Hermione Way, Founder
During her training as a journalist, Hermione had a wealth of work experience at newspapers, a well endowed cuttings file and interned at TV and radio stations.
She was frustrated at not having one place to portfolio all of her work. Her friends were also in the same situation; in a time where you have to be a multi-skilled journalist, there was nowhere on the web to showcase all of their work in various formats (print, internet, TV, radio, podcast).
Researching citizen journalism in the UK, she realised there was nothing to help promote trainee journalists by showcasing their work on the web and no site existed for citizens wanting to make and upload their own news in all formats.
Thus Newspepper was born!
Michael Acton Smith, Investor
Michael is CEO and founder of interactive entertainment specialists, Mind Candy.
The company recently launched Moshi Monsters, a new virtual world and online game aimed at kids (and big kids!) It’s a bizarre cross between Tamagotchi, Facebook and Big Brain Academy.
Mind Candy’s first project was Perplex City, an Alternate Reality Game played by thousands of people around the world across many different types of media including cell phones, email, billboard advertising, actors at live events and skywriting.
Prior to Mind Candy, Michael co-founded Firebox.com (online retailer of gadgets, games and gifts) and Second Chance Tuesday (events to connect technology investors with entrepreneurs).
Jim Lawn, Mentor
Jim Lawn is the co-founder of Polecat Ltd and Meerkat CIC, drawing social innovation and social impact from cyberspace. He was previously Microsoft’s Head of Innovation in the UK where he worked with the software development industry, entrepreneurs, investors, academia and the Government to help Microsoft build its role as a key enabler for innovation in the UK.
Before that Jim was responsible for the Public Sector Consultancy Services Business for Microsoft in the UK. He worked with key customers within UK Government on the delivery of innovative solutions and services. Previously, Jim was one of the youngest senior officers in the Royal Air Force. Jim holds a Masters Degree in Information Systems and a Bachelors Degree in Optoelectronics from University College London.
Ben Way, Advisor
Ben was one of the first dot com millionaires after developing a search technology called Waysearch.
He won “New Business Millennium Young Entrepreneur Of The Year” in 2000 which was given to him by Gordon Brown.
He was reportedly worth £18.3m in the 2001 Sunday Times Rich List.
He started his first business in 1995 on his 15th birthday making him at that time the youngest company director in the UK.
Matthew Schönborn, Creative Director
As an Information Design graduate from the University of Pretoria in South Africa, he was quickly snapped up by the country’s leading Direct Marketing agency, Lesoba Difference. There he spent a year cultivating his talent and passion for all things digital.
Matthew then moved to London in 2007 where he met Hermione Way who wanted to change the face of (or rather give a face to) Citizen Journalism on the web. He was given the task of forging Newspepper’s identity and online presence as well as conceptually developing the brand.
Paul Walsh, Non Executive Director
Paul is the Founder and CEO of Segala, a specialist in content classification and Web based standards compliance certification.
Prior to Segala, Paul was an executive at Eqos, a pioneer in the development of Web technologies for the B2B retail industry.
Paul was one of the first to join AOL as a small startup in the mid 90’. He was a key member of the team developing AOL’s UK presence and assisted with the launch of other AOL European territories.
Paul has international experience within the Telecommunications Industry and has consulted for companies such as Vodafone, O2, Orange, CMG and ADC Metrica.
Paul was reelected Chair of the British Interactive Media Association (BIMA in 2007 after serving as Chair in 2006, and as a member of the Executive in 2005.
Paul is an adviser to the British Council, helping it to build and improve the digital pioneer programme with Hong Kong. He is also advising them on a new 3 year entrepreneurial related project with India.
He is non-Executive Director at Newspepper.com and a mentor to the CEO of 3 Dynamics; one of Hong Kong’s top 5 mobile games companies.
He is also a Partner in a group of award winning, Michelin rated restaurants in Dublin.
