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Thomas Panton

3 x Founder | Techstars Mentor | LinkedIn Top Green Voice | Ex-Greenpeace UK | MSc Climate Change | Ex-International Swimmer | Muslim Revert ☪️

Thomas Panton is an entrepreneur and startup mentor with a strong background in sustainability and social impact. He is currently the Founder and CEO of Canopey, a business focused on ethical consumerism.12

Professional Background::

  • Startup Mentor at Virgin StartUp since July 2023, advising mission-driven entrepreneurs2
  • Entrepreneur at Techstars Sustainability Paris (September 2023 - Present)2
  • Mentor at Undaunted (formerly the Centre for Climate Change Innovation)2

Education::

  • Bachelor's in International Relations and Politics from the University of East Anglia (2014-2018)
  • Master's in Climate Change and International Development from the University of East Anglia (2021-2023)2

Notable Achievements::

  • Successfully raised funding for Canopey through angels, funds, and a crowdfunding campaign with over 350 backers1
  • Participated in the Virgin StartUp's Collective Impact programme, which helped him develop his sustainability-focused startup1

Previous Experience::

  • Worked with Greenpeace UK in various roles from 2016 to 2021
  • Founded Festovers, a project focused on extending consumer product life
  • Has experience in fashion styling with companies like Levi Strauss & Co. and FatFace2

Highlights

Aug 6 · linkedin

My dad is an immigrant.

But he’s not the sort of immigrant the rioters are telling to leave.

I’m a Muslim.

But I’m not the image that they think of when they attack the Mosque.

I’m pro-Palestinian.

But I’m not the type of protestor they are targeting when they attack us.

The acts of terror across the UK over the last few days are abhorrent.

My partner is a Malaysian Muslim and every time she goes out now we’re taking extra precautions to keep her safe.

To the people comparing these riots to the protests I’ve been part of over the last 10 months, you need a reality check.

The amount of destruction, violence, attacks on police, racist segregation, Islamophobic slurs, is worse than I’ve ever seen.

This is all fuelled by the rhetoric of papers like the The Sun and Daily Mail News, and people like Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson. And political parties such as Reform.

I question why the BNP were banned but Reform isn’t. It shows how far right our country and politics has become.

There is a fundamental difference between hate speech and free speech.

The hate speech we know exists but haven’t seen so publicly, is now being seen violently out in the streets.

Stay safe, and if anyone finds themselves stuck in London against any of these thugs, please message me and I’ll try and help. Insha’Allah.

📸 the day of my Shahada with my good friend, Mohd Azzad Aiman Bin Farish 💚

EDIT: If you post misinformation or Islamophobic comments on my post, I will report you and block you. No questions asked.

Jul 17 · linkedin

Continuing on the 5 things I’ve learnt being a venture backed founder 💡

Each day this week I’ll post a concise breakdown of one of the top 5 things I’ve learnt being a venture-backed founder.

Go back to tomorrow to see number 1, and here’s is…

  1. Leadership is more than just your vision 🤝🏻

A lot of people think that having an exciting vision and being able to sell that vision is how you get people to lead.

We’re told this a lot.

“VCs want to see you sell the vision to build the best team” 📣

It’s part of the puzzle but it isn’t the whole picture.

Being a leader is about bringing people with you, yes.

But it’s also listening and giving the opportunity for people to pull themselves up! 🪜

The best leaders in the game make their team feel valued, heard, and feel like they’ve got the opportunity to grow in their own right.

👏🏻 Someone who does this so well is Roei Samuel over at Connectd.

He’s built a culture where his team not only feel impassioned and loyal to the company but also feel they’ve got the bandwidth to follow their own paths too!

So next time you’re with your team, step back, listen, and really hear what will make their lives, jobs, and vision, better for them - not just you.

See you tomorrow for number 3️⃣

#Leadership #Founder #Mentor #StartupAdvice #TeamBuilding

Continuing on the 5 things I’ve learnt being a venture backed founder 💡

Each day this week I’ll po

Related Questions

What is Canopey's mission and how does it align with Virgin StartUp's goals?
How has Thomas Panton's experience at Techstars influenced his mentoring style?
What are some success stories from startups Thomas Panton has mentored?
How does Thomas Panton integrate sustainability into his entrepreneurial ventures?
What makes the Collective Impact programme unique compared to other startup support programs?
Thomas Panton
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Location

London, England, United Kingdom