By: Dani Savin
Eagan Notokusumo is a steadfast believer in the power of giving back and strives to make meaningful donations at least once a year. However, his journey hasn’t been without hurdles. Amidst the vast array of organizations vying for contributions, he realized that many were fraudulent, making it difficult to find legitimate causes to support. Recognizing this problem extended even to the corporate world, where due diligence often takes up to six months to ensure the legitimacy of donations, Eagan teamed up with Pavli Papadakis seizing an opportunity to revolutionize the corporate giving space with their fintech solution, Roete.
The Roete team officially kicked off the summer with their sights set on making the most of their time in the Jumpstart program. “I decided to apply to Jumpstart because of the opportunity to direct my thinking and focus on the startup through different lenses. I heard a lot of great things from the program, and I was excited to see the depth of programming that this program offers,” shared Eagan.
At the core of Roete’s mission lies the aspiration to establish a standardized framework for ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) communications and reporting. SEC regulations greatly differ between states so the space remains akin to the Wild West, lacking streamlined processes and guidelines. Eagan aims to pioneer change with Roete, “making it easier for companies to engage in corporate giving and align with ESG compliance seamlessly.” Embracing ease of use and advancements in technology, he believes that keeping up technically is essential in this space, which allows for efficient interactions with these non-profits.
Looking ahead, Eagan and Pavli have charted a two-pronged solution, catering to both donors and nonprofits. They plan to gradually build their revenue by focusing on the nonprofit side while simultaneously expanding their offerings for donors. Eagan and Pavli want to stay ahead of the curve, anticipating forthcoming regulations to serve their clients with utmost efficiency. With Pavli’s experience at Goldman Sachs, he’s seen the intricacies of compliance and due diligence. Leveraging technology and AI, Eagan seeks to automate the donation process and facilitate smart payments.
“Jumpstart has really helped me formulate many entrepreneurial frameworks, and I am really thankful for the opportunity to work on my venture full-time during the summer. The cohort is great, and I definitely appreciate the different expertise everyone has,” shared Eagen.
Roete’s unique approach centers on being community-centric and actively engaging industry leaders as mentors. As newcomers to the space, Eagan understands the importance of finding differentiators. They aim to maximize impact for companies striving for ESG compliance by providing a curated list of organizations for donations. This not only accelerates the compliance process but also promotes transparency for nonprofits, enhancing the overall giving experience.
With a keen eye on positive outcomes, Eagan envisions a future where people actively participate in regenerative economies through services like Roete.
Dani is an incoming freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying Journalism and RTVF at the The College of Letters and Sciences. Dani joined the team at The Garage to help facilitate the 2023 Jumpstart Pre-Accelerator summer program, working as a key pillar of the community to assist in daily operations and event execution, curate content for digital, print, and video publication, and strengthen community bonds.
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