Tereza Nemessanyi: Giving Start-Ups a Start
Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Microsoft
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tereza
Twitter: @terezan
Bio:
Microsoft, Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Technology (Startups) Tereza runs Microsoft’s business with Startups along the Coast. Formerly founder of HonestlyNow.com. She has worked with companies such as Walt Disney, Interpublic Group and IBM. She has an MBA from the Wharton School. In 2011, she was named one of Forbes “Ten Female Entrepreneurs to Watch.”
Innovating in Field of Work:
• Her job at Microsoft is to do things which have never been done before, and which one might not have expected from Microsoft.
• Tereza believes that it’s by investing in the development of an innovation ecosystem, and supporting its growth, early opportunities are unearthed; and also, we can shape the ecosystem to be maximally productive, inclusive, and sustainable.
• In December, Tereza hosted the first global BIOFABRICATE Summit, in NYC. The Summit brought together world-leading scientists in synthetic and computational biology along with designers — to explore the world of grown materials.
• In April, Tereza was on the main stage of the NASA Space Apps Challenge, which is the world’s largest hackathon (130 locations, ~10,000 hackers globally), to NYC at Microsoft.
Impact:
• The BIOFABRICATE Summit was named a “top conference” by Entrepreneur.
• At Microsoft, Tereza has been an on-the-ground driver of cultural change. Tereza led Microsoft’s development in NY of a renewed relationship with the Internet Society-NY (open source and freedom of internet advocates) — a relationship which has been enormously fruitful for both sides.
Role Model:
• Tereza is a 3rd-generation working mother, mom to two school-aged daughters. She works hard to time-box her work and family time, and provide transparency in how. And she admits very openly when it’s not quite working. Her view is we can all learn together and create a “new normal”.
• Quite outspoken participant in women’s professional groups including TheLi.st, and always on the lookout for strong women entrepreneurs and finding ways to give them exposure.
• She led Microsoft’s support of the wonderful organization She’s The First, and in March, led a panel at the U.N. on women’s disruptive innovation.
• For emerging Top Startups, Tereza has been serving as a mentor and advocate for startups in all the major accelerators in NYC.
Reinvention / Risk / Momentum:
• Tereza tends to dive into what’s new — the thrill of testing out a new hypothesis is something she thrives on. Her personal disruption is about how to take those learnings, and convert them into something that’s scaled, which others can take to the next level.
“Tereza is indulging in being able to work with creative and intelligent people every day. If she has to make tradeoffs between that, and her family, that is the sign of a truly abundant life, and something to be grateful for.”