Doug Richard, together with O2, Hosts Black-Tie Christmas Networking Fundraiser Party for Shanti

Nov. 20, 2009 - PRLog -- (London, UK)  Doug Richard, original Dragons Den Investor & founder of School for Startups is hosting a black-tie networking party December 3 for entrepreneurs in support of Shanti, a micro-finance non-profit that makes loans to entrepreneurs in India.  Entrepreneurs can register now to attend this event at www.schoolforstartups.co.uk.  

Richard, speaking about the event said, "Entrepreneurs and startup founders don't often get a company Christmas party.  They don't get a chance to network with their peers, talk business over champagne, or socialize with those in the best position to help them.  So I decided to host a Christmas Party and invite those who've come to my courses throughout the year, and many of my friends, to attend.  I've opened the doors to other startup and small business founders as well. And, to ensure the event is a success, I've chosen to make it benefit Shanti . . . an organization that supports hundreds of entrepreneurs and thousands of families in India.  Those who attend this event will find it an evening very well invested."

Shanti, founded by Sheetal Mehta, is a not-for-profit micro-finance company that provides small loans to entrepreneurs in Gujarat, India.  Gujarat is a port city, birth place of Ghandi, and home to more than 50M people, most of whom live at, or just above, the poverty line.  Shanti loans help entrepreneurs in this community dominated by day laborers, to start new businesses.  Repaid loads are used to fund new loans in the same community.

UK enterpreneurs and small business professionals wishing to attend this celebratory formal networking event can sign up now at www.schoolforstartups.co.uk.  Follow School for Startups on Twitter @s4startups or @s4stv.

About Shanti

Sheetal Metha, founded Shanti in order to provide low cost micro loans to entrepreneurs in Gujarat, India.   Sheetal is the UK Deal Maker (by appointment) for the UK Trade and Investment’s Global Entrepreneur Programme.  Previously, Sheetal was Director of VC Relations at Microsoft where she worked with the Venture Capital community in EMEA and the Silicon Valley to help their portfolio companies leverage the platform, access smart funding and go to market. Sheetal has received several awards including Asian Women of Achievement: Social and Humanitarian (Prince Charles and Cherie Blair - 2005).  Sheetal also also founder of Innovative Social Ventures which provides advisory services to socially conscious technology companies so that they can access smart venture capital, corporate partnering, and global expansion. For more information about Shanti, please visit shantimicrofinance.org

About University College London

UCL is a modern, outward-looking institution, committed to engaging with the major issues of our times. One of the world's leading multidisciplinary universities, UCL today is a true academic powerhouse.  UCL was ranked fourth in the world in this year's Times Higher Education-QS rankings. No fewer than 21 Nobel prizewinners have come from the UCL community. UCL was founded in 1826 as a radically different university, opening up English higher education for the first time to people of all beliefs and social backgrounds.  That radical tradition remains alive today.  Our research strategy commits us to addressing UCL's 'Grand Challenges', by working together right across the university in order to tackle the problems that face us today - in global health, sustainable cities, intercultural understanding, and human well being.  We believe in undertaking fundamental research and in applying it.

About O2 UK

Telefónica O2 UK Limited is a leading communications company for consumers and businesses in the UK, with 20.7 million mobile customers and 457,000 fixed broadband customers as of 30 June 2009. Telefónica O2 UK Limited is part of Telefónica Europe plc which is a business division of Telefónica S.A. and which owns O2 in the UK, Ireland, Slovakia, Germany and the Czech Republic, and has 46 million customers.

O2’s UK mobile network covers 99% of the UK’s population. O2’s 3G network covers over 80% of the UK population and is fully HSDPA-enabled, providing speeds of up to 3.6 Mbps for customers with an HSDPA-enabled device.

O2 was ranked highest in customer satisfaction for both UK mobile and fixed broadband customers according to the J.D. Power and Associates UK Mobile and Fixed Broadband Studies 2009.  For more information on O2, please visit www.O2.co.uk.

Contact:

Nicola Coleman

School for Start-Ups
Wellington House, East Road
Cambridge
CB1 1BH
+44 (0) 7702 313 226

www.schoolforstartups.co.uk
info@schoolforstartups.co.uk

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About School for Startups

School for Startups was started by Doug Richard in 2008 to provide accelerated instruction to entrepreneurs. His one-day classes cover how to start a business, how to grow a business, how to seek financing, how to build an effective management team, and how to design great products and services. School for Startups provides ongoing support and services to its students. Visit our site at www.schoolforstartups.co.uk for more information, or follow us on twitter at @s4startups or @s4stv.