Name: Gabi Matic
Company: Metta
Position: Cofounder & Director
Website: https://metta.partners/
About Gabi Matic
I am the co-founder and director of Metta, the transformative innovation agency with the mission to improve the sustainability and accessibility of innovation.
When I left my first startup, I knew I wanted to get into innovation and startup support. I tried different roles and focuses, and when my co-founder and I started Metta, we built roles around our expertise and filled other gaps by hiring the right people in our team. There are many different ways of breaking into the startup support or accelerator programme space. Like me, many people go into it after gaining experience in building a business themselves. I was really drawn to this world as it constantly pushes you to learn new things and develop your skills and expertise within the ever-changing landscapes of tech and innovation.
I am also a Venture Partner at Aerospace Xelerated, a global aerospace accelerator and innovation programme delivered in partnership with diverse industry stakeholders, such as the Boeing Company and Tawazun Council. Together with the Metta team, I help design, develop and run the AX programme, which boasts an impressive 95% survival rate for portfolio companies, with more than £250M in follow-on funding raised by its startups. Collectively, the AX portfolio companies have also created over 900+ highly-skilled jobs worldwide. Through research, activation activities, stakeholder training, and startup support, AX has been instrumental in shaping regional and national innovation ecosystems.
Before this, I was a programme director at the ATI Boeing Accelerator and Ignite, and co-founder and CMO of Mindmate, an Ignite and Techstars NYC alumni company. Since 2016, I have accelerated and directly supported more than 150 startups in different industries and stages and have mentored hundreds more. I am an angel investor particularly interested in sustainability, health tech and founders from underrepresented backgrounds. I also support a range of early-stage startups as mentor and advisor.
I have some very exciting plans for this year, starting with the launch of the Kuwait Digital Startup Campus Pre-Accelerator Programme to support aspiring entrepreneurs in Kuwait, as well as other activities to support the local entrepreneurship ecosystem and the country’s aims of developing a thriving digital economy. On top of that, me and my team are also exploring new partnerships with corporate and government partners, with an increased focus on sustainability to support development aims.
