From Ideas to Impact: Unleashing Ventures that Tackle Global Challenges
How can entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors work together to drive change? Join us for a rare conversation between leaders in philanthropy, venture, science and policy on the strategies that can transform ambitious ideas into actionable solutions. We'll dive into the crucial role that collaboration across sectors can play in tackling our world’s most pressing challenges, from advancing health breakthroughs to fueling climate action.
Featuring:
Michael Sheldrick, Author, Policy entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Global Citizen
Tom Chi, Founding Partner at At One Ventures, Board Chair at Buckminster Fuller Institute
Stephanie Dainow, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer, Lifespan Research Institute
Barclay Palmer, Executive Editor, Climate & Capital Media (Moderator)
A book signing and networking reception will follow. This event is made possible by Foundation Source, a leading provider of enterprise-caliber and technology-led charitable giving solutions, supporting initiatives that empower individuals and organizations to drive lasting impact.
Speaker Bios:
Michael Sheldrick is a policy entrepreneur, author and a driving force behind the efforts of Global Citizen to end extreme poverty and build climate resilience. As a Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Affairs Officer, he has mobilized over $40 billion in support for healthcare, education and climate from governments, businesses, and foundations. Michael is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, and author of the newly published From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World. With a career that spans the world of pop and policy, Michael has worked with international artists such as Beyoncé, Coldplay, Idris and Sabrina Elba, as well as impactful political leaders including Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Michael serves on the boards of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens and the Benjamin Franklin House in London, and the Steering Committee of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Tom Chi is a Founding Partner at At One Ventures, which works to accelerate a future in which "humanity is a net positive to nature." Tom has worked in a wide range of roles from astrophysical researcher to designer to corporate executive developing new hardware/software products and services. He's played a significant role in scaling new projects from conception to global significance (Microsoft Outlook, Yahoo Search, Google). Tom is the Board Chair at the Buckminster Fuller Institute, dedicated to the realization of R. Buckminster Fuller’s vision of a world that works for 100% of humanity without ecological offense or disadvantage of anyone, by means of a design science revolution. BFI fosters "global adoption of new ways of thinking and doing: seeing the whole instead of its parts, embracing uncertainty, championing experimentation and learning, and exploratory vs. linear modes of execution... leading the transition from an extractive to a regenerative global economy."
Stephanie Dainow is a multifaceted leader in the longevity biotech and innovation sectors, serving as Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer at Lifespan Research Institute—formed through the recent merger of SENS Research Foundation and Lifespan.io, nonprofits with over 25 years of collective experience advancing longevity science and the future of health. Stephanie is a recognized international speaker and thought leader, sharing insights on emerging, impactful, and disruptive technologies. She mentors deep tech startups through UC Davis’ Venture Catalyst and SOSV’s IndieBio, guiding them in business development, fundraising strategy, and executive leadership. Her career includes roles in strategic relations at Singularity University, where she introduced exponential technologies to Fortune 100 leaders, as well as global consultancy for pharma and biotech, business development at a major media firm, and experience in celebrity and entertainment marketing. Driven by a commitment to reshape industries through transformative innovation, Stephanie empowers leaders to envision bold futures.
Barclay Palmer is Executive Editor and Head of Business Strategy at Climate and Capital Media. As founder of Black Birch LLC., he serves as strategic advisor, consultant or investor in cleantech, media, energy, and edtech, specializing in messaging, fundraising, branding and operations. An award-winning journalist, producer, and media executive, Barclay played a leadership role in creating the CBS News Streaming Network; designed and led "Reuters TV," Thomson Reuters' first public-facing digital video programming in a partnership with Google/YouTube; served as a founding senior producer for CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 and Amanpour; led two top Bloomberg TV programs; redesigned and led video programming at RealVision and Newsweek Media Group; and has developed text, social and programming and fundraising strategies for sustainability-focused companies. He serves on the boards of Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, and HiPhi, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing Nature-based solutions to agriculture, industry and investors.