LTB SHOWCASE: MAHRINAH VON SCHLEGEL
ABOUT MAHRINAH VON SCHLEGEL
Mahrinah von Schlegel’s passion lies at the intersection of technology, finance, policy. She is a Tech Entrepreneur with a diverse background in anthropology, sustainable development, business development and strategy, music journalism, fine arts dance, bio-fuels and alternative energies, and non-profit direction. She has built digital projects and communities since 2001 and developed nearly $1B in real estate, predominantly in Southern California. As an Economic Growth Fellow for World Business Chicago, she recently worked to implement strategies of Mayor Emanuel’s Plan for Economic Growth and Jobs on Neighborhoods, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Spanish and Native American (Tewa and Jicarilla Apache), born and raised in the South Pacific and Southern California, Mahrinah received her education at the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton School of Business. A Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholar who was named “America’s Promising Youth Leader” by Secretary of State Colin Powell, Mahrinah has had a longstanding commitment toward works with a humanist basis and extensive involvement serving on boards and committees for organizations such as the United States Greenbuild Council, Urban Land Institute, and American Planning Association – Latino. In 2012, Mahrinah founded Cíbola, the first diversity-focused technology incubator in the MidWest, in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. It serviced over 30 companies and holding over 52 events in the first 6 months of operation with groups ranging from The White House, The United States Department of State, Groupon and EchoNest.
Today, Mahrinah is Executive Director of Embassy2.0, an NGO focusing on bi-national and multi-national opportunities for entrepreneurs and Partner at I365, a strategy and innovation consultancy focused on enhancing enterprise value for high tech startups companies and their stakeholders. She is a mentor for Tetuan Valley accelerator in Spain, TechWadi, LOFT Institute, works with various national groups shaping Immigration Reform Policy (especially as it affects entrepreneurship and the technology community), is an international public speaker and judges business plan competitions for local universities and the City of Chicago.
In 2013, she has been a finalist for Chicago Innovation Awards, the Revolucionario Award at SXSW and YWCA’s Impact Award. In 2014, she completed a Fellowship with the New Leaders Council, MENA Felllows via the US Dept of State and United Nations Global Entrepreneurship Program, and World Learning’s YTYA Fellowship in Turkey.
ABOUT LATINAS THINK BIG INNOVATION SUMMIT
On Friday, October 3, 2014, hundreds of innovative and socially-minded Latinas met at Google’s Silicon Valley Office for the third stop on the LATINAS THINK BIG™ national tour.
Sponsored by Google and broadcast to virtual viewers via Google+ Hangout On Air, LATINAS THINK BIG™ Innovation Summit featured presentations by six talented Latina innovators: Judy Tomlinson, Lisa Morales-Hellebo, Oli Bichell, Mahrinah von Schlegel, Rebeca Yanes, and Zoraida Velasco.