812. Igniting the Spark in an Entrepreneur's Eye

Cédric Bollag

Cedric-Bollag, founder of Global Tech Box

“There is a very vibrant community of startups and innovation going on in Israel. And I was just fascinated, and every other friend had their own startup. So I felt like maybe it will be a good time to just start something on my own. But I didn’t really have this idea or like your eureka moment. So I said, okay, you know what, let’s just start with something I’m passionate about, which is startups. So together with my wife, we came up with a name, which is still today, GlobalTechBox.com.”

Cédric Bollag is an aspiring venture capitalist. He just graduated with his Master’s degree in Accounting and Finance at the prestigious University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The motivation for starting GlobalTechBox.com came from a deep passion for Startups & Venture Capital. Cédric is frequently invited as a keynote speaker related to topics around Startups and Venture Capital.

The Most Impactful Turning Point?

“After I had completed internships with a bank in Zurich and another in Israel, I realized that the rather bureaucratic world of banking did not suit my talents or interests. I happened upon an internship in Jerusalem with the Eastern Research Group, where I was able to interface with myriad different entrepreneurs and vibrant start-ups who were blazing trails of innovation across many different business niches. That experience was the catalyst for me to realize I wanted to start something on my own that I am truly passionate about. My wife and I came up with the name Global Tech Box and that was our beginning.”

The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?

1. My family’s Jewish roots go back over 500 years in Switzerland. That long heritage is a powerful and positive influence on each of us as we forge our lives and careers.

2. At around 10 years of age I had some discipline problems in school, so my parents enrolled me in karate classes. I practiced regularly for 10 years and it taught me how to focus and re-channel my energy in positive ways.

3. As a teenager I was bullied for a few years for not experimenting with drugs with some of my friends. It was a very tough time but taught me the importance of following your own instincts about doing what you think is right vs. following the crowd.

4. After finishing high school, I went to Israel to pursue Talmudic studies to discover what my goals were from a religious perspective in my life, not just from the point of view of my education and career plans.

5. With my bachelor’s degree in business administration I did a couple of internships with a bank in Zurich and in Israel. The hands-on experience made me realize that I did not have the temperament nor the interest to pursue the rather bureaucratic world of banking. So, I decided to start a company of my own.