Founders

Hadiel Holail Mohamed

“Be the change you wish to see in this world”

― Mahatma Ghandi

Societal impact has always determined Hadiel’s course of action. First as a human rights lawyer at Progress Lawyers Network, then as a policy advisor on sustainable mobility at the Cabinet of the Secretary of State for the Brussels Metropolitan Region Bruno De Lille. Her belief in the power of entrepreneurship as a motor for a better world brought her to Bubble Post, a scale-up in ecological urban logistics with European ambitions. In 2017 she co-founded Cyclobility, a start-up that leases electric bikes B2B to stimulate sustainable work-home mobility. In 2019 she founded Kaira, because she believes that a better world can be made by creating space and time for putting systemic societal impact first. She is a strategic consultant in sustainability and societal impact. Currently, she is a lecturer at Howest University in Network Economics and a researcher on societal impact of the Mind-and Makerspace. Hadiel passionately runs the daily management of Kaira.

Gloria Ghéquière

“It is necessary to find small evidence of the impossible, in order to show that the impossible is, in fact, possible.”

― Alain Badiou

Gloria works at the European Parliament as an advisor on international trade policy, focusing on the nexus between trade and sustainability and the global response to the pandemic. After finishing her studies of Philosophy (UGent) and European Studies (KULeuven), she did a traineeship at the Council of Europe, known for the European Court of Human Rights. She worked as a researcher on migration policy at the Children’s Rights Knowledge Centre before starting her current job in 2017. Her commitments lie in the fields of international cooperation, climate change and social justice. She is member of the board of directors of Kaira.

Advisory board

Yonca Braeckman

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”

― Maya Angelou

Yonca Braeckman is the founder & CEO of Impact Shakers, a global impact ecosystem tackling complex societal challenges through inclusive entrepreneurship. She helped build the Belgian and European tech startup ecosystems. She has advised and mentored over 200 startups and was involved in global startup programmes & competitions like Empow’Her, European Social Innovation Competition, Village Capital, IBM Hyper Protect, PayPal Finance Forward, SXSW, Slush & Untold Stories.
She built a new smart city hub in Ghent, Belgium, with an in-house acceleration program called Watt Factory. She is the curator of TEDxGhent and the Techstars Startup Digest Reading List on Impact Entrepreneurship. She initiated the Horasis Young Visionaries for the Global Vision Community Horasis. She was selected for the new group of Belgian changemakers “40 under 40” to help advance bold societal goals and was named as one of the “Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise” in 2022.

Kurt Peleman

“If you are lucky enough to find a way of life that you love, you have to find the courage to live it” 

― John Irving\

Kurt has broad experience in the social impact sector, working for and with large NGO’s, small non-profit organisations and innovative social entrepreneurs. He worked for foundations, local governments, and for a European network of venture philanthropists and impact investors. He built his experience in Europe, Africa and Asia by taking on a diversity of roles as senior executive, CEO, as member of the board of directors or the investment committee, and as a consultant.

Luka De Bruyckere

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” 

― Margaret Mead 

Luka is a moral and political scientist passioned by (European) climate policy. During her studies of moral sciences (UGent) and Global Studies (Universität Leipzig and Universität Wien) she focused on the societal challenges we face due to climate change.

Professionally she is involved in European climate and energy policy making, working for environmental NGOs, consultancy and academia. She built an expertise in emissions trading, European and international aviation policy, climate migration, ecological food labels, and European decision making. Currently she is working on electric mobility and Ecodesign for ECOS, an international NGO advocating for sustainable technical standards and policies. Luka is member of the board of directors of Kaira.

Carmen Dupont

“Those who love peace must learn to organise as effectively as those who love war”

―Martin Luther King

Carmen is a born campaigner and has been working for refugees and migrants in Europe during the last 10 years. She started as an expert in asylum- and migration questions at Amnesty International Flanders and after that at the European department as a coordination of the European migration campaign. In Lesvos she worked at a local organisation that supports refugees, migrants and the local community during two years. Currently, Carmen lives in Rome and works on the criminalisation of solidarity in Europe. Stubbornly, she continues to believe in the power of people power and grass roots campaigning. Bringing people together and mobilizing around positive change is her big passion. ‘Think big or go home’.

Philippe Poelaert

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” 

― Margaret Mead 

Philippe is an impact investor driven by two of his core passion: an environmentally friendly healthy lifestyle and sports. This lead him to co-found Areca Ventures, where he supports portfolio companies with financial and strategic advice. Philippe is also a co-founder of Golden Set Analytics, a leading data analytics company in professional tennis. Before his journey into entrepreneurship and investment, Philippe worked at Bain & Company, a global management consulting firm. Philippe brings his very early stage financial knowledge at the table in the Kaira board.