From Grid Failures To Network Strength

Welcome to this week’s EVOLVE Dispatch

In this edition:

1. When the Grid Fails, Networks Matter More Than Ever
   What a blackout in Spain and Portugal reveals about resilience, decentralisation, and what we're building at EVOLVE.

2. How Do We Leverage Relationships
   A simple post led to a win-win-win between a local influencer, our client, and the EVOLVE network. This is how community strategy works in real time.

3. Community Round-up
   Davor Ančić, founder of Velebit AI, joined us for an expert session, bringing clear, practical examples of how AI is transforming industries, the tough conversations to be had in boardrooms, and much more.

4. The Week Ahead
   OMR in Hamburg. Two expert sessions. And more in-person moments with EVOLVE members across Europe.

Markets & Perspective

When the Grid Fails, Networks Matter More Than Ever

On April 28, 2025, a massive power outage plunged Spain and Portugal into darkness, affecting millions.

The blackout was triggered by a sudden loss of 15,000 megawatts, about 60% of Spain's electricity supply, within five seconds, leading to a complete shutdown of the Iberian Peninsula's power grid.

Key Factors ( Source: Financial Times)

• Overreliance on Renewables Without Adequate Backup: Spain's grid, with over 66% renewable energy capacity, lacked sufficient stabilising technologies like battery storage, making it vulnerable to frequency imbalances.

• Ageing Infrastructure and Limited Interconnections: Spain's grid has limited connections to the broader European network, reducing its ability to import electricity during crises

• Climate-Induced Challenges: Unusual atmospheric conditions caused oscillations in high-voltage power lines, leading to synchronisation failures.

But this isn't just about power grids.
It’s a metaphor for every centralised system we rely on.

From COVID to geopolitical supply shocks, the past few years have taught us one thing:
If you depend on one node, you’re one failure away from collapse.
This is why resilient systems are decentralised.

And why networks beat silos every time.

The smartest businesses today are no longer acting like lone stars.
They’re building ecosystems around them:

– Shopify grew by building a developer and app ecosystem, not just a platform.
– Unilever is shifting from a top-down product strategy to regional innovation cells.
– VTEX, one of our partners, empowers a decentralised network of agencies, tech partners and brands to go-to-market fast.

These companies aren’t just creating products.
They’re engineering distribution through community, capability-sharing, and speed.

And that’s exactly what we’re doing at EVOLVE.

Not just another network
Not a list.

A living, breathing network of senior commerce professionals who help each other with intros, local insight, strategy, talent, and growth.

When the grid fails, when markets wobble, or when systems slow you down…
You don’t need a lifeline, you need a network.

This is why EVOLVE exists.
To lower dependencies.
To move faster together.
To stay ready, no matter the disruption.

2. How Do We Go To Network - A Practical Case

Last week, one of our members shared a post about an upcoming event in Germany.

Because of that single move, an EVOLVE partner now has a curated group of potential clients coming to their booth at OMR

All thanks to a trusted local connector who knows the right people to invite.

It’s not a tactic.
It’s part of the EVOLVE strategy, where everybody wins.

🔁 Our influencer and community partner gets visibility and engagement.
📈 Our partner gets warm introductions and leads
🌱 And EVOLVE builds equity and trust, with zero cold outreach.

When EVOLVE reached out, Efe activated his network with a single post.

The result?

Several inbound messages and increased visibility.

This exemplifies how, in 2025 and beyond, building and leveraging networks is paramount.

I’ll share more about it after OMR, happening in Hamburg this coming Tuesday and Wednesday.

3. Community Round-up

Expert Session #56 Davor Anicic

Last week, we hosted an expert session with Davor Ančić, co-founder and CEO of Velebit AI, a boutique AI consultancy based in Zagreb. Davor leads a compact, highly experienced team that delivers custom AI solutions across various industries, including online marketplaces, publishing, e-commerce, gaming, and biotech.

Velebit AI is known for its hands-on approach, focusing on building production-ready AI systems tailored to real business needs. Their services encompass consultancy, custom AI development, and data & machine learning engineering

Key takeaways included:

• Starting with small, actionable AI projects to gain quick wins.

• Focusing on tangible outcomes rather than theoretical models.

• Engaging in open discussions about the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Davor's insights provided a grounded perspective on implementing AI effectively, aligning perfectly with EVOLVE's mission to foster practical innovation within our community.

EVOLVE Voices #21: From Law to Leadership at SHEIN

In the latest episode of EVOLVE Voices, Edilsa Bueno sits down with Peter Pernot-Day, Global Head of Strategy & Corporate Affairs at SHEIN.

Peter shares his unconventional journey from practising international law to steering strategy at one of the world's most talked-about fashion brands.

The conversation delves into:

• Navigating the complexities of global compliance and data privacy

• Leading through public scrutiny and building trust in global teams

• The importance of asking the right questions over having all the answers

• How open water swimming contributes to his leadership approach

Peter's insights offer a unique perspective on the intersection of legal expertise and strategic leadership in the fast-paced world of fashion e-commerce.

4. The Week Ahead

This week, we’ll be at OMR (Online Marketing Rockstars) in Hamburg — one of Europe’s leading events on digital commerce and marketing.

We’ll be there alongside VTEX, EVOLVE community members from Germany and beyond, and our local partners to create content, facilitate intros, and support those building across markets.

We’re also hosting two expert sessions:

📍 Wednesday – Co-hosted by my partner in crime, Gustavo, we’ll welcome one of the founders of Bielik, a leading A.I community with over 1.000 members ( mostly engineers) is developing an open-source A.I model out of Poland. Remember Magento? That is what these guys are building.
📍 Thursday – Carlos will host a session with the Head of Pinterest in Brazil to discuss the evolution of the platform, how Pinterest is evolving beyond a visual inspiration platform into a strategic discovery engine for brands. We will speak about the transformation of consumer behaviour, the strategic use of data, building brand ecosystems, and much more.

Time to EVOLVE

Keep the conversation going in our WhatsApp group and exclusive Mighty Networks community—that’s where real connections happen.

Make sure to follow our newsletter, where we highlight what’s shaping our club. In the coming months, we’ll be announcing new partnerships, events, meetups, and the opportunities our members are creating together.

Interested in partnering with EVOLVE? Reach out at [email protected] or [email protected].

We don’t need more content—we need better ways to connect humans.

The future is bright. Let’s build it together.

#EVOLVE