Hedi is the Head of Program Development at European Innovation Academy. Her responsibilities includes developing the methodology for entrepreneurship program, recruiting speakers, mentors & investors and designing the flow of the program.
Staff Spotlight: Hedi Krönström
What is your favorite travel memory?
My absolute favorite travel memory regarding to EIA is the experience of organizing the event in several cultural environments - it takes courage and needs know how to implement the EIA program in Arab region, in Qatar. Also, meeting 85+ nationalities in the short period of event is magnificent and valuable.
How have you changed since working for your current company?
A lot! Honestly. Creating content for such an unique summer school has been beyond my dreams and I've never believed that I would have opportunity to meet top experts in their fields whom I have the honor to invite to participate as mentors or speakers.
Also, I'm finding new challenges in finding even more awesome ways to approach to the startup building and of course, hereby can introduce my way of thinking and seeing entrepreneurship to our ambitious and curious participants.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
It is rather a sum of lots of great stories - that EIA has literally changed students lives and they have gained contacts they can use to convert their ongoing projects into success stories. I'm lucky to stay in touch with students after every EIA program and recognize the same pattern of testimonials from every student.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
EIA edition in Shenzhen, China. We are happy to organize the newest version in Asia in 2018 and every new location in EIA will grow the excitement. Working with local companies in order to create the go-to-market plan for our startups in the program is fascinating. It is not something we have done in Europe in our previous editions.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
Our uniqueness is especially visible in the effort and passion everyone puts into the program. The organizing team is coming up with bunch of new ideas to implement in the upcoming editions, our mentors are proactively suggesting us the newest tools and technologies to use and our speakers are taking care of changing the keynote program more interactive each year. The joint dedication of knowledge, time and love to this program is spectacular.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
Growing EIA ambassadors out of our programs, who honestly and independently want to spread the word about their positive and unique experience in the program. Good content in media and social network is obviously important, but the best way to understand the goals & ambitions in the program and the outcome is to talk to the participants in previous editions. I'm truly happy that EIA Alumni network is carrying the opportunity with them to introduce the program in their point of view to the potential participants.