Humans are capable of incredible innovation. Today we can land a rover on Mars, take a class without stepping into a classroom, and instantaneously talk to someone on the other side of the globe. Innovation is also changing the landscape of international development: mobile phones are putting health information directly in the hands of expectant mothers who may not have access to clinics; solar lamps are providing power to communities that aren’t connected to an electric grid; and new ways of getting vaccines to children in hard-to-reach communities are helping to stamp out polio.
The world will need to continue to harness this innovative power to unlock new solutions to pressing challenges like ending preventable child deaths, stopping climate change, and more. That’s why the United Nations and the UN Foundation are focused on unleashing creativity and finding new ways of doing business in our work to improve lives around the world.
To help us achieve new levels of innovation, the UN Foundation created a Global Entrepreneurs Council (GEC) in 2011. This unique group of young, cutting-edge entrepreneurs from business, media, technology, and other sectors brought new ideas and fresh thinking to the table, connected us with new audiences and resources, and encouraged a new spirit of creativity throughout the work of the UN Foundation.
We are honored and grateful for the time and efforts of the members of the inaugural GEC class:
Ryan Allis – Founder and CEO, Connect;
Elliott Bisnow – CEO, Summit;
Sergio Fernández de Córdova – Chairman and Co-Founder, PVBLIC Foundation;
Brian Gott – Director, Burkle Global Impact Initiative;
Angela Mwanza – Senior Vice President, UBS Private Wealth Management;
Shervin Pishevar – Managing Director, MenloVentures;
Zaw Thet – Founder and Executive Chairman, Palindrome Advisors; and
Randi Zuckerberg – Founder and CEO, Zuckerberg Media.
Over the past two years, this group has brought innovative new ideas to the UN and the UN Foundation including:
·Creating the Global Good Challenge, an online platform to educate and engage a new network of supporters in the UN’s lifesaving work;
·Facilitating ad campaigns in taxis, airports, malls, and other locations across the country to encourage Americans to get involved in solving global challenges like poverty and girls’ rights;
·Helping the Foundation “go mobile” and connect with supporters through a mobile app for the UN and a SMS notification service;
·Mobilizing the creative community to raise awareness and funds to support the fight to end malaria; and
·Organizing the first-ever Facebook Town Hall with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the music band Linkin Park.
The inaugural GEC class has also been instrumental in selecting the next GEC class, which will be announced very soon. This allows us to build on the great work started over the past two years and keep innovation at the forefront of our efforts.
The dedication and talent of the inaugural GEC class has strengthened the Foundation and helped change lives. Although their two-year term is ending, we look forward to continuing our work with this dynamic and passionate group to foster ingenuity and build a brighter world for future generations.