Alex Stephany

Alex Stephany is an entrepreneur, author, and technology leader whose career spans corporate law, the sharing economy, and social impact innovation. Stephany graduated from Oxford University with a first-class degree in English language and literature before training as a corporate lawyer at Clifford Chance LLP and later moving into management consultancy. He also worked at a strategy consultancy prior to entering the startup sector. His transition from law to entrepreneurship marked a significant shift, positioning him to influence industries through technology.

Stephany joined JustPark, formerly ParkatmyHouse.com, and became CEO. Under his leadership, JustPark grew into the world's largest peer-to-peer parking website, enabling families, churches, and businesses to generate income by renting out unused parking spaces. As CEO, Stephany increased revenue more than tenfold over three years, secured funding from Index Ventures, and led the company to achieve the largest equity crowdfunding for a startup at the time. JustPark received recognition from Virgin Media Business's Pitch To Rich competition, judged by Sir Richard Branson. Stephany has been profiled by Wired and appeared on Sky TV, Bloomberg, The Today Programme, and NPR radio.

He is the author of "The Business of Sharing: Making It In The New Sharing Economy," published by Palgrave Macmillan. The book features interviews with industry leaders, including the founders of Airbnb and Zipcar, and venture capitalists such as Fred Wilson and Robin Klein. Recognized as an expert on the sharing economy, Stephany has advised the former mayor of Seoul on collaborative technology. His writing and media appearances have established him as a prominent voice on peer-to-peer business models and technology-driven disruption.

Following his tenure at JustPark, Stephany founded Beam, a social enterprise that applies artificial intelligence to welfare services. Beam is trusted by more than 100 government partners and has impacted the lives of over 5,000 people facing homelessness. The organization introduced "Magic Notes," a social care AI tool used by half of the United Kingdom's social care teams. In a pilot, "Magic Notes" reduced administrative time for social workers by an average of more than 12 hours per week, with projected savings of 7,500 years of collective time and over £2 billion for taxpayers.

Beam employs approximately 200 people with offices in London, New York, and Melbourne, and is supported by investors including the founders of Booking.com and Dropbox. The company has received more than 40 awards, including City AM Innovative Company of the Year. Stephany was named Purpose Entrepreneur of the Year. He continues to mentor emerging social entrepreneurs and is recognized for his expertise in entrepreneurship, the future of work, and the application of AI in public services.