Adrian Davies - (Meshara)

Adrian Davies is the founder of Meshara, a startup deploying the world's first truly scalable mesh network to connect the 2.6 billion people globally offline. His entrepreneurial journey began in school, where his diploma thesis on centralising European rail travel evolved into his first company, which he ran for two years.  This early experience as a founder solidified his path, leading to a TEDx talk at age 20. Recognising that solving complex global problems requires a multidisciplinary approach, he deliberately complemented his deep computer science background with studies in business law to build a comprehensive founder's toolkit. Today, this unique blend of expertise fuels his work at Meshara. The company is running its first pilot rollouts in countries like Ghana and Cameroon, providing critical connectivity for humanitarian aid, disaster response, and off-grid communities. For over five years, Adrian has also been an active member of global changemaker communities like Moonshot Pirates and Ashoka, championing a new generation of innovators. 

Europe’s leaky bucket: Why my generation’s founders are leaving

Reading Time: 4 minutesEurope has a ‘leaky bucket’ issue when it comes to nurturing young entrepreneurial talent. There is no lack in their production, but their retention is an issue. This phenomenon explains what the OECD calls the ”Missing Entrepreneurs” – the cohort of 812 000 potential young founders accounting for 11% of total untapped entrepreneurial potential. So, how do we move forward to a more promising future?

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Das Leck in Europas Talentpool: Warum die jungen Unternehmerinnen und Unternehmer meiner Generation abwandern 

Reading Time: 5 minutesEuropa hat ein „Leck am Eimer“, wenn es um die Förderung junger Unternehmertalente geht. An Nachwuchs mangelt es nicht, doch die Entwicklung und Förderung dieser Talente scheitert kläglich. Dieses Phänomen erklärt, was die OECD als die „fehlenden Unternehmer“ bezeichnet – eine Gruppe von 812.000 potenziellen jungen Gründern, die 11 % des gesamten ungenutzten unternehmerischen Potenzials ausmachen. Was ist also die Ursache des Problems und wie können wir eine vielversprechendere Zukunft gestalten?

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COGITO Talks… Youth entrepreneurs uncovered: Dare to dream – YEPA panel special

Reading Time: 10 minutesRecorded during the youth entrepreneurship policy academy (YEPA) Summit in Brussels, this session captures YEPA’s mission through an inspiring panel of three young entrepreneurs who share their journeys – including the highs, hurdles, and lessons learned. The discussion is moderated by Baptiste Mandouze, Social Economy Policy Officer at the European Commission, and features Adrian Davies, Elina Cohen-Periano, and Mateo de Bardeci. Let’s dive in and hear their stories. 

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