WHO WE ARE

A corporate innovation management firm
with a global presence

We collaborate closely with you to shape the future of your business while supporting its present, always committed to delivering real, lasting impact and consistent results.
What we do

HISTORY

The Leading Global Innovation and Venture Network

Founded in London in 2012, we are one of the most comprehensive global networks of innovation and venture solutions. Strategically positioned worldwide, we are at the forefront of emerging market trends and new innovation frontiers, applying our insights locally to address each client’s unique challenges.

Team

Proven Leadership in
Innovation and Business

Founder and CEO

FOUNDER AND CEO

With over 15 years of experience in corporate innovation, startups, and technology investment, Marcone previously served as Chief Investment Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean for Her Majesty’s Government. He is also an MBA professor at Brazil’s leading innovation institutions, FIAP and IBMEC Belo Horizonte.

Felipe Novaes

Founder and CGO

Felipe Novaes is one of the co-founders of
The Bakery in Brazil. Before joining The Bakery,
I had extensive experience working with innovation in large corporations such as Vale, Syngenta and Avon. Felipe was also a Dealmaker for the UK’s Government Global Entrepreneur Programme, a government program to attract the next unicorn founders to the UK. Felipe is also an angel investor and was an entrepreneur, having received investment through the creation of Cloud Computing.

Glaucia Guarcello

Partner e COO

With 16 years of experience in innovation and venture strategy, Glaucia holds a PhD in the field and has led strategic innovation consulting as Chief Innovation Officer at Deloitte and Andrade Gutierrez. She is a professor at USP, FDC, and SingularityU, and was recognised as one of Brazil’s top innovation leaders by Época magazine in 2023.

Geraldo Neto

Investor

Entrepreneur specializing in investments. Currently, he owns an investment management company focused on startups, with more than 25 investments in his portfolio.

Flávio Pripas

Investor

He has over 25 years of experience in technology, business and entrepreneurship. In 2012, he was named one of the ‘Most Creative People in Business’ by FastCompany.

Roberto Furnari

Advisor

With a remarkable 40-year career in consumer goods and retail, Roberto (Beto) Furnari has
led companies to success as CEO of Alpargatas and Executive VP at Reckitt Benckiser, where he earned recognition for driving sustainable growth and fostering brand innovation. As the founder of HEI!Ventures, he now focuses on accelerating startups with a strong emphasis on AI. Beyond his corporate achievements, Beto serves on several global boards and directs the Gauss Project, an initiative aimed at empowering low-income youth.

Gabriela Kuchinski

Partner and Head of Strategy & Enabling

With over a decade of hands-on experience in making innovation thrive in large organizations, Gabriela spent 10+ years at Braskem, a leading petrochemical company, where she honed her expertise. Today, she spearheads strategic initiatives at The Bakery, working closely with clients to design and deliver innovation roadmaps that shape the future of technology and investment. Her role bridges the gap between forward-thinking strategies and tangible business impact, ensuring companies are equipped for long-term success.

Marina Almeida

Partner and Head of EMEA Operations

Marina led the Innovation Lab at Natura &Co., helping to transform the company into one of the most innovative in the world and the best corporation for the innovation ecosystem. An active member of the Open Innovation Ecosystem, she is a reference in partnerships with startups in Brazil and around the world. Marina was selected by Global Corporate Venturing in the “39 women to watch in the CVC LatAm world” list.

Fernando Castro

Head of Digital Transformation and Design

With over 15 years of digital consulting experience spanning Brazil, Australia, and the US, Fernando has collaborated with major companies such as Facebook, Google, Coca-Cola, Mastercard, Pfizer, and AT&T. He has successfully led a wide range of projects, from consumer-facing apps to B2B platforms, working across both public and private sectors, including notable contributions to the White House and the Department of Energy.

Pedro Henrique El Bainy

Head of Sales and Marketing

Pedro has extensive experience in B2B sales and Business Intelligence in large companies such as Ipiranga and Grupo Trigo. In the innovation ecosystem, he created strategies for Shell, L’Oreal, Icatu and Allos. He participated in the development of Porto Maravalley and was part of the team that brought the Web Summit to Rio de Janeiro.

Catharina Gaissler

Head of New Business

With over 10 years of experience in innovation and Venture Capital, Catharina has led global investment rounds and new venture creation projects at companies such as Coca-Cola and Porto Seguro. More recently, she took over the CVC and CVB area at Grupo Carrefour Brasil. She is a Certified Scrum Master, with expertise in agile principles for innovation.

Claire Dardignac

Head of EMEA

As Head of EMEA at The Bakery, Claire leverages nearly a decade of experience in leading ambitious digital transformation projects and new product launches within complex, highly regulated industries. She has successfully managed multi-million euro projects and provided strategic advice to global leaders, including Sanofi, Procter & Gamble, and Deloitte. Claire’s expertise is vital in driving innovation and growth for our partners across the EMEA region.

Andrew Humphries

Co-founder & Advisor

As a co-founder of The Bakery, Andrew brings extensive experience in helping entrepreneurs scale their businesses. A seasoned entrepreneur himself, he achieved notable success with Adeptra, a fintech that raised $43 million and was acquired by FICO in 2013 for $135 million. Additionally, Andrew has served as a negotiator for the Department of International Trade (DIT), focusing on attracting companies to establish their headquarters in the UK. His insights and expertise are invaluable to The Bakery’s mission of fostering
innovation and growth.

Orlando Crocker

Head of EMEA Delivery

As Head of EMEA Delivery at The Bakery, Orlando brings over 8 years of expertise in corporate innovation and digital transformation. He has worked with companies like SCOR, UNEP-WCMC, UCB, Wincanton, eBay, and Lloyds, driving successful outcomes through business development, entrepreneurship, and project management. His leadership ensures our team consistently delivers high-quality results for our partners.

Across our leadership team, we collectively achieve remarkable milestones

unicorns

in assets under management

corporations investing in our funds

exits

deals

testimonials

More Than Innovation: A Journey Built on Trust

60% of our revenue comes from repeat customers

The word that sums up our project with The Bakery is partnership. Those responsible for the program demonstrated attention and agility in meeting our needs, closely monitoring the evolution and knowing the details in depth.

MARCOS CALDERON
General Manager Vale

Our partnership with The Bakery has been marked by their commitment to understanding our challenges, bringing important insights and provocations to advance our strategic agenda.

LEONARDO ENRIQUE SILVA
Senior Director of Open Finance at Visa

Our partnership began in 2023 and has only grown stronger due to the excellent work done. The Bakery has a great commitment and a very robust methodology to understand our challenges, bringing insights, important provocations and relevant solutions to advance our strategic agenda.

CHARLOTTE GUINET
Innovation Manager Americas at Edenred

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