Tech Entrepreneurship, Diversity, and Navigating Controversy: Building Bridges in a Polarized World

Over the past month, I have been the subject of a substantial and unfounded attack on Linkedin, with a few individuals calling me racist and antisemitic either because they have misinterpreted things I have said or because I do not share their worldview. Given this is the polar opposite of who I am and what I am advocating for, I initially dismissed these baseless accusations. I assumed anyone who has ever worked with me or knows me could vouch for my inclusive approach and keen interest in cultures and people. To call me racist or discriminatory in other ways could not be further from the truth.

I'd like to use this post to offer background on specific tweets (x.com/chris_mischler) that were screen-captured and shared on LinkedIn by certain individuals. These messages were used to create a wrong impression. I regret using profanity as well as certain wordings in some tweets. I apologize to anyone who was offended by or misunderstood my intention in the language.

This post is primarily for those who don't know me personally but have encountered these posts on LinkedIn, via email, or other channels. The aim is to dispel any doubts about my views.

You can jump to the end of this post to get a 'Tl;dr' version of my political position. Due to the risk of losing context, I prefer to keep that summary at the end of this post and lead with some background on myself.

I've been an entrepreneur for most of my life, starting my first company in high school and another as a freshman at the University of St. Gallen (HSG). In 2012, I transitioned into the tech industry by joining the founding team of Foodpanda, leading me to a globally nomadic lifestyle. Within a year, we expanded Foodpanda to 28 countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, hiring over 500 people. I co-founded HotelQuickly, launching it in 6 countries and scaling it to cover 16 countries in Asia-Pacific until our exit in early 2017. Following that, I co-founded GuestReady, the leading short-term rental management company in Europe and the Middle East, spanning 10+ countries. My latest venture, Deskimo, is based in Singapore and operates in 5 countries across Asia and the Middle East.

Even before my entrepreneurial career, I had a deep interest in other cultures, driving me to enroll in the CEMS double master’s program during graduate school. Courses like "Global Citizenship," "Global Leadership," and "Global Strategy" motivated me to pursue this extensive master’s program. What inspires me the most is working with people from different backgrounds, nationalities, and languages. Some of my closest friends to this day I met during my studies abroad at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), which was my host university during the CEMS program. Some of these friends even became co-founders at some of my startups or invested in tech ventures alongside me. Already at university, I knew I wouldn't stay in Switzerland, not due to a lack of appreciation for this wonderful country, but because the world is vast, opportunities abound, and emerging markets present challenges solvable through technology.

A fundamental aspect of working in the tech industry that I value is the ability to unite diverse people based on their qualifications and motivations, connecting them through a shared vision.

Tech facilitates faster and easier bridge-building, driven partly by the industry's younger workforce and our early adoption of collaborative tools.

Throughout my involvement in various companies, I've maintained a strict non-discrimination policy with zero tolerance for bias against individuals or groups. Inclusion and diversity are integral to every company I've had the privilege to start or invest in. My co-founders across these ventures have had diverse nationalities, spoke different languages, and followed different faiths. Embracing our differences strengthens us, leading to better products, services, and success in the market.

Discrimination often stems from ignorance or fear of the unfamiliar. Developing cross-cultural understanding is crucial. Actively engaging with people from diverse backgrounds, whether raised in a different political system, practicing a different faith, or speaking a foreign mother tongue, fosters appreciation for their perspectives. Connecting with individuals and showing genuine interest in their personal, familial, cultural, or societal circumstances enables a nuanced view of the world. This fosters an appreciation for differences while recognizing the universal humanity we all share in our needs, ambitions, worries, and fears.

Engaging with diverse cultures and backgrounds where we live is crucial, but traveling and immersing ourselves in unfamiliar worlds is equally important. Stepping out of our comfort zones exposes us to different people, situations, nations, and cultures.

Having visited over 100 UN-recognized countries, I had the privilege this year to explore nations often negatively portrayed in Western media, like Kosovo, Ukraine, Lebanon, Belarus, and Syria. Traveling to these destinations and conversing with locals provides enlightening insights into their lives, experiences, hardships, and joys, fostering a more profound understanding beyond sensationalized headlines. Media often focuses on 'breaking news,' distorting the view of entire countries without historical context.

Since my teenage years, I've followed global conflicts, including those in the Middle East, with particular attention to the Palestine-Israel situation.

The region's complex and diverse history and religious significance make it challenging to envision a resolution. Over the years, I've empathized with the Palestinians' challenges stemming from historical events like the Nakba. Regardless, I believe in a two-state solution that aligns with international agreements, as it represents a pragmatic approach to peace in the region.

Furthermore, two key aspects seem apparent to me:

First, regional and local forces, along with third parties like the US and EU, play crucial roles in conflicts, driven by their strategic agendas for regional control or influence reduction. Superficial reasons, such as 'liberation of people' or 'humanitarian conflict resolutions,' are used to manipulate media consumers, masking deeper motives related to military control, political power, and access to natural resources in proxy wars.

Second, religions, while providing comfort, community, and a narrative for millions, are often exploited to control and spread discrimination. Despite shared core values, religions have fueled wars over the past 2,000 years. Personally, I turned atheist at 18 but maintain an outsider's fascination with religions, exploring their motivations. Although I appreciate religious architecture and history, I believe a world with less religious attachment would be more tolerant, inclusive, collaborative, and enjoyable. Religious extremism stands out as a particularly concerning form of extremism.

Regarding recent events, the violence on October 7, 2023, was clearly an act of terrorism, which I unequivocally condemn. While I understand the context, I firmly believe violence won't bring peace. I see Hamas as detrimental to the Palestinian cause, and a unified leadership under the Palestinian Authority would be more effective.

The Israeli reaction, which I believe is disproportionate and violates the Geneva Convention on various counts, raises serious concerns. The ongoing military operations appear to target civilians, undermining the pursuit of peace.

Tl;dr:

• I support Palestine. I condemn Hamas.
• Hamas is a terrorist organization.
• I deeply condemn what happened on Oct 7.
• I deeply condemn the extent of Israel’s reaction to the events of Oct 7.
• I believe all religions are equal. No religion is better than another. I’m an Atheist myself.
• I firmly oppose Antisemitism and Islamophobia.
• I have never and will never discriminate against anyone for their faith, nationality, language, gender, age, race, sexual orientation, or any other personal attribute. On the contrary, I have always been and will continue to be a strong advocate for inclusion, tolerance, openness, and togetherness.

I acknowledge that people may oppose my political views and I welcome discussions on these differences. I remain open to changing my perspective in the face of new and valid information. Engaging in discussions, especially with those more knowledgeable, provides a valuable learning and personal growth opportunity.

To conclude, I want to express my sincere empathy with anyone who has been physically or emotionally affected by the terrorist attacks on October 7 and by the war that has unfolded since. I call the Middle East my home and appreciate the Arab culture and its people. I wish for lasting peace in the region, less religious manipulation, prosperity for all countries, and equal treatment of all humans, regardless of nationality, religion, race, or gender.

Tech builds bridges and tears down walls; this applies to startups and VCs investing in such startups. Let's be a force for good.