Impact Snapshot
October 2023
In this month’s Impact Snapshot, read about EHF Fellows in action creating environmental, social and economic impact, plus recent recognitions and awards they’ve received.
Fellows in action 🎬
Fellows Michael Tchou, Lisa Nelson, Chuck Chai, Michael Sims, and Anthony Lee are supporting economic and technological collaboration between Aotearoa NZ and the US.
At a high-impact NZTE Investor Migrant event in San Francisco, Fellows met with the New Zealand Ambassador to the US, Bede Corry. The NZTE event, hosted by Fellow Anthony Lee at his Altos office, is helping to raise the profile of Aotearoa NZ as an innovation nation, supporting potential economic and innovation opportunities. It provided a forum for invaluable networking, discussing investment opportunities, and knowledge sharing. Ambassador Corry also received a tour of Apple HQ, courtesy of Michael Tchao (VP of Products at Apple).
Adam Grosser (from UP.Partners) is creating opportunities for influential leaders in the transportation industry to collaborate, innovate, and invest, to help shape the future of global mobility and connectivity.
Adam and UP.Partners recently hosted the annual UP.Summit in Dallas, Texas, bringing together some of the world's most innovative minds and leaders from companies shaping the future of transportation. With over US$1 trillion in investable capital represented, the event aimed to foster relationships, inspire innovation, and catalyse the transformation of the global mobility ecosystem, spanning cars, trucks, rockets, planes, drones, energy, and the essential capital needed for this revolutionary shift in transportation.
Congratulations to all the exceptional finalists and winners of the GEN NZ Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Awards 2023, held in late October.
Fellows included among the finalists were Kaye-Maree Dunn, Flying Geese Productions (Faumuina Felolini Maria Tafunai), and Sasha Lockley (Money Sweetspot).
Kaye-Maree won the Māori Entrepreneur of the Year category, and Sasha won the Social Entrepreneur of the Year category.
Karim Harji is helping to shape the future of Impact Management. Karim advocates for the integration of impact principles into strategic approaches to facilitate long-lasting social and environmental impacts.
He recently presented these ideas at the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) Forum in Denmark, emphasising the need to shift from a reporting-centred paradigm to one that unifies retrospective and prospective impact creation.
The GIIN Forum serves as a pivotal platform for impact investors, fostering networking, insights, and collaboration to drive growth and advancement in the impact investing sector.
Following his presentation, Karim wrote a reflective article, elaborating on the significance of aligning stakeholder perspectives and methods, embedding Impact Management into strategy, and incentivising impact creation with integrity, all with the overarching aim of ensuring real-world positive impact.
Shoaib Iqbal is embarking on a transformative dialogue on climate change with the tamariki (children) and rangatahi (youth) of Aotearoa NZ using arts and technology.
Building on his successful global platform, The Little Art, he's launching a climate-focused initiative in Aotearoa NZ, aiming to empower young people to creatively explore climate issues, encouraging meaningful actions and fostering a sense of responsibility towards the environment through art, design, and technology.
By empowering young individuals to express their concerns and ideas creatively, the project aims to initiate a deep understanding of sustainability and inspire tangible actions. Through exhibitions, interactive elements, and educational outreach, 'Re-earth Studio' will look to drive a collective shift towards a more environmentally responsible future.
Kaye Maree Dunn, Aaron McDonald, and Paul Salisbury are helping to demystify and humanise the rapidly evolving and influential fields of decentralised technology, crypto, and blockchain.
Featuring in the just-released 6-part educational documentary series "WTF is Crypto?" produced by Reel Factory and TVNZ, Kaye Maree, Aaron, and Paul provide expertise, local perspectives, and accessibility to the complex world of cryptocurrency and blockchain, making the series a valuable resource for New Zealanders seeking a deeper understanding of these technologies. The series explores the origins, significance, and diverse aspects of the crypto space, taking a creative and engaging approach to a multifaceted subject.
Check out the series on TVNZ+.
Siddharth Sthalekar is transforming the way tech developers and communities collaborate. He has recently released ‘The Neighbourhoods Bazaar’, which provides a unique marketplace where needs are expressed, and values are framed through storytelling and politics. This initiative, driven by a commitment to support emerging communities, is introducing a novel currency for transactions. It is also establishing a framework for sustainable community tech development, looking to usher in a new era of inclusive, community-driven innovation.
Natasha Akib is supporting positive change among Australia's youth. She is equipping them with the tools and a platform to share their stories and advocate for improved mental health outcomes.
Through her co-founded organisation, Digital Storytelling, Natasha has been conducting storytelling workshops for incoming ReachOut Australia's Youth Ambassadors, creating a space for them to voice their lived experiences. Her work with ReachOut Australia is pivotal in driving change by amplifying youth voices in mental health advocacy and service development, placing their experiences and perspectives at the forefront of discussions and actions regarding mental health support for young people.
Vishal Chaddha is providing valuable guidance for early-stage founders in the SaaS space. He’s equipping them with insights to grasp investor interest, optimise business health, attract funding, and make well-informed choices.
His blog titled 'Metrics VCs Seek in Early-Stage SaaS Startups' serves as a resource for SaaS founders, startups, and investors seeking to comprehend the pivotal metrics driving success in this industry. This resource delves into the essential KPIs crucial for assessing and nurturing SaaS enterprises, offering actionable insights for founders, investors, and SaaS professionals.
Vishal also recently published ‘Decoding Product Market Fit for early-stage founders’ which explores the importance of product market fit as the cornerstone of any startups’ long-term success.
Phoebe Tickell continues to contribute to discussions about shifting away from conventional thinking to address urgent issues such as climate change.
Phoebe recently delivered a keynote address at the Inner Development Goals 2023 in Stockholm and One Young World in Belfast. Phoebe advocated for the need to foster transformative mindsets and imaginative solutions for pressing global challenges. These platforms/events allow leaders from around the world to debate, devise solutions, and collaborate to effect meaningful change on a global scale.
Owen Gaffney continues to actively advocate for climate justice by introducing innovative solutions. He has recently released a white paper proposing to use artificial intelligence tools to support the scale-out of clean energy infrastructure globally.
Tripling renewable energy investment by 2030, a goal backed by the International Energy Agency, is crucial for climate stability. Co-founder of The Exponential Roadmap Initiative, Owen details in the white paper that AI could be used to remove barriers and friction, particularly in the Global South. This includes a new AI-driven project that aims to accelerate the creation of $1 trillion worth of bankable clean energy projects in emerging markets and low-income countries while prioritising climate justice and environmental responsibility.
Christine Moon is making significant contributions to self-driving technology and entrepreneurship. She’s delivering crucial insights into the current state of autonomous vehicle deployments.
The president and co-founder of BlueSpace.ai, Christine appeared on an AutoNews podcast where she provided valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs. From her first startup experience to the latest developments and challenges in the field, Christine shared rich knowledge and observations, including the state of driverless deployments in San Francisco.
Khalid Albaih is using his art to fight for justice. Despite facing challenges and being aware of the risks associated with his work, Khalid remains dedicated to addressing issues of oppression and inequality through his powerful political cartoons. He not only seeks to raise awareness but also actively engages in projects to promote human rights and creativity, emphasising that giving up is not an option in the pursuit of a more just world.
Euro News featured Khalid this month in this article.
*Images have been provided by Fellows or sourced from the Internet. EHF does not claim to own the images.