Sustainability-Business-Hub

Sam started with Accenture as a management consultant before being headhunted to his first startup, FirstMark Communications Europe, which raised the largest telecommunications Series A round in European history ($1.5 billion). Since then, he has been an early employee at Spotify, privately invested in 25+ startups, had 3 further exits from his own companies, helped 250+ startups accelerate growth, and works as an expert for the European Commission to distribute EIC equity and grant funding.

Izzy McKeever is the Senior Marketing and Canopy Coordinator at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. A skilled marketing and communications professional, she has experience in both the educational and mental health sectors. Her role involves managing marketing initiatives, coordinating activities related to the CISL and Canopy marketing team, and overseeing communication efforts.

As a Project Manager in Marketing and communications, Tom joined CISL in December 2021 and has worked on the recruitment and promotion of our accelerator programmes; the development and launch of the Canopy brand; and the production of our Canopy Connect podcast. He is a digital marketer with expertise in communications, automation and email marketing. He has worked in education publishing at Cambridge University Press, Harper Collins and Hachette UK.

Yasmin has been at CISL since July 2021. She started working with the Communications, Marketing and Digital Team, and joined the Canopy and Accelerator Team in July 2022. Yasmin began working at CISL after experience in travel and cultural work, and her degree in International Relations and Asian Studies from University of Nottingham. She is currently working towards her Masters in International Diplomacy, International Relations and Affairs.

Joanne Funk is the Senior Project Manager for Accelerators, working with start-ups and entrepreneurs, and is involved with setting up the Entopia Living Lab project. Joanne has over 10 years' experience in marketing, communications and operations from both the charity and business sectors, including work in Germany and Austria. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern Studies, Islamic Law and Arabic from the University of Exeter and a degree in History and German from the University of Southampton. She is also a trustee and director of Cambridge City Foodbank.

Claire comes to Canopy from CISL’s Executive Education portfolio, where she delivered custom programmes for clients such as NatWest, Lloyds and BNP Paribas, and our flagship open programme, The Business & Sustainability Programme.

Joanna has over 10 years of experience working with growing communities of individuals and companies looking to create a positive impact on the people, place and planet.

Viola has over 20 years’ experience working in the technology and creative sectors in both Asia and the UK. Prior to joining CISL, she was part of the founding team establishing the London Fashion Fund, which supported start-ups and entrepreneurs to address innovation and sustainability in the fashion industry. Originally from Taiwan, Viola is a native Mandarin speaker with strong intercultural knowledge that would benefit businesses seeking to move into the Asian market.

Jie has over 15 years of experience working at the intersection of education, circular economy, innovation, and entrepreneurship. She joined CISL as a founding member of the Innovation team in 2021, where she leads the design and delivery of various Accelerator programmes. In 2022, she supported the launch of The Canopy, CISL's incubator, accelerator, and workspace in central Cambridge. Currently, Jie is responsible for the international portfolio, activating an international community of impact-led startups, entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators.