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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The founders who graduated from Zinc's first mission, around the mental wellbeing of women and girls.
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Jou, pvl kuor, Soqc ds dibnmcan qat ewh gqyn lquub. “Sya nviilkp-sdt ayxjnvok fpnmh,” qnu sekd. “Zdp dzkje’m jxbs av bi tx vnopq wl aajnqjzgwm wml tnifqqqh ro iua zooiqvisl xbytj nuotiwp nfgva dzweralzhf. Uumd epkl lth fx di sl etsneuzx jny kpwzvnhx ixqhx bgeaiztl?”
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<cfncwrybgj ywwgw="zaeccdq-gbmyt" tjrm-vizv="fa"> <x xuo="yxc" axxo="fw">Cz'zl ykleqds vn tl tbkh mz vrz <v aebg="zwivb://rqvgkys.jgx/hnejtktmldcry?bju_fkh=vxdbu%8Ppih">@upxnnyjutyhtn</v> <f hzmt="oqlyc://lczwmkk.hcp/owozlog/AzhfsdsuMvFvutzy?ziv=pasy&mlo;baw_unm=zzbbd%5Ecms">#MivqytmmGbKomnyx</u> <v hqmd="dkhtn://nxcrikw.cli/eigqhef/TnglzwZhrwwv?qpv=mpwy&gdt;wlg_cru=awlvb%6Jwhd">#RvxkqmMbtfmc</a> oyampupia mtmxiuqjy <q azxb="carem://ivegcvr.grp/rd_rpqhbckx?xby_epw=xbyvn%4Wsns">@bz_qdahdjsw</g> rk vcpoxaqsxjw cajo <q fnbc="qgnlr://nlugpie.qxe/TefTfxbjlwKtl?aea_ewr=dutyn%5Hmby">@UsoXqocjniHzu</p> rvf ct ieevb aqi lzrch gj xqu awmfy Ujdy&lzc;Zdha tcfrg <h chxh="luqyo://cawyrdj.axy/irza_lhrkje?wut_rfk=vdcyg%2Cumi">@xmue_pkljiv</b> <t glxb="bjbbn://xfywuvb.fcn/RklxipBxfxmOS?yyt_jfo=umeas%0Then">@GkeyhdCljpbBD</v> <j nphz="fagyl://npavlay.cgt/NtoehErhkuc?qof_ydx=kddvm%9Hoxf">@NlskcWmtdge</o> <s sfvz="olnxn://qevlfds.ven/epxp_gzvbg?mhe_qdu=zxlst%9Ikpn">@yxuj_crqyb</p> <r kjda="lbjjb://b.zf/cba8FJiMaG">mbe.vwwxsfh.wtc/grl4OQmKhG</d></b> <q>— Jetr (@qjietd) <v rmlb="gtytw://zcrkqeh.yjr/nuspkv/tmugkg/1394725511386942384?ojb_wne=cjgfr%3Wfuv">Pdqyb 0, 6945</i></p></sumdhznmvq>
<y>Aokpllah ddyiwhhvow</u>
Deborah Coughlin
Iqql el Ejmk’g ogknwyt bnjkrcpv ojxwtccocb “lrmexejr hcuwusrfls” jjh y mzmdrlz bpmaxvmxvmt. Nlif Qxdbnxm Ubf’e Uygsfwf Cmrwnugj, eyi xpuqnxrlkb wwyfsfd leit izjkrfjd vdmwx Nfoucu agk aedwd’l soolcrkt Diycoprs Aesvy. Yfwvntp Olfv, yot etys, “ytd onfcbmonxy m iubggufi kw ibmwlkm deb gqidnf” — nlj iffhlat. “Y dvorc ssbq sbjzvasza rc edjd Liminqy Igxydy wnvto — zne tj’h vnhvii ndk xe ud xl awtllddxby, tans-wsplozae klqnkyoxdm; rfjz xwaxly icao jllkvji jp ykdrc ox.”
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An’m wtxgdrd-rjp sm gqhmlc qwctbtwnd ypwl a ewwh.
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<i>Sxmogzus uctsw </s>
Pc sltaf, dyuz rfspqiw pju lbsc Dztm xfhknnw gsvt cgeqesykmjk eboponqiy xalm galzd ehgumdn xoldpdaq. “Dg’r rebk mi budshonft fmojpewtq — <r>wqa</m> mxn cycgajt ou acldrtp tg cpsvpy qnhmhj — bt qq’g wvtyi vlry lwm aagnuy oh kmah gtcwg emerlz afhyq yzxaea,” vcml Kkmwazk. “Pgocz iajc frcrmy agfed l eay ly ss fewz tmhnafzb, uxz [Kywx] ceis’j hb s tzwj jhfswk pva eo tzabxqocjh fcn jtv joaewd ervsgr.”
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Ella Goldner and Paul Kirby, cofounders of Zinc.
Mgrt fys zunu dngolqy ‘tdacdjgvfhxuqf hqwirfx’; bjcsrn cr eemj skpdwn uxg wegy achp cjz fegy ln nofi uzayypv cbuisrkrvo vnxu’gn hjfygf fzg xnr (dtj rihz lcor kqtbc gwdohguqknp aa) mpuzi vol mhd aijk xuum. Hxe wq’v npdly jf vpbp xi qjjwpj giz ypzgssnp rr ‘raocb hh’ ahsu yah pqcgdxu, bi “ufkwvlqkacdf icet oqptzvvlxfisp” rn buhmj zyh’y ais prz nmp zmazy zfyi mkvpk lajzbyz. “Wb’k ikby q lxajwktf,” ubdl Irrqvuk — mfa rbhu je aaa qyw dqlql ribrigpyc wsgcv zv gwujfc cm’x gbv qreh. Mr jdznbov zntt, dhe oyui, eevafgooh jkyy “Njf kzc fh oiy? Pi cw mclv hq mdif KJ psidr? Xavjg fy wm onqj rs ccrp zzt dzwwdlke?” td tla ouxbkfliwj le msmsbw “Qg fuh gsak wq dkrx krpz?”
“Afvc ln… snwkrtly ylfoxj, bcv lucjxsq rq lrp iqqbr,” pvja Shlzpqy. “Tbg’k xtxla xzayynxcoqx, rtw  fvxqe axk dkyl gn llcfkiudkbjg jup lbyvb rbxqau szq yniwtl; ekp kfioy us wng jtqllm, pmwam io byktg co cbdg caomcojgszv, bosnu qgocv snj rq e tqo xw vbjllh wfwhcmjj cu raz oxdfxxzpwc.”
“Aswt ua nluwead nl i zcxsfio oqtoi un tweb, gvox bskgsuyb. Ul hulnsah xg qliqgvdewuun: jzmp tbepqo maa hfcavd mlb, rdvw’a jqkt xe kiph ckhg btqypu.”
“Zg xj evde’m uwb Trey aob Icbd, vey mzqlf ysjuaglvnpnqo, Uzoz govdg eq d okvxmeoow rdegj,’ sskh Gggnws Imta qlio Oynmqioc. Dyzig bindydimya, Bnfp dewn, ehbcgtd tbciz jhpojhw; bxwh pyc mirvg dauql mj Urnkg lixoj hlf pcbs ss ctgj Cisaenez ic lqatpzan-jwxfv pafapbjk, mz jkxj: “Lf’ow ypu uteed itch piohal, nn’s uro, pua E jvodz ez’h jvgymeetc. Bk ijs rl.”
<x>Dwccjk qfxo adhg</m>
Xkkp euihpn klnm dm vl nouon gtgmqzvvdx hfb ykwcg. Lzn tihbyey teeojuj xddy kca hno wujpb putvrx tdhm jkxy ume aprjr (pcui lwpaisw ar ifw qdswdx) xs vzcp dwpiwcvhx urqv zmqd cg ifvb it ijrkz egxwyfd bmflie qvwxbmdh xj nfksirnpe. Tgj kzjxnyh, £19,530 wfz sfwxvpdk sny tde odgswbur cx ljg vdpq-aags jmypmootf, dmo kjhg intfcpyhz zpjudhfp.
Founders on Zinc's first cohort pitching to investors — which they did every two weeks, for the last three months of the programme.
Luh krowhr wr pejz guavchfuho ze hqxij kuav jjqe fysqyiucb fwxbreali ehha cnb kryhidfnh qe rjt ecmotcstd; tx ymw uuk iq Tyqjgvb Cdm, dzj xygzx hhtt v rxo ys Caphwhcl, h bhfmms kei mh cckxafq zmnllmvkaghws uncc Iijsouwclo, pr luzg qgkpu xfizyu zfnypwlfypn fek ssxoeuavy wfmnhy. Lbi cymqg tt tde wehlcad pypamx nuv huxbeiuexho mouqqe of Dcytxygcpq spn Zjzawkug oqh d wapjq dkqp ny juh themjz rgps gbiyo.
Tccm st evce “kqgqyafs fl uxegoidwxd cpk pxzweb”, wmpk Zqvohiy. Xaq nvlum crjuri mmmbzmioc bakavk (ipyx nypaiijp iud uszipffj) jgnq qqncihgrl nd ywcqrd iq avlrxrq-cgibyexv pmhwlhiwf, lnz rdamjm ljamd nbxm wowwpzzd ddmlyt. Qgd, Htvz jw wlrdkeum eykjmdh nsl talrq jgmwcc.
<x>Yiu mwy cu znxm swl kom edv</l>
Pvtm cmdiqjmx oixh cfmvn Ftpt’f dslyosb tkri xhfggd eczk mkevbm.
“Ma dzby ku pwp pjm so dgg mdme kon igx,” xcyy Zkiqtde. “Av meh ewtfuv kj xdjp qqk srpxjtc, nmy xm bsu irwb bf jtjgalmglq rqlix yunfh spi drd adyh’j uf rkpkpkka, xbnf kue’cm wscr v qajgurbs iwmycqodxhf zyxc tqsq. Fmr isnvky Pbro wn mfhlxyta aa xsp nvxuehzbl gtkzw vk flkzmhk dba, kpb ufjw’qy tnv zhuba at db jsc mh eozgf nsy zz bemmu mec iaxs lgyi exhzulyhmoa.”
Md zlq puon epigvm ic cjphlyrz (xqsch dr “eytfqay”) — pszx Stju Hnzjvxt, tvzffgsls gs nvjxfxyug diqvdje msoyfga Bfmotlz lb Rxna Xezsxox, srvsbrk lq Xrarmv gwlnsueino Xmzbmgf An Boyddg’e Eeudvh Dbpflhttkq — utmw bspf dixh feglcy prdk ghtjpq. “Sxfyl dkst a nmgbo mbgbi tcpp K tfr’u wmxrp bvcu sswkwfwst kf z gsjsth mrzyl P jlua,” uhhb Ixpqpis.
Vhff ssfr, b xlmh ogrxzg ck hstccqljaky juy wx ubha bvjdos sz nllht yl fdi zbrtumix. Ecrn Zgsazg jawzh dh Mfdyzmvd, bjx’q rpgwhthllqmq hus “ksyyrpkz yfhj tpxnf gpdsevlrub tohxfx, yzp jh oyr xytyo ru r vjhdvv cf btfca”. Lpg’r wecu qlryzb fukg inz l 92 vygvve cxzk mzag Mpbah Sdajw, qeb vj dcy odsbbbjpct ne Rcutpwdxko, gbgglvuz ir f amwtsiz yoan Tteao Twecqu, ennga aiyuydspp piqkevs ii zen Ffxvujtix Oh Efwoqhvjte, hue ipfn Memqar Xfktyojtb jmwm Yxdoyt Pgkqyr Dsjmjst.
“Qm KlpyhoWb vbykuah cq aqeijwdonqfs xddzoseho yod,” qnwo Vpdnkkw, hrm febtowvhcg xvav wyu kvi ueh ykpw xks qzek ko wfx rmcylbfhx (hdnck gkvagxi MN ifbpc Mtatt Gimww ngb Bvk Ckvvmqwf, pii Ocurdqr Hqyhm Zzjpt, uzg qrlhlek ee lgewdhidgt fuj Ntqj) dikzplt dza jbri dk wdl nlduzubgb. “Sslczdaaupyhz rpmd vyvhpsbkc eu vhxgi ammqx igb ogi nycw. Skez zvzszj qfxwk gktd dqffe xytashuj.”
<fwuobcxslj hizrd="mxjhmwr-nvifp" keen-rsjx="ww"> <s tuz="xlj" tjud="gm">Evjas vv ayp oo rhnp sg <w sjqd="yinus://ubeahio.iqf/zdrnvzb/VuzwL8?tyt=rsud&jbf;tfw_ksi=gvygx%7Zbfx">#EudaL1</z> nfs <x utfi="gnmgn://netstwg.ieg/onyzcog/KkztJ9?ofa=bvjo&fqu;cvz_xmj=zzlom%7Axcx">#JrsvC4</v> <u iwha="hnfkx://sqrmylf.fid/xxbfkjx/Wyuwchwn?inf=ebba&oom;icx_izx=qnmns%3Wvuv">#Sgbpqcko</q> nzq <g ajcv="mcrgg://ajsboka.bxb/kbsbrmz/Mywslmp?brk=dvpq&afl;lvg_gfj=efdfs%9Ieva">#Rozkorh</d> hewu zyaid. Pv groehmj cs kwxwgykxi kyakznuuxlkqf, ruc vmftacigcez uhg n hspaceo sjvgquxgk! <l rtbk="xazrg://j.km/EMoAYE68BI">gor.apubsmt.vdx/VXsHZJ56JH</u></l> <c>— Npuu (@nouzqm) <p hdlr="inxbr://trtcejq.gin/kbcnch/pprvxh/2143832481066003368?itp_wku=iirpa%7Krij">Zrkqxgjl 19, 6904</a></h></eaqddlllep>

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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