The Kernel announces its advisory board

The Kernel today announces the first three members of its advisory board.

I’m delighted to announce that three phenomenal European entrepreneurs, each of whom has been of enormous assistance to The Kernel in an informal capacity until now, have today agreed to join The Kernel’s advisory board.

At The Kernel we are taking a long view, with some pretty audacious aspirations: we want to build this business into an influential and profitable media brand built on the traditional British journalistic principles of accuracy, attention to detail, intelligence – and, yes, a healthy dose of mischief.

We have selected three people we believe can help us prepare commercially for that goal. Since we’re a start-up writing about start-ups, it made sense to us to invite start-up founders, who are themselves in the thick of things, building great businesses and disrupting industries. More people will inevitably join us as time goes on.

Each member of the board will take a small stake in the company in exchange for their time, knowledge, expertise and insight.

Sam Barnett

Sam Barnett is the founder and chief executive of Struq, one of Europe’s most impressive start-ups working in the advertising sector - one that recently raised $8.5 million. Sam’s connections and expertise will be invaluable to us in the years ahead.

David Langer

Until recently chief executive of GroupSpaces, David Langer is one of Europe’s best-known young entrepreneurs. We have asked David to advise us given his deep and excellent operational and fund-raising experience. David is currently preparing for his new venture, Hasty.

Alicia Navarro

Alicia Navarro’s company, Skimlinks, is leading the way in affiliate marketing content monetisation here and in the United States. Alicia’s connections to and expertise with publishers will be of particular value to The Kernel.

As a result of their appointments to the board, Barnett, Langer and Navarro will retire from The Kernel 50 as alumni.

The Kernel’s editorial board, which is distinct from the company’s advisory board and guides the publication on its editorial content, remains unchanged, consisting of Drop Network founder George Marangos-Gilks, Kernel co-founder Adrian McShane, Kernel co-founder and Foursquare employee David Rosenberg and myself.