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Today I met someone who really got my attention and blood pumping as he talked about his work with the Gates Foundation. I’ve got tremendous respect for Bill to leave a legacy for the world through his philanthropic efforts, but I had no idea about specifics about how he would go about solving the deep inequities in the world specifically in health. Today, I learned a bit…
Did you know that the Grand Challenges Exploration has given away 105 grants so far totaling $100,000 each to solve global health issues? Some of these grants are going to entrepreneurs with for-profit ideas. It’s absolutely mind-blowing some of the ideas being researched and developed. For example, malaria is a huge problem in the developing world and mosquito nets while very effective in protecting humans from mosquitos isn’t comfortable as it’s just too hot to have a net over you when it’s hot and humid out. So, Marka Szabolcs from Columbia University, is developing how optical irradiation might be used to physically disrupt mosquitoes’ sensory systems such that they can’t find human hosts. In other words, using “light” that humans can’t see to keep the mosquitos away. Now, if that isn’t cool, I don’t know what is. I’d buy this right off the shelf of REI if it was available today!
The great thing about entrepreneurs is that we are able to spot opportunities when most people just see unsolvable problems, or if you’re like the government you try to spend your way to solve the problems. These issues require dreamers who have creativity, high risk-tolerance, and ability to execute. The more entrepreneurs we can get to focus on issues that threaten humanity – hunger, disease, inequality – the less we have to worry about our security. Maybe that’s too naive of a belief, but have you ever wondered how the world would be a better place if defense budgets were spent on development rather than weapons? People would be employed and would have the ability to provide for the families and would have *gasp* human dignity. The less likely people would get desperate and join organizations that lead to violence. Governments and officials won’t solve these problems, let’s get more entrepreneurs to tackle these problems head-on.
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