Zoe Peden

I'm a founder and a tech builder at heart. I've been building products and tech companies now for over 20 years.  After graduating I spent 10 years building online products for large corporates just when the internet was kicking off. After a decade I couldn't stand working for anyone else so I co-founded one of the UK’s top special education apps, MyChoicePad.  I spent 7 years on a roller coaster ride building one of the first impact tech companies in the UK. My software has helped over 150,000 children with learning disabilities to communicate so far (10th anniversary this year!). Along the way I garnered a few awards like  Elle Magazine UK Female Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Finalist Global Mobile Awards and BAA Female led investment of the Year.

 

Five years ago one of my investors asked me to join them - Ananda Impact Ventures. I now spend my time looking for Europe’s most impactful tech entrepreneurs to invest in and support them to build world changing companies. Once a year I put my teaching hat on as a Visiting Lecturer at Cass Business School on the MSc Entrepreneurship and I'm also a Director and Trustee of the Startup Leadership Programme UK and KIDS, the charity for disabled children and their families. 

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Favourite movie: I love anything Star Wars

Favourite food: Cake and Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese. 

Main vice: Coke Zero addiction

Favourite book: Virginia Woolf's Orlando

Favourite destination: Barcelona

Favourite restaurant: Cacio e Pepe, Pimlico - yes Italian, I'm not consistent!

Ways to manage stress: Running, holidays and liver destroying nights out with friends

Regular reads/listening: Financial Times Weekend, All-in Podcast

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