Interview with Melinda Mancebo
Let us start with some information about you and your business:
I (Melinda) am the founder and CEO of EquiForensics, which works towards preventing wrongful convictions caused by absent or faulty forensic practices through promoting sustainable education, providing scalable educational resources and making forensic experts readily available.
How did you find out about the Startup Grant and how was the application process?
I first learned about the Vienna Business Agency while inquiring at the City of Vienna office located in the VIC building, whilst I was in the process of resigning from the UN. I contacted VBA and was immediately connected with Marlene Welzl, who was incredibly supportive and arranged an initial coaching session for my project. After this, I was selected for a Female Founders Lab, where I gained the confidence to apply for grants. I chose to start with the VBA Startup Grant because of the excellent support and accessible information on site, which made me feel so welcome.
In addition to financial support the grant offers workshops, coaching and networking. What are your take-aways?
Some of my biggest take aways were:
- Customer Discovery: This early-stage session was crucial for testing an initial possible target audience and product fit.
- Business Model Feedback: The expert guidance from Bettina Steinbrugger and Elisabeth Siencnik helped me refine my project presentation and feel confident pitching it.
- Financial Planning Feedback: Petra Wolkenstein’s insights and practical tools were invaluable in understanding my project’s financial implications and developing actionable steps.
Would you recommend the program and if yes to whom?
Most definitely! I would highly recommend this program to anyone with an impactful idea for Vienna or Austria. It’s a perfect fit if you need to cover your personal costs for 6 months while you fully commit to testing your initial concept. The program truly supports individuals who are flexible and ready to challenge their ideas, and of course, meet the eligibility criteria.
When you now look back; what was most helpful for you?
To have this freedom to explore and pivot from the initial idea. Meeting with great professionals and inspiring peers. The financial support has provided invaluable flexibility to focus on the development of EquiForensics and allowed me to feel more legitimate, make significant strides in both refining the business strategy and laying the foundation for the digital platform. Each workshop has provided unique insights, practical tools, and valuable feedback, all of which have contributed greatly to the refinement of the business model and product development.
Is there something else you would like to add about the Startup Grant or finance for founders in general?
Taking the leap from a secure job to a new career as an entrepreneur was a daunting first step, but the Gründungsstipendium provided the financial safety net I needed to fully focus on my idea. During six months, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have benefited from the program’s financial support.
The flexibility afforded during this entrepreneurial journey proved to be an invaluable asset. This adaptability was crucial for pivoting and adjusting strategies before encountering significant obstacles. The Gründungsstipendium, along with the workshops and coaching, has been instrumental in significantly advancing the development of EquiForensics.
The knowledge and expertise I’ve gained have been essential, and I look forward to continuing to leverage these resources in the next phase of our growth.
Further information:
About EquiForensics:
Worldwide, over 500,000 people are estimated to be wrongfully convicted due to flawed, absent, or misused forensic evidence. In many regions, the lack of resources, knowledge, and tools for reliable forensic practices leads to devastating legal decisions that destroy lives and communities. EquiForensics was founded after CEO Melinda Mancebo witnessed these injustices firsthand during her UN assignments. Our mission is to prevent wrongful convictions by connecting forensic experts globally and advancing forensic education worldwide.
With our “Training the Trainer Program”, we aim to build a global network of qualified instructors, providing them with high-quality, hands-on educational material for sustainable knowledge transfer. This comprehensive approach is further promoted through our platform, where we connect qualified forensic experts with organizations, making it easy to find, manage, and deploy specialists where they’re needed most. Additionally, we partner with academic institutions, government agencies, and international organizations to expand market access and ensure scientific compliance.
Our motivation is simple but powerful: no innocent person should suffer because forensic evidence is faulty or missing. This drives us to strengthen the weakest parts of the justice system and ensure everyone receives a fair trial based on solid scientific evidence. With over 25 years of international forensic expertise and team members skilled in marketing, research, and product development, we leverage rigorous scientific, business, and technical knowledge to drive social justice impact.
EquiForensics is not just creating tools, but building a comprehensive system to prevent wrongful convictions, support communities, and protect innocent people—operating right out of Vienna, a city with a rich tradition of diplomacy, human rights leadership, and international justice.
About the Startup Grant:
https://viennabusinessagency.at/current-funding/startup-grant
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