Earth Fund backed venture fund focused on investing in climate entrepreneurs in Africa.

  • I am a Member of the Entrepreneur to Entrepreneur Ashoka network, working with Ashoka Fellows and Leadership to advance social and impact entrepreneurship globally.

  • I am a Strategic Advisor at Movmenta, a new startup helping to prevent injuries for top athletes and provide commercial and sustainability insights for some of the largest sports brands in the market.

  • I am a Strategic Advisor at ETIQ AI, a startup building technology and product that helps businesses identify and mitigate bias in AI Models.

  • I was a Venture Partner at Siemens Energy building their CVC and Corporate Venturing arm focused on decarbonization and energy transition.

  • I was an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and built the Scaleup Factory with McKinsey to invest in climate and carbon portfolio of ventures.

  • I led startup and Venture Capital Program for Amazon Web Services in EMEA, helping startups scale on the cloud platform.

Speaking Opportunities

I am very happy to receive request for speaking opportunities.

I am speaking about innovation, startups, leadership, climate tech and impact.

If you wish to reach out to me regarding a speaking opportunity please use the contact form.

Pricing and travel expenses are per request.