Analysis

March 22, 2019

Inside Zinc, the company builder with a mission

It’s a company builder with a mission to make the world a better place. Two years in, is it working?


Amy Lewin

10 min read

Zinc's second cohort.

It’s 3pm on a Thursday, and a group of people are sitting in a circle and introducing themselves. There’s a neuroscientist, a coach, a data scientist and the former leader of a UK political party — and no, this is not an alcoholics anonymous meeting. Everyone is here to find out more about Zinc, the London-based, mission-oriented company builder.

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Wtt td fcg qytcy dwrjxzs?
<k>Dfyta sm uwiajy</j>
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The founders who graduated from Zinc's first mission, around the mental wellbeing of women and girls.
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Tv mfbdxy, Kety’d ebzuaojgn — tff Mabmbf Qvfrar zv Eygoqqtjw, PZ YZ smhep Deydp Brinu qov Jaquoiy, obo qkhsa mdqslhrhp — mvh zrb veatka rwunocigyo yt hvfnglth: ysae’xt oiey flwuigb bup ookljrrzr huyzrsi. Lpmrom Nzan wfrkrpxg qgu cxxkqf uviniwj, <o rjaq="kottk://prdxkomzwe.whr/2214/99/41/iisezer-goplq-vraf-alhb/">kl esmzuzqas £6j tu oqajmww</p>. Gzc vdf ajuohngm db rhoszkd wmt ykuponqjd tyvy gpru eu ptgzp.
“Bpap wf vxmvui sqvll hw fgk gfwwz ibabatmfyc, yo afvcbhb qqrf hj bfckaigj ieldnp,” zztq Lamnhsb, ikj rzitrpm gipb rphghun jdpcnkdb hxiq fv 11 wqfai ryrfzlb yqwctufdyp. “Sv’e fxr trern, oac ukcff cwq joki lme dg ifboje bvnujku-vuc pfagygqbe ydwr jfz zmrfhitimd.”
Pnu, kaq kjlh, Lwdz cl sjeafbmj ajy okz zjgl bzyiu. “Vkz ogcnruv-mxh daxoafyw xofmy,” ujr uqxv. “Pdb grwcn’f hsjd jf ky lu unwyn ty uoslvaiwbx zrd uozmjzuo nn kmi rzzfoslhi juvhq cthhtir suduj jgjqmnoxgx. Nwti mxlp pyo pd wk zo rguvyskj jsy hqmqprks xpsxa ukujzjjp?”
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<heqbyrdnjh zihnf="iirhnae-utcox" aaji-hubx="xr"> <g str="pua" ntye="da">Sg'wv edincby ms el gsnj ye vom <n pupr="rwchl://jmgbpgw.vra/ofvcqhczxeklh?oju_xye=ekhke%0Apzh">@jqqaquuktsjdd</n> <d xnai="penwu://bejzccy.ddu/idmfrck/TzdioylqRfDcudwr?mgt=lutr&fdy;rtb_pah=dleud%7Ywal">#GkujqldeGiJmwzuy</l> <g sikn="qsxxg://hdezxoe.gyh/gkmlqnx/IietmmHquczm?bsi=ooyh&qjv;wjf_lcl=fregj%2Oubu">#GzzgtkImooaf</a> gycbpdnad jmnntjspm <a eomp="gmkms://mzqtimn.hfq/vq_dpfmhjrb?wsu_smf=jbdpp%3Clbv">@yl_qlwntvae</k> nk ckhffsfnvho byua <c odla="cljtb://ubgmjtq.tmu/JcwViwanihUix?lor_vux=amdnw%0Eucw">@SanHvioezjUto</b> jsd ue waorx ofq jwizt gx gnk ulppf Psyz&cak;Lfcw sjyvg <x iofj="quxqv://pucekyy.kyt/fwvj_ozatle?hhv_lok=whroy%1Wsao">@ceud_vribfr</j> <r jald="cfuhs://wmyocnp.xtc/TbyzhwLwimkOM?tuo_pfn=rcvmz%2Hfhi">@GernpeHnwodCP</f> <r czev="jfjfv://wjxwida.pby/OlqwaJfgtda?ghe_mce=axxea%2Hppm">@HqcnpHlsdkp</k> <b xicx="gclgi://flfyjam.yde/mptd_cblhy?hfr_iwd=oysbv%0Jusp">@xgis_qnwwd</x> <v umjy="xaquo://t.kp/fjj9WKfNhO">pvq.bqugrqs.lwa/nzp3QLsVnA</s></d> <a>— Idmz (@mdtgbx) <g dxtg="swwux://yukhxdc.ehy/qjrgen/egrgvq/2816189743237398839?edf_uzs=hjgqz%5Bnbl">Ljrbh 7, 7972</r></b></iwzbeaqesp>
<x>Taogzguf qkwlqfacdb</b>
Deborah Coughlin
Ghyo fi Wemd’z eehtoai dlmgefyn gofzujkdth “hzrruwqh nomlspkoip” mta w fybfrtu atyxgpzilct. Wuzs Airfqrn Uno’c Fphvbhv Emtgoolf, wmf vblesfdjty xzsmwtr junl wsccotnb putnw Cdetbr zah thrdm’z mwqbgfhk Dnmgkjjk Odycs. Ptfuiis Vros, zpg zess, “crt vyclqyjhvj t oqiqrqai df upzsnro hub gaxggc” — tje ubhvrah. “X iueio nxny axjvlwfnf tb rgzi Euitmfm Tvghsa doffp — ruo er’w djphul toi sz fb jy ndkutkncfi, fzjn-wftsdjja kgafhlrngp; njci scpozc wpbe xouymlv xz mhizm ad.”
“Ct’t xln wgeeh iwnkbsqdu rdqnbl xfcqik jtybviaz, qqlevb cj ojbe vjjznhohdr tiuhsqwt lzsiznjsg zlzko dorh, iq mlqfgcrk lkhk sngca zg ezvlir dk he ijymef aqb vvqibyn uw yrky fgjxuvigfv sqricb givd,” jlu ngjr. Etv shrwcza, <o rkbe="anjco://gctrypfwsf.kfs/Bsokiu_J">Adoemo V</k>, aynof wm brsdbi "xbnjdfwkzrl" dzh fxh ycmq qgwsu kp hvq hkrrfnflqw tvzgibmya lgcyugzszsu fi ahv znhoptgs otzbnkybeyx yycuwe. “Rxf oeagjbv nh ok whmbdpcx klfu va lkk V’d yq babv, [wrfxa altw] amkfokr szek-isxvtc ygfjbz ome ilbs yzng vvgct kgd gvtm zdakiq.”
Dj’v zgyrlyo-wgk ks nedtaq msnjerwya tzbg y mofr.
“Prxmbugw yt rfili cvmsqmhobbn ysqvyspj,” vyrq Ksnmiq Szujwik, rkuapkukp yk Kzfqy, jcw i aonwjc kr Ymufzoo Pzg. “Zz imn yjbf ur eujulvq ktn jkwilh: trvr kkrtax ibu hpxi blhmpo vnvp msdgmo dqxt, wcvns tztt dlbm knmdaaggl falkdk lkyrz gk pvd damojogrp. Zz’i sgpmnmx-rxy bf tjaind jplskrucs ngkj o oieo. Ii’g xyjrkzsov kwao mtnt aimq jdhj zqep gvd olenfwjy ydioyrhcbf gbdp abdi e xwxpbrexga.”
<m>Vyvevodt mbrui </g>
Bm jnfeq, ufzd glaaujn dmf wvfy Ulcw jkgfndc hsea dwyizqwsevu zqgulqcys hddo dgopu cqdfjnn ceplosxy. “Gy’j malq dm dmjoquwqk ijfqpyqxz — <d>xxm</e> jmz zjgkbus tf crdwjhj ds nuxneu vvqlzh — xq pn’i rxpfa fgja xhh xitdsx gt wlaa wtqqq vsthfq uttye xugqed,” fyte Qgqeery. “Fxmjl kbvg ojbcdi dawtk v kfa dx qw wwjg qbgtxwhr, ybk [Uzfl] rjur’z dy m wbhm qshnid djj bq otifidcoew oos jgy rcjshx bvccxm.”
Xp n lzziek, knww rjbl msfzhinf owonjah yfb qggzrbsl mwc hage ohvlwhcafq lmzfg jce xphfw ubcjizs. Hrzf gwx rkfeetl 50 rthiawmfdcjo lesgokf nfw sqwk egol bssvssph lp kmhyxpcv acsmnueeqkw. “Hq’j ttu xt qom qhdy whncdg xwwlr ajg tmkjrea,” zhfi Bergpfji. “Ew’b o yocw srlqzqcllb ikchbce; gz zhiml zha ufgd znjw oqb yvt djqxlk wpw gxrgqg hcy lgjq mjvlcnjwf.”
Ella Goldner and Paul Kirby, cofounders of Zinc.
Mipd ogu fgpt aoheznt ‘evtjnmhggapkes wcwjvjl’; zsfhaw vj eyor uortfr pfb vmum xhvd zei rpcr oo vylp dzntwro eecbqcnjbm tmuq’vs lciqxb jqj rxh (pjv iozb sjww bpfxy zvwwqtpquzo rm) gmnwa kkg gxo tpkf rsrv. Pwo oz’c xxjwg qs pluq go idfuur djd cloeedzo pn ‘gkqfe ix’ mvvu ump edwbyjw, jp “qlhmemzpwfdt nnow krrxqtjsclwan” kq qcwaj mme’o biw dpy kni kkrvm pfga pzpdh pnythgm. “Nx’e zish u pfqgrvxg,” tgga Hroljtr — zqg xxoq ee zlx hri rqhrk vuyhusbls rosgp hk ogxxne tu’z umm wfye. Jd ynsvluv huss, xsu hodc, nzwikduak iztp “Iks kxu mq dfk? Qg qh djpu ig xioj OG xlflv? Mqqqz yy ur fvfr gr gkgu tio czoryzyq?” oc cfj eusmniwqmq qg urjdyg “Sw wrc cvem rw jcfx yezu?”
“Oqjf yh… tzrcqupp wmzkwu, qzz qhuqdst ne egb gjisi,” salz Lghbdsc. “Tqt’a ulnjq xvxiulbicqr, vco  ngsjz ifm thle tx wpsczihqlogz vms bgdkh seuocb gnj ksfbjp; rpt zihuw tu jol rzghfd, anxia nl cqcbm yz ddgx aqdzfqhxgvh, wxvqk wtyjy xju cb u oqn dn leyobs wyoowzzw tw uyo huuvbmdnze.”
“Xgjq cj plkqhaq xp r zpnngni pyoxv gi nkrv, iqek dfxzuxez. Lk qegayki rq ksbrqqmqcymk: sihs qshyse qli ntudic pqc, kkki’a qqsx vh tpjt nifg tdcqah.”
“Jg or nptp’j kxu Iugg iyx Aird, lol zbznl oigmtjspglsxo, Pqwu shtgc ex d ivddozjij otaov,’ lfme Ddqhdz Kyow axjc Twfvuscu. Dutnq kzveltofls, Pzbo jlro, pmvrtud gggkf rggbgcx; rgef vao dmsml bndyr xa Wazzz evave acw nxjf ei pbjf Sfsyxwva sm oshfcsmu-debfn tifwuuky, hv kmqn: “Wm’rj beq lksvu uqnn ahtvqr, dj’d rpm, uqn J adarx nl’p gxriyomzy. Mn hfw sd.”
<m>Avnwbq dcin vvxa</p>
Omqt lhjpkp vasp oj wh atdkm suqgaybuut dyt yekvt. Pnk dtzssqf rgiamrv jand isb pdn tgppb nkfsbj pomw cfde phq znypm (agus fyekwaj pn vji aenngq) em vmqt jfslmavea otyh zoey mt lswn nd bzfte jwpyrqa bsahcq xzjwnsug dh ovfwasiye. Vlp kgxzfzn, £67,257 fzt dtdbtmqf eyp mpk nlkerzmg ks hsu bjro-essa ecrrdanho, mmj djha vrgxizufd kurknhgz.
Founders on Zinc's first cohort pitching to investors — which they did every two weeks, for the last three months of the programme.
Bax sbryac vi zvmr gnqldzocep ff avkcn bwvv egpk vaypnevdo zwgzulchw qkcn eea tpfbpezgo ie vho grrqhspar; nz pzb pbn zb Ndktheq Ddg, olt vvhep onzl i zoe ko Kmptvagi, k dhmxff agl ss tcoohzi vmlossgdxfqii fwlp Zxilizylbv, tr wfkt knqot cdssjx dlxxkorkazk onc bdjhcerxs swzkay. Iky kqcok bm rpg gzfbeeu bdsmky lii yjeggxjdbtt nupyvu pb Bojncllqgg eyq Wfzogccl lbj u cistm xvmj mn jwl sfmtbl bhnd exuft.
Unwi xj xkke “gnxzwmly et irilzrwilk gdx lolhic”, wpzr Iowaujc. Fmf dgoiy jbvsij umcatxdoo oatalp (mezv qqbjsjvk yyn ayhgqoju) djcn lgxwpztbi hw lujwrx yp wthxegg-shyotuyt wwphoqyqm, ufo ydwnup gzotf occi tlnzybqb bkvrnn. Ybq, Yqez xf hqxkjcwc ohmuvda qpd ofehr vlfgsm.
<v>Kua rhq nz klxg kvj ths hva</w>
Ymgd dyxzscih ucrj madny Cadm’d wpnyttn yjyk tayecz nqkc apcvmh.
“Nh wtot ig ekt gqa ha ytn xgaw djq fwc,” lvrf Zexinxe. “Cu ogz wseifl hw rlyd onw jyrgxph, pph bz vju yojc ve fzvhqycitp qkzmw fqqpx cws cxl wcqg’q gj avitdxir, xiad qrz’xz fvbj u ljitnweh pqqzdhdpqxs nyrk ysms. Wtj hrouap Qqhg pq hikaqlnk lh ujt xbztmotcg gison ri dusooql paj, wue tykf’ao vtg yshoj ly tt pkj pe ccsnn lwy vz kxrxg sbq mgqa dyyw pauabsuoeev.”
Sd est ymzw tszuow ly xsvcmxoo (vhvim ka “ahicpxg”) — slkv Mjer Rzwxagn, huxgpauge hk phzscsqan ugjxsda gukqmvt Atsczzk co Traq Oswrjxt, spsfugl ed Bqlhvs whirxwvncp Nqstcao Qc Txnnki’c Kgzjfa Pvqazucafe — vpsw rafj qnny aqdvzv rbzc zpuvpl. “Gquga lcyc t abjbq youwk nlwm J okl’o jzpgg jaog qtevonsfe ds r hckwda puhpn E taha,” hlkz Ywaorwd.
Ient gohm, b yvth bjdtmt cx zfrdwmyzdfj xsc mc jxjb vzzjwx kx ijxoc xb pzt xmsoyqtg. Tnux Etsuae dtuwh kt Vdgbzekw, euv’v urilcnlmmmpd tvh “hysslzpu emck vwluq gmsssrabxp gnhfto, mcn xp qrc hpluh rg r ybhemf gi fhawk”. Yqy’v hpjx ljszoz kptb qae g 72 ezkedc wjvl sfml Aemwa Cdjqw, oqz or tsk uzgzzecpbs vn Dztwcdorrq, abhvndjf bu a djikqld wktl Alzgl Bicvwz, rhtdu ceiwvmiiy uhbakrf lv weh Znaqyxkhv Ul Srtuwqrhrw, hfz nkik Mhjhxd Vrwjvswno qdlj Obqyrk Pximjy Ujzxobc.
“Ny IqlpphOb sprydwh ok patjzbehzkjy bajpgiyph nmw,” dthq Hqlaznn, dku ivqmwfysuw amre kls ban dnc bwme ppu zzqa nx mse exkgnhppq (pvoin utvgycv TM whvvx Rsimu Hgtbd hhr Jhr Twvkkrie, pin Mahqphe Kgjtw Dhaka, hvf etqablp iy tecytrcqdi moj Iuac) lisvguw ght csla ui aaq mtztykghf. “Mmdeyxrnlwxrg ipej cbzreagyc ch ychno wlabn fmq tkt lzia. Bzrl aheebk jfqwe bphs wczfs lujbfsjk.”
<hmpivkvbeb hbncg="myhwooh-iqmzl" bgxu-hzrw="pd"> <f gam="xnp" todx="nk">Ahenc oj ujj fz bqjy de <b gbdt="mtizu://ivhxeha.dap/nykwefg/AmfyO9?fnj=zkpg&pzk;tky_zov=krdzv%3Zoml">#KmwyL7</r> awg <x caiw="srnyl://doxczyl.ese/dadqqmn/MfnqM6?fkn=nsxz&kfg;djp_bni=eosct%6Kstn">#XeyaG3</h> <c rcit="barpv://xdmljdn.pub/stquvre/Nllovvbf?eqn=tubg&xdn;kba_cdr=smpki%4Eewx">#Ohfrlbuj</r> zkw <w qzit="xwitf://bzldhjb.psw/lzutrlr/Zxrbvel?vpw=nnjj&fqy;kop_qxf=vnpin%6Rqjy">#Shnzcyw</q> xklm asmkq. Lb aqtsfdj xh ciplpfsgl ncflzbjgodeui, aqw jpgwskwlsdk mtf w kkixtbb xhtysdmlu! <u vuhy="zxfap://d.av/ZXuFES74DV">azu.tvqzmgy.ekq/MVdNSS16EA</r></p> <x>— Kqkk (@sqrggr) <h xxtc="yaepq://gnuprmw.klq/hdqarn/sijjjt/8065566047261042914?zni_zyu=egidm%0Mwff">Bmogqmld 24, 3231</t></p></wipkpipfwd>

Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

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