Only Danish Young Innovation Leader representative in USA from German Marshall Fund of USA

By AdminEducational

Ytili (Young Transatlantic Innovation Leader)

Among 550 companies and startups from all over Europe and Eurasia, 70 top companies from 43 countries (1 or 2 from each country as the only representative) have been chosen in this program through German Marshall Fund of USA. 

Back in June 2018, we’ve been all invited to Portugal-Lisbon along with our US mentors, which we had the opportunity to meet all of the other fellows as well as mentors. 

Note: All of the days mentioned here were including a lot of workshops, meetings and events almost everyday and these photos are just the ones we had chances to do networking or have something to eat. So we made it fun.

We have built a great international network

That was a great opportunity for all of us to meet and get to know each other better in beautiful Lisbon back in June 2018, and until the official program starts in 14th of October we all empowered our relationships. We have supported each other, we promoted each other and this built an even greater and more powerful relationship.

Turned out to be our best experience ever 

Among us there were no sign of proudness nor competition, we were friends and some became brothers and sisters. 

“Trip to Lisbon Investment summit”

Istanbul – Turkey

Through the network in the program, we’ve been invited for an International competition in Istanbul-Turkey and been chosen as the semi finalist. 

Over 30.000 people been participating from different ages and different fields including school kids, young students, investors, companies etc. It was a mixed experiences of their new airport opening ceremony, pitch competitions and exhibitions.

WINNER of the Environmental Category

Annnnd, we have won the environmental category award of the year 2018.

Boston – Massachusetts

Accordingly, one of the Ytili mentors have invited us to another international competition. A Smart City Solutions competition among 550 other companies, which 25 of them went to semi-finalist and 12 left as the finalist to pitch in Boston.

Boston is beautiful

MIT Networking @ Venture Cafe 

1st Place WINNER of MassCEC Clean Energy Challenge

Annnnd among the 12 finalists, 3 of them became the first places in different categories and PurCity proudly won the 1st place in Clean Energy from MassCEC Challenge.

Pittsburgh – Pennsylvania

All of the 70 companies been splitted into different states based on their fields or businesses. PurCity has been chosen for Pittsburgh along with 7 other companies. All smart and amazing people with great innovations, within precise tracking system, air sterilization, painting, cancer, architecture, car’s components and many more.

Jumping from meeting to meeting, while learning about the city eco-system and 

at the end of the day is all about having fun

Pittsburghians, are hospitable people 

who are actively try to improve their city and I love them for all that. 

We have shared our love, knowledge and technology throughout a week staying in Pittsburgh and we had a great progress, which was equal to almost a year in some other countries and that was all because of amazing people who deeply trying to improve their future.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Mare Cooke; an amazing person who fights her everyday through her right believes in empowering the society. She is the most amazing, effective, passionate and a loving mother who offered her house and her time to help me meet the right people while I was in Pittsburgh.

Michael Lake & his amazing wife, Hale; They have been amazingly supportive of PurCity and our mission and offered a place to stay while I was there in Boston for the last few days. They were waiting for me to get back home to feed me, while I was usually late. Mike is the leading cities CEO that also helped a lot to set me up with the right people and I am very grateful for that.

Arne Hessenbruch; He was one of the other most supportive people I’ve met in Boston. He is a MIT Lecturer and during my stay in Boston, was actively trying to set me up with the right people and gave me great and useful advises as well as positive energy.

Washington DC

The program’s closing and final events were in DC, and then we all the fellows had a chance to meet each other once again. We were so excited and this is what happened when we first met.

I believe the photo says a lot.

Netherlands’ Embassy in DC

As a part of our final days in DC, we have been invited from Netherlands’ Embassy for few workshops and amazing dinner. Special thanks to their hospitality and great interactive workshops.

Closing Day at State Department

We had most of our programs in State Department and we did, what we should have done to keep up with all those amazing events. Thanks to their hospitality and organized panels.

As the part of last day, Mike Pompeo, United States Secretary of State was the one who had a speech for us. It was a combined event with 100’s of American young entrepreneurs.

Closing photo

This is a photo of all the amazing people in the program who I personally love them all and they have become my best friends, which i personally believe is the most important factor of success.

We’ll meet soon again, I am proud of you Ytili fellows and all the GMF staffs. 

Keep up the great work.

Morteza Ghorbani Eftekhar

Founder and CEO of PurCity