A Message from the Founder
An optimistic perspective on entrepreneurship, technology, and the work required to leave something better behind.
If there has ever been an audacious goal, it is in the space of social impact entrepreneurship. The goals in this space are ultimately those of humanitarian concern.
Get into this space and you’ll be looking to: address Climate Change and Global Warming, Fossil Fuel Emission, Plastic Pollution, Income Inequality, Water and Food Scarcity, not to mention social structures that perpetuate issues in each of these subject matters; Social Impact is an intense space!
Social Impact is a space for people who are switched on intellectually, care deeply about the human race, know that politics is not working quickly enough, have good self-care routines, are great net-workers, and understand how business can play a vital role in addressing these issues before time runs out, currently understood to be in 2030 when Climate Change and Global Warming become irreversible.
Since 2008, I’ve been to numerous events, related to this space, in person and online. I want to let you know that I am more optimistic now than I ever have been!
Seven Developments to Be Aware Of
- International sustainability networks. The International Society of Sustainability Professionals is a well-established global network with a growing, well-connected community.
- Material innovation. Shrilk is patented property of the Wyss Institute at Harvard University: a chitosan-based plastic replacement that can be amended into soil and foster new plant growth.
- Water technology. Desalitech is an ocean-water conversion company focused on cost-effective, electricity-efficient access to drinking water and useful compounds from seawater.
- Stronger renewable infrastructure. Research into chitin derivatives, 3D-printed building materials, and offshore wind could work together to produce stronger turbines and more resilient energy systems.
- Carbon conversion. A startup competition has explored converting gaseous carbon dioxide into calcium carbonate, with the longer-term goal of addressing atmospheric carbon dioxide.
- Waste plastic and roads. MacRebur is working to use post-consumer and ocean plastic in road-resurfacing materials, alongside work such as The Ocean Cleanup.
- Social-impact investment. Investors are increasingly interested in environmental, social, and governance metrics and in the connection between business decisions and individual life stories.
In Conclusion
From my perspective, in collaboration with social media activist communities, NGOs, non-profits, and the social impact market, I believe it is more likely than not that we will reverse Climate Change and Global Warming before 2030, while using the existing social structures of democracy and capitalism.