Actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist Zoe Saldana was in Amsterdam to help select the winner of the 2019 Chivas Venture – a social startup competition that gives away $1m in no-strings funding to businesses who blend profit with purpose to have a positive impact on the world. From 20 global finalists, Mexico’s Xilinat walked away with the largest amount of funding, receiving $310,000, following a live pitch at Europe’sleading tech festival, TNW Conference.
Chivas Venture judge Zoe Saldana commented on our collective responsibility to drive positive impact: “We are all responsible for the future of our planet and our societies; we need our governments to be agents of positive change and it’s up to us to let them know when they’re doing a good job and when they’re not.
In the four years since the competition started, the Chivas Venture has given away $4 million in funding.