Named Startup-Grande-Dame by the media, Selma is a passionate entrepreneur and globally celebrated keynote and TEDx speaker who loves sharing her abundant professional experience and exciting personal story with audiences worldwide.

For the last 20 years, she considerably shaped the startup and angel investing ecosystem in Europe. She is among "Europe's most influential women in the startup & VC space" in 2022 & 2023, while prominent media in over 40 countries (Forbes, Financial Times, Elle, ORF, Aljazeera) covered her expertise and activities.

As Vice-President of the European Business Angel Network (EBAN) she is leading Europe's early-stage investing ecosystem. She initiated the EBAN Manifesto for Gender Balanced Investing aiming to triple the number of female angel investors in Europe by 2030.

She is the founder of the global SDG platform 1MillionStartups and the Austrian Angel Investors Association (now Invest Austria), while she launched a dozen successful brands with her boutique advisory Brainswork.

Selma's impact goes beyond boardroom decisions, ecosystem leadership, and policy initiatives. She possesses a unique ability - the power to inspire and empower others. To learn from Selma is to embark on a transformative journey guided by a mentor who has walked the path herself.

Besides her passion for entrepreneurship, she is a fervent advocate for female empowerment and mental fitness. For her innovative approach to business and commitment to entrepreneurship and social change, she received numerous awards such as the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award and EBAN Best Pioneering Investment Initiative.

An Austrian, born in Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Selma was raised in several countries in Europe and North Africa and was formally educated in 4 different languages. She studied at the University of Sarajevo, at the Saint Louis University in Madrid, and at the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Above all, Selma is happily married to her first & and only love, and the proud mother of two fantastic young adults.