Perlman comes to MassChallenge from Microsoft UK, where she founded the Microsoft Ventures Accelerator in London, which has since graduated 37 startups through the programme. With deep marketing and communications experience in the startup, entrepreneurship and technology sector, Perlman will complement MassChallenges existing executive team as the organisation continues its rapid global growth.
“Diane is a highly passionate entrepreneur and marketing leader for both startups and enterprises,” said MassChallenge CEO John Harthorne. MassChallenge is proud to welcome her to the executive team. With our global expansion plans, we needed someone with a similarly big vision to lead our marketing efforts into new territories. Diane has the vision, drive, and experience to make sure everyone knows that MassChallenge is one of the worlds best accelerators.
Perlmans passion for startups stems from her over 20-year marketing career, during which she served as Marketing Director for American company Cyveillance, which was a startup when Perlman joined in 1998 and helped them expand to the UK in 2000. She has also worked as a Group Account Director at agencies including Grey London and LBi, and has run her own branding consultancy. More recently, she led the marketing communications for Windows Phone at Microsoft in the UK for four years before transitioning into the Startups Lead role for the past two years.
I really admire the work MassChallenge is doing to help startups all over the world without taking any equity, said Perlman. I am so excited to be joining this dynamic, growing and innovative organization to find and nurture the next Spotifys and Transferwises of the world.
About MassChallenge:
MassChallenge runs startup accelerators designed to catalyze a global renaissance by connecting high-impact startups with the resources they need to launch and succeed. Anyone can apply to MassChallenge, with any early-stage startup, in any industry, from anywhere in the world. MassChallenge does not take equity or place any restrictions on the startups it supports.
With programs in Boston, Israel and the UK, MassChallenge provides entrepreneurs with mentorship, office space, education, access to a vast network, and other resources during four months of acceleration. MassChallenge awards over $2 million in non-dilutive grants to the startups demonstrating the highest impact and highest potential. A nonprofit organization, MassChallenge is funded by corporate, public and foundation partners. To date, the 617 MassChallenge alumni have raised over $947 million in funding, generated $485 million in revenue and created 5,105 jobs. For more information, visit www.masschallenge.org.
Top MassChallenge Boston partners include: Fidelity Investments, Verizon, Microsoft, Bose, IBM, the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation, CASIS, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, The Deshpande Foundation, Jamestown, The Boston Foundation, Bler, American Airlines, Boehringer Ingelheim, Henkel, iNNpulsa Colombia, Zapopan, Pfizer, Smith & Nephew, Turnstone, WGBH Boston, John Hancock, and Honda.
Top MassChallenge UK partners include: NatWest, Unilever, Visa Europe Collab, Satellite Application Catapult, Digital Catapult, Hult International Business School, Tech City UK, EMC, The Manchester Growth Company, IBM, Mailjet, GCHQ, ViiV, UK Business Angels Association, Angels Den, Media City UK, The Landing, Fried Frank Technology, Taylor Wessing, The BIG Partnership, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, The Collective, Crowdcube and Tobacco Dock.
Top MassChallenge Israel partners include: The Kraft Group, EMC, Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP), The Israeli Ministry of Economy, and the Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA)
Top MADE@ MassChallenge Sponsors include: Jabil, Lightspeed MFG, MassDevelopment, and Analog Devices.
Boston Media Contact
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UK Media Contact
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+ 44(0) 7872 629 960
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