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AN ALUMNA IN THE DRAGON’S DEN
Bianca Rangecroft graduated from La Châtaigneraie in 2011. Since then she has obtained a first-class Bachelor’s degree in History and Politics from SOAS and LSE, as well as a Master’s degree in Management from Imperial College Business School. Now, she is the founder and CEO of Whering, a fashion tech app that allows you to digitise your wardrobe, in order to see and to style what you own. Earlier this year, Bianca appeared on BBC One’s hit TV series “Dragon’s Den” to pitch her wardrobe app to the Dragons. Her mission: to upend the “buy, use, dispose” model and use AI to help us make the most of the clothes we already own. The “Clueless” inspired app has been featured in leading publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle and Forbes, to name a few.
After five years working in banking, first at Barclays Investment Management and then in Goldman Sachs’ consumer division in London, Bianca founded Whering in June 2020 with a deep desire to democratise access to personal styling, after having worked on two big fashion tech IPOs. Fashion accounts for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, so by encouraging you to wear your clothes for longer and in different ways, Whering changes the way we approach fashion and helps us consume more mindfully.
Despite a very convincing pitch and many positive reactions online, the Dragons did not decide to invest in Whering. Another missed opportunity for the Den? Whering went on to raise more than $2 million, growing its audience organically to 600,000 Wherers — a year after the episode was filmed. Whering continues to encourage users all over the world to maximise the potential of their existing wardrobe.
Bianca Rangecroft
WE HAVE REACHED THIS YEAR’S SCHOLARSHIP GOAL!
We are delighted to announce that thanks to the generosity of many members of the Ecolint community, we have been able to raise the CHF 500,000 needed to unlock a CHF1 million pledge from a local foundation. These funds, disbursed over the next five years, will enable us to provide educational opportunities for the forthcoming wave of scholars who join us from diverse backgrounds and with exceptional promise and potential.
The first group of scholars, who graduated this spring, are writing new chapters in their stories of perseverance and triumph. Some are university-bound in Europe and the Americas, while others have chosen to pursue a professional degree in Geneva and focus on gaining concrete work experience. We are excited to welcome the next cohort of five scholars to the Ecolint community, starting in August 2022. Three of the students are Ukrainian, one hails from Russia and one is from Armenia. Unlike the 1.0 version of the scholarships programme, we are proud to announce that the second phase will see scholars attending all three campuses, thanks to key partnerships established with refugee support organisations in the canton of Vaud.
If you would like to contribute and help to make available this opportunity for future scholarship beneficiaries, please visit the Supporting Ecolint page. We reiterate our thanks to all those who gave so generously in response to this appeal, as well as to all other community members who supported the programme in their own particular way.
Educating the global digital citizens of tomorrow
EDUCATING THE GLOBAL DIGITAL CITIZENS OF TOMORROW
From purpose-built robots twirling around, following carefully coded instructions, to sensors measuring and tracking everything from speed to temperature, from putting the finishing touches to artwork on Photoshop to the publication of a website entirely conceived, designed and created by students, any visitor touring Campus des Nations would be struck by the dazzling variety of technology that is being used in every classroom, every day.
“With its ever-changing digital landscape, the 21st Century is one where everyone is constantly exposed to some sort of technology, and the world of education is no different,” explains Richard Allaway, ICT Campus Partner at Campus des Nations. “In our school, digital technology is integrated into day-to-day teaching and learning at all academic levels.”
From the earliest age, students in Primary start using technology to support their learning, developing digital citizenship skills that form the foundation on which they build their understanding of the digital world. “Students learn how to care for the technology they use, to act with integrity and honesty while using it, and to take responsibility for their actions,” continues Allaway.
As students grow, so too does their digital world. In addition to using tools that become more complex and require greater effort and diligence, they are exposed to online platforms, such as social media, with all the benefits and risks that these can bring. “Respect, safety, balance, being informed and positivity are the keywords that shape the way digital citizenship is broached and explored in Secondary,” explains Campus des Nations Secondary psychologist Bridget Curran. “Our programme is designed to reflect age-appropriate topics and engage students in rich conversations, moving with the developmental stages of each child.”
Be it in the classroom or outside of school, we are all interconnected in a web of technology. Though technology — and especially the online world — comes with its share of challenges and risks, at Campus des Nations, as on our other two campuses, we ensure that our students have the skills to use it in a safe way that is ethical and respectful towards others, educating them to be global digital citizens, committed to transforming the world for the better.
Take a virtual tour of technology at Campus des Nations.
BUILDING THE FUTURE TOGETHER
The Ecole Internationale de Genève is a not-for-profit foundation, and our day-to-day costs are covered by tuition fees. The school relies on financial support from our community and partners to help achieve development projects.
Get in touch to discuss how you can help!
Different ways of giving | Support for specific projects | Donor recognition opportunities | Legacies
