Innovate4SDGs: Financing for Circular Start-ups in Emerging Markets

Dmitry Mariyasin is Deputy Executive Secretary of the UNECE. Earlier he was Resident Representative of UNDP in Armenia, and Regional Partnership Advisor and Team Leader in UNDP’s Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy covering Europe and CIS region. Mr. Mariyasin worked in the UNDP Regional Support Center in Bratislava, the Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS in New York; and the UNDP Country Office in Moscow. He holds a PHD in Economics from Moscow State University, a Masters in Public Administration degree from New York University, as well as a degree in public administration and one in international economics.

Mr. Sharaf Sheralizoda is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Tajikistan to the United Nations Office in Geneva. Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Sheralizoda had been serving as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan since 2021. An economist by career, he has held leadership roles in various public offices in Tajikistan, including Head of the Secretariat of the Advisory Council for Improving the Investment Climate, Director of the Centre for Implementation of Public-Private Partnership Projects, and Leading Specialist of the Department of Demographic Statistics and Employment of the State Statistics Committee.

By leveraging Impact Hub’s global network, Felix co-founded Impact Hub Geneva and Lausanne, and co-leads the organization, that currently launches the first innovation space in Switzerland for circular and inclusive economy in Lausanne: Beaulieu Circulaire. Felix holds an M.A. in International Relations from the Geneva Graduate Institute, and serves on the executive board of Circular Economy Switzerland - Switzerland’s entry point to the circular economy and movement of its actors. He also supports the SDG Lab of the United Nations Geneva Office and SHIFT Switzerland as part of their advisory boards.

Luca Etter is Senior Policy Advisor and Focal Point for Private Sector Engagement at SDC. His main role is supporting SDC’s operational units and management whenever they engage with the private sector and coordinate SDC’s economy network. Luca has been with SDC for ten years, previously as Head of Domain in Tanzania and Program Manager for Private Sector Engagement in SDC’s Multilateral Division. Before joining SDC, Luca worked for the World Bank and Social Impact, a boutique development consulting firm. Luca holds a BA in International Affairs from the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and an MPP from Georgetown University.