A New Expedition - The Mission Studio
The Hillary Institute & Edmund Hillary Fellowship announced an exciting new ‘expedition for global impact’ at an event on 23 February in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland.
Attended by more than 150 people in person and online, including iwi partner Te Āti Awa, founders, stakeholders and supporters, the organisations shared the next chapter - to unlock the potential of its two extraordinary communities - Hillary Laureates and EHF Fellows.
Speaking about building on the past to create impact for the future, Chair, Anna Kominik, says:
“This is about bringing together two global networks who have already created enormous change as individuals, by drawing them together to catalyse even greater impact, not just for Aotearoa but for the world.”
As the first step, or ‘expedition’ towards unlocking the potential of the Fellow and Laureate communities, CEO, Rosalie Nelson announced The Mission Studio.
“The Mission Studio is about activating exceptional people and innovative projects to power up system solutions from Aotearoa.”
Rosalie explained that the aim of The Mission Studio is to create impact from New Zealand, demonstrating Aotearoa as a base camp for change and showing global leadership through a series of grand challenges.
Edmund Hillary Fellowship and Hillary Institute CEO, Rosalie Nelson, speaking at the Expedition Event
She announced ‘Climate Innovation’ as the first grand challenge that The Mission Studio would tackle, and the four mission focus areas of energy transition, nature restoration, sustainable food, and resilient communities.
“The urgency and the imperative to act on climate innovation is so great. We really only have seven to ten years to act, and we have so many Laureates and Fellows who have extraordinary skills, capability, and vision in this space.”
Describing ‘innovation’, Rosalie says:
“We are not just talking about technology solutions, or tech disruption; rather we are talking about the innovative mindsets, leadership, systems change methods and measurement for impact.”
The Mission Studio will bring together change makers and innovators, to make a commitment to action by fast forwarding and amplifying existing initiatives. It could also create new purpose-led projects that will deliver on shared goals. All of this work will be underpinned by the values of Sir Edmund Hillary and te ao Māori principles.
“Our Laureates and Fellow communities are extraordinary by the sense of purpose that they have, and the sense of ambition – that they can, and will change the world – and they want to do that in partnership with others,” says Rosalie.
“We want to create a space and provide a connective framework to partner and collaborate - across our Fellow and Laureate communities - and with the innovation ecosystem.
New Zealand-born Hillary Laureate Meagan Fallone says: “Being part of this community has been really important – not only for me, but for my fellow Laureates. It’s in these communities that we are able to scale our ideas and our work, to use each other’s networks that we’ve spent a lifetime creating, to actually amplify and accelerate ideas that are proven on the ground, ready to go, and working. That’s really what’s required now,” she says.
Rosalie concludes:
“Systemic change requires leadership from across the globe – governments can’t do this alone. It must be led by those on the ground, working in concert with researchers and innovators to develop and implement practical solutions. This is what The Mission Studio offers.”
Note of thanks - the Hillary Institute & EHF would like to acknowledge the inspiring and compelling speaking contributions from Te Āti Awa Chair, Mātua Kura Moeahu, Sir Edmund Hillary’s son Peter Hillary, 2018 Hillary Laureate, Meagan Fallone, and Fellows - Amy Armstrong; Mike Taitoko; Gary Hirshberg and Owen Gaffney, and Rod Oram for his role as MC.