02/09/2026
✨ Spotlight on Impact: Alyssa Jade McDonald-Baertl
As part of our series celebrating the inspiring women who participated in the Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise, we are proud to highlight women who are using leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation to create meaningful social impact.
Meet Alyssa Jade McDonald-Baertl, a governance and innovation leader working at the intersection of entrepreneurship, investment, technology and sustainable development.
💡 With 15 years of experience across venture building, portfolio oversight and board governance, Alyssa brings an entrepreneur’s instinct to the challenge of turning ideas and funding into solutions that reach the real market.
🌍 In 2026, Alyssa chairs WorldFish , serves on the Supervisory Board and Audit Committee of TAKKT AG, and contributes to the CGIAR Board. Across four continents, she has held governance roles spanning food, water, land and livelihoods.
🚀 Through her practice, BLYSS, Alyssa advises the European Commission , the German government and United Nations Development Programme - UNDP , working with boards and executive teams to navigate complex decisions and turn innovation into lasting impact. Her work has helped move more than €4 billion in innovation funding between 2015 and 2022.
💜 Alyssa also works at the intersection of technology and regulation, developing board-level AI governance frameworks and evaluating innovations across artificial intelligence, biotechnology and advanced materials. She sees European regulation not only as an obligation, but as an opportunity to drive responsible innovation.
Her approach to leadership is shaped by a belief in honest decision-making, resilience and taking responsibility - lessons she also draws from her time sailing and from navigating complex environments across more than 20 countries.
Stay tuned as we continue to spotlight inspiring women from the Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise who are driving positive change and shaping a more inclusive, equal and sustainable future through social entrepreneurship.
European Disability Forum Entrepreneurship Akademie INCO