Cassandra Jayne Harris
| Cassandra Jayne Harris | |
|---|---|
| File:Cassandra Jayne Harris.jpg | |
| Born | 4 January 1982 Durban, South Africa |
| 🏡 Residence | London, United Kingdom |
| 💼 Occupation |
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Cassandra Jayne Harris (born 4 January 1982) is a South African-born tech investor,[1] business angel investor [2] and entrepreneur.[3]
Early life and education[edit]
Harris was born in South Africa but holds a UK passport. Her mother is from Wincanton, in Somerset. Harris moved to London after attaining a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Computers and Marketing from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.[2]
Career[edit]
Early in her career, Harris built the SEO department at Mindshare Worldwide and worked on several high-profile blue-chip client accounts, including Unilever, before turning to start-up ventures.
Her first start-up was the e-commerce platform Atelier-To-Go. In 2012 she sold her shareholding and went on to co-found the tech education initiative, Freeformers.[2][4][5]
Harris made the Tech City Top 100 list in 2015 for her work with start-ups and has won several awards.[2][6]
Harris’s angel investments continued, first with Taylor Morris Eyewear,[7][8] the British eyewear fashion brand created by her friend, Made In Chelsea celebrity Hugo Taylor, and subsequently with the world’s first ‘social petwork’, Petbu.[2][9][10]
Harris went on to found Venturespring, an international venture development studio. Venturespring specialises in bringing global brands, investors and talented entrepreneurs together, in order to develop innovative start-ups into independent businesses. The company’s first big success came when it won the contract to become Vodafone’s first ‘co-creation partner’,[11] a deal that enabled it to begin working with the telecommunications giant, to create new products and services, such as apps and wearable technologies.
Harris and Venturespring played a key role[citation needed] in the creation of Wileyfox,[12] a British mobile handset that combines stylish handsets and service with CyanogenMod, a customised Android OS experience. Wileyfox in 2015 went from concept to launch in less than twelve months.
Also in 2015, Harris’s Venturespring launched a campaign backed by Mayor of London Boris Johnson and IBM. The campaign Smart City Challenge 2015[13] joined calls for solutions to smart city living and working.[14] Boris Johnson said of the campaign:[13] "I have no doubt that this competition will encourage our tech whizz-kids to use their creative nous and come forward with the solutions, to help us address these challenges and make London an even better city to live in."
Charity work[edit]
In 2011, Harris co-founded the digital transformation company Freeformers, a social enterprise that combines digital skills training with business acceleration support. The initiative drew interest from the press [15] and garnered celebrity support.
The venture’s 1-for-1 training model (for every SME undertaking training, Freeformers trains one young person at no cost) has attracted several high-profile corporate clients, including Vodafone and Unilever.[16][17]
In 2013, Harris launched a programme, in partnership with the Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) in Bristol to help young female victims of domestic violent relationships, to boost their employment prospects, raise self-confidence and develop a better awareness of digital technology.[18]
In 2014, Venturespring launched a pilot to help ex-prisoners from HM Prison East Sutton Park into tech roles.
Personal life[edit]
In 2013, Harris is married to Formula One events entrepreneur Jonny Dodge and lives in London.[19][20]
References[edit]
- ↑ http://greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com/2015-shortlist-gbea/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 http://www.techcityinsider.net/spring-arrives-for-startup-ventures/
- ↑ "Cassandra Harris: How mentoring can make you a better entrepreneur". smarta.com. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ Atelier-To-Go. "Atelier-to-go Sponsors London Fashion Week Jimmy Choo Party". PRLog. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ "Atelier-To-Go.com Launches". elleuk.com. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ "National Business Awards 2015 finalists announced – Elite Business Magazine". elitebusinessmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ "Start Your Own Busines – July 14". content.yudu.com. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ "Digital Spy – Showbiz news, showbiz pictures, showbiz interviews". Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ "Businesses sponsor childrento learn tech skills – then hire them". independent.co.uk. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ http://www.iappadapt.com/petbu-review-the-facebook-for-pets/
- ↑ "Venturespring lands contract to be Vodafone's first 'co-creation' partner". startyourbusinessmag.com. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ Burn-Callander, Rebecca (29 August 2015). "A British smartphone to rival the iPhone?". Retrieved 22 September 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Munford, Monty. "The Smart City Challenge Finalists Will Change The Face Of London". forbes.com. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ "Smart City Challenge 2015". Tech.London. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ "BBC – BBC Director-General Tony Hall's speech at the Make it Digital launch – Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ "VODAFONE UK LAUNCHES DIGITAL SKILLS WORKSHOPS TRIAL FOR SMEs IN LEEDS AND LONDON – Vodafone UK Media Centre". vodafone.co.uk. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ Ltd, 2degrees. "Stay in touch with 2degrees crowdfunding". www.2degreesnetwork.com. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ "Girls Making History – KWMC". kwmc.org.uk. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ↑ https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/business/million-dollar-empires-plymouths-global-1784006
- ↑ "Is this the most suave proposal ever?". metro.co.uk. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
External links[edit]
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