Colin M. Donohue - Kernel's New CEO "I'm proud to serve his legacy and to make something which will touch millions of lives, and help unlock the potential of people whose opportunities are now limited."

"A tragedy has made me change my life course and I am putting my existing work on hold to focus on serving as CEO of Kernel Finance, an impact startup which will unlock credit access for millions of microenterprises in the global South.

Kernel is an amazing company and I was very happy advising closely these last years, but the CEO, my dear friend and Startup Grind co-director Giorgi Tukhashvili died in a tragic skiing accident. He was 35 years old and is survived by his wife and 4 children. We have raised funds in Georgia for the family but international friends who knew him can also donate https://lnkd.in/d9ZMsb_g.

The Kernel team and supporters have rallied around and a strong new board has been appointed, led by Chris Burry, a friend of Kernel and 9 time serial entrepreneur with $1B+ exit value who managed 5000 people in India in one of his companies.

The future looks very good, I am currently in India meeting with strategic partners and learning. The need and opportunity is enormous and we are well placed to help unlock it.

The pain of Gio's loss is deep as he was a bright light of the world, touching thousands of lives already and inspiring the startup community of the nation of Georgia. He was one of the best people in the world. Certainly the person in my life I most enjoyed working with. He was young and just beginning to ramp up his impact and speed of learning and growth and I believed he would become a leader of national significance in Georgia in the purest way, as "servant leader" unlocking the best of people as he already did in his life.

Given Gio's virtue and devotion he clearly has his place among the angels, and we can feel him guide and judge us as we carry forward his legacy, and build the company that makes the impact he hoped in the world and which will support his family who is a shareholder.

I will share more about the business but mostly wanted to update. It is belated as I could not bring myself to write when it was so fresh.

Now over 40 days after his passing, Kernel is moving vigorously forward to achieve the scale and impact Gio envisioned. I'm proud to serve his legacy and to make something which will touch millions of lives, and help unlock the potential of people whose opportunities are now limited.

Thanks for your rallying around to keep Kernel momentum, Chris Burry Kaska Moszkowska Gustav Groth Beka Dalakishvili Misho Zghuladze Mariam Megvinetuhutsesi George Welton Levan Shalamberidze Jino Dollini David Tushishvili Salome Kukava Startup Grind and many many more.

I will write more about Gio when I can. It's easier for me to keep my head down and pushing hard forward to grow Kernel than it is to try to put into words what Gio meant to me and the world. But I owe that to him, too. Hold those that you love close, do what good you can in the world, and know this life on Earth is short.' - Colin M. Donohue