In a celebratory convergence of innovation and global impact, the 2023 Solve Challenge Finals, hosted by MIT Solve, took place and welcomed the Solve Class of 2023. These teams are determined to tackle Solve’s 2023 global challenges, rooted in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and perfecting the impact of technology in working towards social good. serves as an example.
To set the tone for the day, MIT President Cynthia Barnhart called for bold action in service to the world, and MIT Solve Executive Director Hala Hanna encouraged new solver teams and attendees to encouraged them to use their power for charitable purposes. “Humanity has lived in a technological dichotomy since time immemorial. Today, we are at a new crossroads with generative AI and have to make a choice. What if we chose to fix lines, improve all algorithms, and include all devices?” she said during the opening plenary, “Technological Power and Local Leadership: Solutions for Global Progress.” Ta.
Global, intergenerational, and contextual positive change
This year’s Solve Challenge Finals served as a platform for global reflection. COP28 Secretary-General Majid Al Suwaidi shared experiences that have shaped his approach to climate change negotiations. He described his emotional visit to a refugee camp supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees that houses 300,000 climate migrants. There he met his mother and her nine children. The vast camp, home to 300,000 people, had only one toilet for every 100 residents, and the shortage was clear. “Some people are the most affected, even though they have contributed nothing to the problem,” Majid stressed, calling for prioritizing those most affected by climate change when developing solutions. emphasized the need.
Moderator CIVICUS Secretary General Raisa John, in a hearth conversation with Sierra Leone Prime Minister David Senge SM’12, PhD ’16, and Wellbeing Foundation President Toyin Saraki, spoke about increasing Africa’s influence. guided the conversation. The African Union was recently named a permanent member of the G20. Saraki was passionate about Africa asserting itself, saying: Now is the time for us to bring African intelligence to the forefront. We need to bring in our own people, our own data, our own resources. ” She also called for a generational shift, recognizing that younger generations are ready for leadership.
Senge, who is 36 years old himself, stressed that young people are natural leaders, especially in a country where 70 percent of the population is young. He challenged society to challenge the status quo and entrust leadership roles to younger generations.
Saraki praised Solve as an important incubation hub that meets the need for contextual innovation while contributing to global progress. She sees Solve as a marketplace of solutions to systemic weaknesses, leveraging the diverse approaches of innovators young and old. “This is a generation of intellects that needs to grow, not just in Africa, and Solve is great in that regard, which is great for investors,” she said.
Henrietta Fore, Managing Partner, Chairman and CEO of Holsman International and Radiate Capital, cited India’s Swachh Bharat program aimed at promoting a cleaner environment. , shared examples of entrepreneurship promoted by national leaders. Government initiatives have led to a surge in entrepreneurial activity, with women opening a variety of stores selling toilets and toiletries. Mr. Fore highlighted the potential for companies to collaborate with countries on such programs to generate momentum and innovation.
Trust as capital
Trust was a prevalent theme throughout the event, from the personal to the business level.
Joanna Mair, Academic Editor; Stanford Social Innovation Review, Sarah Chandler, Apple’s vice president of environmental and supply chain innovation, asked for advice for companies and startups thinking about their overall climate goals. Mr. Chandler highlighted that Apple has reduced its carbon footprint by 45% and increased its revenue by 65% since 2015, and emphasized the importance of confidence that companies should have that their environmental goals are aligned with their business goals. did.
Neera Montgomery, a board partner at Greycroft, talked about her initial skepticism about working with large corporations after seeking advice from Ilan Goldfein, president of the Inter-American Development Bank. “Don’t be shy… come to us with multilateral banks… think of multilateral organizations as making connections. We can be your support commercially and financially and we can help you can be your client, and can be your promoter,” Goldfagin said.
During a fireside chat with Save the Children USA President and CEO Janti Soeripto and Digital Countermeasures Center Founder and CEO Imran Ahmed. , Mr. Soeripto shared the belief that the most effective change comes from the national and community level. She pointed to the circumstantial example of Save the Children investing in the scaling up of a small Austrian education technology startup, Library for All. This partnership has positively impacted literacy in other communities around the world by making literature more accessible.
Significant hurdles still exist for small and medium-sized enterprises to enter the global market. Imran points to sclerosis and a reluctance to trust small-scale innovation as an obstacle to meaningful change.
The final discussion of the closing plenary, “Financing the Future: Scaling Inclusive Impact,” featured Foer. Mr. Mohammed Nanabhay, Managing Partner of Mozilla Ventures; Alfred Ironside, MIT’s vice president for communications, asked the two panelists: [look for] When you’re thinking about putting money into leaders and organizations that are on a mission to create impact and achieve scale?”
Nanabay said it requires not only alignment of principles with the organization, but tenacity and, most importantly, belief in oneself. “Entrepreneurship, whether you’re on the for-profit side or the non-profit side, is a long journey and a difficult journey. It’s easy to say have guts, everyone says it. When the time comes, you… When you are struggling, you need to have a fundamental belief that what you are working on is meaningful and will make the world a better place.”