TRANSFORM
PEOPLE + ORGANIZATIONS + THE WORLD
JOIN US.
e ng ag e m e n t op p ort u n i t i e s
SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
succes v i s ion
+
scalin
t r a n s f or
t r a n s f or m org a n
t r a n s f or m t h
Table of Contents
6 What is Singularity University? s s t or i e s
ng i m pac t
s u c c e s s s t or i e s v i s ion
+
s c a l i ng i m pac t
15 Transform the Future
r m p e op l e
n i z at ion s
h e wor l d
t r a n s f or m p e op l e t r a n s f or m org a n i z at ion s t r a n s f or m t h e wor l d
34 Engagement Opportunities
Take a look at some of our successes to date, our approach to extending our reach globally, and the opportunities for growing our collective impact and creating a better world.
SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Transform the Future We are as passionate and committed today as we were at Singularity University’s (SU) founding in 2008 to educating, inspiring and empowering leaders to create novel solutions to pressing global challenges through technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. We have done a lot in the past 6 years. We have fostered a thriving global community of alumni, partners, startups, Fortune 500 companies, NGOs, investors and governments from more than 85 countries dedicated to forging a better future and impacting billions of lives. We have a lot more to do. We are embarking upon an exciting growth path to transform people, transform organizations and transform the world. Our goals by 2020 include:
Transform People
Transform Organizations
Transform the World
Extend our educational programs from 8,689 to 1 million people
Expand our impact initiatives from 109 to 1,000
Scale our global community from 93 to 150 countries
As we scale globally, our commitment is to engage a broader community of doers. To this end, we aim to support leaders and entrepreneurs from all corners of the world to empower them to create sustainable innovation ecosystems, spur economic growth in their regions and create novel solutions to grand challenges. Our partners, investors, philanthropists and alumni are key to supporting our growth and transforming the future. They invest in Singularity University in the form of donations, grants, and sponsorships, but more so they provide critical input as we embark on new opportunities, open up their networks to valuable connections and guide our entreprenuers and SU companies.
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Here are some of the ways we can have impact together: »» E xtend our reach to millions of people globally with the launch of SingularityU Global, SU Digital and Global Collaboration Platform. »» B oost innovation in cities and regions worldwide by bringing Global Impact Competitions and Summits into new cities. »» Infuse mission-driven SU nonprofit startups and hybrid social enterprises with essential seed funding in the form of general support grants to launch products and services to positively impact humanity. »» E mpower leaders and entrepreneurs—including those from developing countries and emerging markets—to develop solutions to local challenges and drive economic growth by leveraging SU local and digital distributed programs. »» T urn exponential thinking into solutions that touch millions of people by creating unlikely yet powerful partnerships through our SU Impact Partnerships and Field Innovation Exchange. There is much more! Join us.
Rob Nail CEO & Associate Founder Singularity University
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SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
What is Singularity University?
6
We are not what you might expect. Located at NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley, we are a California public benefit corporation with a mission to educate, inspire and empower a global community of leaders to leverage emerging and disruptive technologies— known as Exponential Technologies—to develop sustainable solutions to the most difficult challenges facing humanity. We call these challenges Global Grand Challenges—education, energy, environment, food, global health, poverty, security, water and space— and we strongly believe they represent the biggest opportunities to positively impact billions of lives. And that is exactly what we do.
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SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Take a Look at Some of Our Successes Corporate Innovation Our SU Corporate Lab Membership program helps large enterprises reimagine and reinvent their futures by immersing small entrepreneurial teams at SU to incubate new ideas. These teams work alongside the latest SU tech startups and like-minded corporate innovators, exploring uncommon partnerships and experimenting with ideas at the periphery of their industries.
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. & Fellow Robots Retail service robots designed to identify and locate merchandise, and speak to customers in their own languages
www.lowes.com
www.fellowrobots.com g l oba l g r a n d c h a l l e ng e
Education
SU Labs Company + SU Corporate Lab Member Lowe’s Innovation Lab team was able to source disruptive innovation opportunities and move quickly from idea to prototype, resulting in the creation of a service robot built in partnership with SU Company Fellow Robots. OSHbots were designed to help customers shop smarter, navigate stores more efficiently and instantly access information to confidently complete home improvement projects.
e x p on e n t i a l t e c h nol o gy
Artificial Intelligence & Robotics team
Marco Mascorro Founder, CEO & CTO | Mexico Tasha McCauley Co-founder | USA Dan Barry Advisor | USA
The Hershey Company & Open Innovation Challenge At SU Corporate Lab, we run open innovation challenges for our corporate members to leverage the creative power of the crowd and move innovations forward, faster. SU Corporate Lab Member + SU Community Hershey’s challenge asked the SU community: “How might we deliver Moments of Happiness in a digital world?” The winning submission—by Evonne Heyning, Co-founder of online education startup Eddefy and a 2012 SU alumna—proposed a more transparent supply chain from a series of learning apps and games created to help farmers develop more efficient production methods, to consumers being able to customize the taste of Hershey’s products and track the creation of their chocolate.
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www.hersheys.com g l oba l g r a n d c h a l l e ng e
Education e x p on e n t i a l t e c h nol o gy
Network & Computing Systems
SU Companies Made In Space First 3D printer designed to operate in zero gravity
www.madeinspace.us
Graduate Studies Program 2010 Team › SU Labs Company
g l oba l g r a n d c h a l l e ng e
History was made on November 21, 2014 when Made In Space launched the first ever 3D Zero Gravity printer under a contract with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) that allows astronauts to manufacture parts on the International Space Station. Made In Space is revolutionizing on-site, on-demand manufacturing as a viable alternative to launching items from Earth, and ushering in the era of off-world manufacturing. Now
Space
a SU Company, the Idea was born at GSP 2010.
e x p on e n t i a l t e c h nol o gy
Nanotechnology & Digital Fabrication team
Aaron Kemmer CEO & Co-founder \ USA Jason Dunn CTO & Co-founder \ USA Mike Chen CSO & Co-founder \ USA
Matternet
MATTERNET
UAV network transports goods to areas without all-season roads
www.matternet.us
Graduate Studies Program 2011 Team › SU Labs Company
g l oba l g r a n d c h a l l e ng e
Initially a GSP 2011 team project, Matternet is a SU Company that uses unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to transport packages weighing up to 2 kilos for courier transportation in congested cities; and vaccine, medicine or other critical goods transportation in the developing world. By creating a new paradigm for transportation that leapfrogs roads, Matternet is disrupting and revolutionizing transportation. And…they expect to positively impact over one billion people, one seventh of the world’s population, who currently do not have access to all-season roads. Seed funded by Andreessen Horowitz, Fadi Ghandour and other visionary investors, they were featured at TedGlobal 2013.
Poverty Global Health e x p on e n t i a l t e c h nol o gy
Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Networks & Computing Systems team
Andreas Raptopoulos CEO | Greece Paola Santana COO | Dominican Republic
mirOculus Diagnoses diseases, including cancer, before symptoms appear
www.miroculus.com
Graduate Studies Program 2013 Team › SU Labs Company
g l oba l g r a n d c h a l l e ng e
Imagine a simple blood test that can tell you, at the molecular level, the exact type of disease(s) you have and its severity before presenting any symptoms. Imagine using the same test to monitor the success of the treatment. This is exactly what MirOculus does, one of our GSP 2013 team projects, now a SU Company. They were featured at TedGlobal 2014.
Global Health
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e x p on e n t i a l t e c h nol o gy
Medicine & Neuroscience team
Alejandro Tocigl CEO \ Chile and Croatia Foteini Christodoulou, Ph.D. CSO \ Greece Jorge Soto CTO \ Mexico Ferran Galindo Operations | Panama
SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Regional Innovation We are committed to collaborating with leaders, organizations and governments taking the lead in creating sustainable innovation ecosystems in their cities and regions.
Buenos Aires, Argentina Custom Program + Global Impact Competition In Buenos Aires, Argentina, we have been training and inspiring entrepreneurs, business leaders and government officials since 2012. We partnered with the Government of Buenos Aires to host two INNOVATIBA events (SU Custom Programs) for 2,000+ high-impact entrepreneurs, and to launch ImpacTec (SU Global Impact Competition) to bring forward creative technology ideas to improve the lives of millions of Argentines.
www.buenosaires.gob.ar
www.buenosaires.gob.ar/innovatiba
Santiago, Chile Graduate Studies Program 2014 Team + Impact Partner During October 2014 we piloted our Field Innovation Exchange (FIX) program, a two-way exchange for SU Impact Partners and members of our community to leverage their networks and resources to advance solutions to global issues. In collaboration with SociaLab (SU Impact Partner founded by alumnus Julian Ugarte), our successful pilot program enabled HEROS (SU Graduate Studies Program 2014 team) to test their app that turns everyday people into first responders in moments of crisis. In addition, thanks to introductions by SociaLab into the Chilean innovation hub, HEROES was able to learn more about accelerating programs, leading to them being selected among 200 projects to enter an accelerator program in Chile.
www.socialab.com
www.heroesrevolution.com g l oba l g r a n d c h a l l e ng e
Global Health Security e x p on e n t i a l t e c h nol o gy
Networks & Computing Systems team
AJ Scaramucci | USA Kunal Sood \ India Katherine Motyka | Dominican Republic Rizky Ario | Indonesia CJ Scarlet | USA
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Youth Innovation Disaster Mesh A WiFi mesh network to connect disaster survivors with relief efforts Exponential Youth Camp 2014 Team
www.disastermesh.com g l oba l g r a n d c h a l l e ng e
Disaster Mesh is a pilot project from our 2014 Exponential Youth Camp, a 5-week program modeled after our Graduate Studies Program for young entrepreneurs. Using tiny seed technology, WiFi router seeds are air dropped over a disaster area, creating a huge mesh network that allows survivors to join a WiFi network and provide information on their current condition. Government organizations and NGOs can use this data to allocate resources to relief efforts. The founders are high school students, working on Prototype 2.0. Disaster Mesh was a finalist in an innovative disaster contest hosted by the Field Innovation Team (FIT) in September 2014, and the following month was featured at the European Maker Faire in Rome in the twenty-under-twenty section that highlighted twenty innovators and world-changers under twenty years old.
Security Global Health e x p on e n t i a l t e c h nol o gy
Networks & Computing Systems team
Margaux Giles Co-founder & Lead Creative USA, France, UK Katelyn Dunn Co-founder & Lead Software | USA Karla Dana Co-founder & Lead Hardware | Mexico
Its [Singularity University’s] vision and expertise has been without a doubt a great contribution to Chile, generating exponential growth through technology and creative, entrepreneurial and social projects. —Alejandra Valdes R. General Cultural Manager Gabriel and Mary Mustakis Foundation, Chile
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SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Scaling Impact Our vision is to be a global community that positively impacts billions of lives.
SU INNOVATION ACTIVITIES
SU COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
SU EDUCATION PROGRAMS
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Our approach to scaling impact is to develop and connect a global network of innovation ecosystems in cities and regions around the world. In doing so, our focus is to create a framework that supports local innovation by delivering education programs, innovation activities and community initiatives through locally distributed programming and a globally accessible digital platform. We strongly believe our approach will significantly extend our reach and strengthen our ability to transform people, transform organizations and transform the world. Take a look at how we plan to do that.
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SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
TRAN
NSFORM PEOPLE
ORGANIZATIONS
15
THE WORLD
SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
TRANSFORM
16
Educational Milestone
n u m b e r of
8,689
1,000,000
2015
2020
p e op l e e d u c at e d
PEOPLE
ORGANIZATIONS
Extend our educational programs to impact billions.
Education Programs Graduate Studies Program Exponential Youth Camp SU Digital Digital Education Singularity Hub SU Videos Digital Lab Corporate and Regional Programs Executive Programs Exponential Conference Series Summits
THE WORLD
SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Education + Big Impact Educational programs at Singularity University offer a blueprint for defining global challenges, sourcing exponentially growing and disruptive technologies, and developing solutions to achieve the greatest impact. The Graduate Studies Program (GSP) taps into the passion and ingenuity of our participants— entrepreneurs, technologists, scientists, students and leaders—to solve the biggest challenges facing humanity. As our signature educational program, GSP combines futures-oriented curriculum with project-focused learning, resulting in novel ideas and technology solutions that become for-profit and nonprofit startups and hybrid social enterprises at SU and beyond.
Graduate Studies Program Held at Singularity University in Silicon Valley The Graduate Studies Program is an immersive 10-week summer program held at SU that convenes 80 participants from around the world. During the first half of the program, participants are exposed to a culture of innovation and exploration through a world-class cross-disciplinary curriculum, hands-on training workshops, interactive group discussions, behind-the scenes tours at emerging startups and onsite visits at major technology companies. During the second half of the program, participants apply what they have learned and form teams to develop technology solutions to widespread global challenges to change their communities and our world for the better. The top team projects are chosen by a panel and presented at the GSP Closing Ceremony with 500+ people in attendance. Select GSP team projects have the opportunity to become SU Companies by joining the SU Startup Lab Accelerator Program that provides ongoing support to ensure their continued success and growth. Through our global community and network, we support SU team projects and resulting companies that continue to grow outside SU, propelling them to scale and have impact. The Exponential Youth Camp (XYC) is a pilot program modelled after GSP focused on youth innovation. The future of education goes beyond the traditional classroom, and XYC curriculum encompasses a project-based learning approach in which youth are empowered to tackle real world challenges by using exponential technologies. XYC seeks to inspire a new generation of leaders focused on social entrepreneurship, creative problem-solving and hands-on design innovation. Participants in our two-year pilot program (2013 and 2014) hailed from various countries, including the United States, Indonesia, Belgium, Mexico and France.
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Graduate Studies Program Timeline CORE CURRICULUM Global Grand Challenges & Exponential Technologies
KEY IDEAS
SITE VISITS
TEAM PROJECTS
Major Tech Companies & Emerging Startups
Formation, Planning, Execution
WORKSHOPS Synthesis & Convergence
WEEKS
Priorities p r i m a ry
»» Make GSP available to all 80 participants free of charge. »» F ocus on diversifying GSP classes, including on gender equality and those who demonstrate financial need. »» Infuse seed funding into team projects during GSP and select teams post-GSP to support their growth and success as for-profit, nonprofit and hybrid social enterprises. »» C onduct an assessment of the XYC pilot program to explore novel approaches for youth innovation and impact, as well as find ways to scale XYC. s e c on da ry
»» Offer pre-packaged platforms, software and tools to all teams to leverage the development of solutions. »» Update our learning facilities with state-of-the-art technology and equipment. »» A ttract experts, thought leaders and mentors who share our dynamic way of thinking and bring practical experience. »» U pdate program tracks and curriculum to reflect developments in technology and global grand challenges. »» Sustain GSP operations to deliver an unmatched hands-on learning experience. »» Provide follow-on learning and collaboration opportunities for GSP alumni.
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LAUNCH PROJECTS
SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
SU Digital SU Digital is leading Singularity University’s digital transformation by creating new models and platforms for learning and innovation. Through a series of new programs and initiatives, SU Digital is enabling entrepreneurs, corporate innovators, alumni, faculty and experts to radically scale our reach and impact worldwide. The launch of Digital Education and SU Videos will accompany Singularity Hub, SU’s most public-facing online property. These efforts will make content and resources on exponential technologies and Global Grand Challenges readily accessible, and act to educate and inspire our community through perspectives from inside and outside of SU. Our approach is unique: our experts and community come together in social and connected digital environments that empower global changemakers to launch companies, create new ventures and propel innovation ecosystems. To remain at the forefront of new technologies, we also are excited to launch the Digital Lab to experiment and prototype the most effective tools, content and resources. The result will be novel, yet proven, digital formats that allow our community to experience exponential technologies in online and mobile environments.
Digital Education
Singularity Hub
The focus of digital education is for individuals and organizations to learn and tackle Global Grand Challenges, analyze exponential technologies and disruptive trends, and most importantly, to identify opportunities to drive innovation and source ideas from leaders and influencers within their organizations, communities and regions. Our program includes an immersive, highly interactive digital experience built on the success of our in-person educational programs, and includes a purposefully applied combination of self-paced material and facilitated group exercises.
Since 2008, Singularity Hub has offered daily news coverage, feature articles, analysis and insights on key breakthroughs and future trends in exponential technologies. The site showcases the latest developments within Singularity University, SU Labs and our alumni community that are focused on leveraging technology for social impact and solving global grand challenges. Our news coverage is an extension of our educational programs as it monitors and reports on the most significant advances in exponential technologies.
Priorities
Priorities
»» Provide free access to high quality content.
»» B uild a digital learning platform that provides instructors, learners and the SU community with the information, courses, tools and resources to deliver formal and customized educational programs.
»» Transition Singularity Hub into a rich content platform. »» Feature a contributor network to infuse expert insights. »» E stablish local editions incorporating autotranslate services.
»» P rovide select nonprofit, community, business, government leaders and teams with complimentary access to these courses, or at a reduced fee.
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SU Videos
Digital Lab
In early 2015, we launched SU Videos, a video portal that spotlights SU thought leadership and expertise. Offering a collection of content from our programs, SU Labs, and alumni, the site provides engaging and entertaining insights about exponential technologies, impact, innovation and entrepreneurship happening throughout the SU Community.
The creation of a Digital Lab enables SU to explore and deploy technology applications and content solutions organization-wide that will catalyze our efforts to more widely distribute SU programming. The Digital Lab is structured as an innovation environment for learning, exploring and deployment. Our goals are to: 1) build digital prototypes and content solutions that can be embedded into existing and new technology platforms, 2) explore and deploy new learning technologies to increase the efficacy and reach of SU programming, and 3) create novel ways of story telling by providing interactive and educational content through the use of cutting edge state-of-the-art technology.
Priorities »» P ublish high quaity videos that showcase SU thought leadership. »» P roduce videos that capture SU alumni and participants’ journeys through SU programs, the community and beyond.
Our approach is collaborative, working with the SU community to understand their goals and produce high-value and fully functional web-based and mobile applications for our community to learn, share, collaborate and deliver greater impact. We seek to incorporate new content into SU digital programming on an on-going basis.
»» Build a realtime analytics dashboard. »» D evelop a Web series focused on specific themes, including the future of work and grand challenges.
Priorities »» Launch Digital Lab in 2015. »» E xplore partnerships with technology and content solution companies for sourcing, developing solutions and platforms, and distribution. »» C ollaborate with diverse partners and advisors interested in supporting the Digital Lab with tools, equipment, ideas and needed resources.
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SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Corporate and Regional Programs Business, government and community leaders from around the world participate in our 2-day to weeklong programs—Executive Programs, Exponential Conference Series and Summits. These programs equip participants with the tools and know-how to predict and evaluate how exponential technologies will transform industries, companies, careers and lives by solving grand challenges, enabling innovation opportunities and creating economic growth in their communities and regions.
Executive Programs
Exponential Conference Series
Held at Singularity University in Silicon Valley
Held in Select Cities in the United States
A weeklong intensive and interactive workshop that brings together business, government, investment and community leaders that covers the technologies and tools that today’s innovators need to understand to keep pace with the wave of accelerating change. This program can be customized and delivered onsite.
These 2–4 day events bring together the world’s leading thinkers and doers to explore how exponentially accelerating technologies are impacting individual verticals such as finance, medicine & healthcare and manufacturing.
Summits Held in Select Cities Worldwide Our Summits are 2-day programs held in key international cities to expand understanding of exponential technologies and use them to create positive change.
Priorities »» Deliver Summits into 4 or 5 new global cities per year. »» G row Exponential Conference Series with at least one new industry vertical per year, and expand into new locations in the United States. »» Leverage opportunity for select non-profit, government, community and business leaders—including those from the developing world and emerging markets—to participate in these programs whether offered in their regions, at SU or globally.
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Singularity University provides a unique and valuable window into the future, and together we can identify and scale up solutions that will have great impact for the world’s most vulnerable women and children.
—Christopher Fabian Advisor on Innovation to Executive Director UNICEF
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SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
TRANSFORM
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Innovation Milestone
n u m b e r of
109
1,000
2015
2020
i m pac t i n i t i at i v e s
PEOPLE
ORGANIZATIONS
THE WORLD
Catalyze innovation across startups, companies and governments.
Innovation Activities Global Collaboration Platform SU Labs SU Startup Lab SU Corporate Lab Field Innovation Exchange
SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Scaling Innovation Entrepreneurship and innovation are key pillars of our vision to impact billions. Singularity University Labs (SU Labs) is at the heart of our innovation activities. We are expanding the capabilities of SU Labs in 2015 by launching a 10-week Startup Lab Accelerator Program, an Entrepreneur in Residence Program and the Field Innovation Exchange as well as raising funds to provide grants to our mission-driven nonprofit startups in our Accelerator Program. These new efforts compliment our hallmark SU Companies program and SU Corporate Lab. Outside of SU Labs, we are excited to introduce the SU Global Collaboration Platform, a digital platform for our community to connect and share innovation projects.
SU Global Collaboration Platform The focus of the Global Collaboration Platform is to build capacity in producing large-scale impact via a digital platform where our global community can share innovation ideas and projects. The intended outcome of this transformative program is to develop multi-stakeholder leadership that is powerful and effective in creating solutions to immediate and long-term global grand challenges. The ultimate goal is to unleash ideas and human potential in co-creating a sustainable world.
Priorities »» Invest in building a collaboration platform for the SU global community that incorporates collaborative functionality, effective communication and social networking. »» F orge strong business partnerships to enable success in our global collaboration strategy, technology deployment and learning process. »» A ttract regional partners to inspire and support and local stakeholders in building sustainable solutions in their cities and regions.
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“Ashoka and Singularity University are both working to solve humanity’s grand challenges during a time of unprecedented technological change. It has been wonderful to partner with Singularity University to ensure that we have generations of changemakers using technology for the good of all.” —Darlene Damm Change Leader Silicon Valley, Ashoka
“Singularity University...is an opportunity to bring people from every conceivable walk of life with people that share a common aspiration to do better, to be better and to make a positive impact on people’s lives.” —Gavin Newsom California Lieutenant Governor 27
SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
SU Labs SU Labs is a community of local and global startups, corporate innovation teams, expert faculty and strategic partners that addresses the world’s biggest problems through exponential technologies. Powered by the global Singularity University network, SU Labs helps organizations of all size learn how to use technology to develop sustainable businesses and positively impact billions of lives.
SU Startup Lab At SU Startup Lab, we believe that by leveraging the power of exponential technologies combined with design thinking and empathy some of the most intractable problems in this world are solvable. All SU Startup Lab Companies, born mostly out of SU programs, become part of the SU Companies Program where we provide ongoing support to ensure their continued success and growth. As of early 2015, SU Companies have raised more than $100M in combined funding and are providing goods and services globally. To launch in 2015, our 10-week SU Startup Lab Accelerator Program is biannual and prepares for-profit and nonprofit startups as well as hybrid social enterprises to scale and have impact. The selection progress is rigorous. The program includes working space at NASA Research Park along with resources and dedicated mentoring. In early 2015, we launched the Accelerator Nonprofit Fund to provide essential seed funding in the form of general support grants to select mission-driven nonprofit startups that are selected to participate in the Accelerator Program. The Entrepreneur in Residence Program is an unique opportunity for entrepreneurs and changemakers who work at the intersection of technology and global impact to immerse themselves and work alongside the SU Labs community. This three month program is open to entrepreneurs from around the world.
Priorities »» Attract funding into the Accelerator Nonprofit Fund. »» Provide grants to 2 to 4 nonprofit startups in 2015, and scale up in future years. »» Expand our network of partners, experts and mentors to support SU startups. »» Attract global nonprofit, government, NGO and community leaders to participate in the Entrepreneur in Residence Program.
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SU Corporate Lab
Field Innovation Exchange
A Corporate Lab Membership enables large organizations to immerse small entrepreneurial teams at our on-site innovation lab to incubate new ideas and reimagine their futures alongside the latest SU tech startups and likeminded corporate innovators.
The Field Innovation Exchange (FIX) is an initiative for our community to visit field sites around the world of Singularity University Impact Partners, and those Impact Partners to become entrepreneurs in-residence at our headquarters at NASA Research Park. This exchange program was developed in support of our mission to provide a critical link between cutting edge technological innovation and the field realities of humanity’s grand challenges. FIX is housed at SU Labs to promote collaborations among SU partners, startups and corporate members.
Priority »» E xpand our portfolio to include select impact-driven foundations, businesses and nonprofits, including those from the developing world and emerging markets.
After a successful pilot in 2014 in Santiago, Chile, we plan to formally launch FIX in 2015.
Priorities »» Launch FIX. »» Support 5 two-way exchanges in 2015. »» Scale up to 10–15 two-way exchanges in future years.
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SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
TRANSFORM
30
Community Milestone
p r e s e nc e i n n u m b e r
93
150
2015
2020
of c o u n t r i e s
PEOPLE
ORGANIZATIONS
THE WORLD
Expand our reach to transform the future of tomorrow.
Community Initiatives SU Impact Partnerships Global Impact Competitions SingularityU Global
SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Empowering Communities Cities and regions in the developed and developing world face persistent challenges. Through our new SingularityU Global initiative, along with our Global Impact Competitions and SU Impact Partnerships (Refer to page 36.), we seek to empower communities to find resilient solutions to local and global grand challenges. In doing so, we seek to accelerate the organic growth of entrepreneurship and innovation by collaborating with our alumni and their community stakeholders to bring SU programming, tools and resources to their regions, and by leveraging the expertise of our partners who are deeply rooted in these communities.
Global Impact Competitions Our Global Impact Competitions (GICs) are held worldwide in partnership with local alumni and sponsor organizations to inspire innovative ideas for impacting millions of lives either locally or globally. The prize for the winners is to attend at no cost our 10-week summer Graduate Studies Program at NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley. We have delivered 65 competitions in over 28 unique countries since 2008.
Priorities »» Attract local sponsors to continue GICs in existing locations worldwide. »» E xpand competitions into 4-5 new global cities and regions per year by forming relationships with alumni, partners and sponsors. »» N etwork GIC runners-up with the local alumni community to inspire implementation of their solutions and because part of the innovation ecosystem in their regions.
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SingularityU Global To scale solutions to challenges that are local or global in nature, it is imperative that we continue to go beyond our campus in Silicon Valley. Singularity University alumni—and their passion for a better world along with their connections and understanding of their local regions—are and will continue to be key to the creation of local, unique innovation ecosystems and having impact across the globe. We are excited to introduce SingularityU Global, a two-phase initiative to foster local innovation ecosystems, foremost, where SU alumni are present. The first phase to launch in 2015 is the SingularityU Community Chapters Program to provide our alumni with increased opportunities to bring SU programming to their communities. This program is spearheaded by SU Community Ambassadors (alumni from SU programs). Each ambassador leads a local chapter, and develops locally-focused networking and community events, including Salons, speaker events focused on local content, ideas and innovation. The Community Chapters Program is built on the past success of our alumni who have brought SU programs to their areas, including Global Impact Competitions. The second phase will encompass a structured and wholistic approach to support established or emerging innovation ecosystems in regions around the world, and will be led by Regional Directors, preferably SU alumni. This director is responsible for assessing local and regional needs and aligning them with SU programming and expertise which may include SU Summits, custom programs and briefings for government and businesses, and evolving SU programming. Forging collaboration with local and regional companies, community organizations, universities and governments will be part of the role of Community Chapter Ambassadors and Regional Directors.
Priorities »» L aunch SingularityU Community Program in 2015, later followed by expansion of SU programming with Regional Directors. »» Attract and train Community Chapter Ambassadors and Regional Directors. »» Secure funding and resource partners for SingularityU Community Chapters. »» B uild out a dynamic and robust digital platform to connect Community Chapter Ambassadors, Regional Directors, partners and other stakeholders in the regional innovation ecosystem.
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SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Engagement Opportunities
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Our community is passionate about leveraging rapidly accelerating technologies to create a future that positively impacts billions of lives. We work closely with individuals, companies, organizations, educational institutions, foundations and governments to align passions and priorities, and find the best way to have transformational impact. Join us in guiding innovation, driving impact and funding the future. Responsible Use of Donations and In-Kind Contributions We pride ourselves on being focused and effective with the donations and in-kind contributions we receive through the Singularity University Fund or made directly to Singularity University. We diligently manage and monitor the responsible use of any and all incoming donations and in-kind contributions with respect to the intent of our supporters.
SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Guiding Innovation: Become an Advisor, Mentor or Volunteer Our advisors, mentors and volunteers whether focused organization-wide or dedicated to a specific program or region, provide us with the guidance to grow and scale. We offer structured and flexible opportunities, and match your talents and interests with our programs and priorities. We continue to attract professionals with expertise in exponentially growing technologies and global grand challenges along with entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders with diverse backgrounds.
Driving Impact: Join us as an Impact Partner We form Impact Partners—with regional and global nongovernmental organizations, foundations, governments, educational organizations, research institutions, companies and other forward-thinking entities— to take on big challenges and work together for tactical impact. Many of our Impact Partners share a strong understanding of the problems and the realities of implementing solutions in various contexts around the world. Commitments from these organizations allow us to move toward a shared common mission to create a better world. We continue to source best in class organizations as Impact Partners and structure mutually-beneficial partnerships centered on impact collaboration activities, including: Impact Collaboration »» Exchange of speakers, faculty and experts
»» Intellectual Property
»» Expert advising and consultations
»» Problem assessment
»» Program content creation
»» Solution creation
»» Professional, community and in-the-field networking
»» Joint initiatives
»» Hosting space
»» Community challenges and competitions
SU Impact Partners benefit from networking, public event and program participation and other formal and informal benefits.
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Funding the Future: Ways to Give Make a Donation Make a donation in general support of Singularity University to further our mission to educate, inspire and empower leaders to apply exponential technologies to create solutions that have impact in local communities or on a global scale. General support contributions provide an important source of flexible, reliable funding for us, as well as catalyze our growth as we scale to reach a broader global community. We welcome designated giving, and provide our supporters the opportunity to focus on strengthening existing programs or launching new activities and initiatives as showcased throughout this document to transform people, organizations and the world. We recognize our supporters have unique financial priorities and can choose to give to: The Singularity University Fund Is a corporate advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF), a nonprofit charitable organization recognized by the IRS as tax exempt under Section 501c3 of the internal revenue code. Funds are raised on behalf of SVCF, and SVCF issues acknowledgments for donations which are tax deductible for US income tax purposes to the extent permissible by law.
Directly to Singularity University Contributions can be made directly to Singularity University, a California benefit corporation, but contributions are not tax-deductible under U.S. law.
Make a Grant We are grateful for grants from private, family, community and corporate foundations, and donor advised funds in support of SU programs, activities and initiatives. Our objective is to work collaboratively on shared priorities and mutually rewarding outcomes that aim to have positive impact on the people and communities we collectively seek to serve. Become a Sponsor Singularity University programs, activities and initiatives—worldwide—are possible due to sponsorships from companies, organizations, individuals and governments. This opportunity provides naming recognition, visibility as a global changemaker and other marketing-related benefits. Make an In-kind Contribution In-kind contributions made by individuals and organizations are a tremendous boost to our overall operations, allowing us to commit more of our financial resources to direct programming and community reach. While our priorities for in-kind contributions evolve, we would benefit from receiving technology tools, software, platforms, displays, supplier discounts and equipment as well as from distribution of program and event announcements.
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SU ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Naming Opportunities A limited number of naming opportunities are available for individuals and organizations. We welcome those interested in learning more about these unique opportunities to be recognized in association with a certain program, activity, initiative or possibly with a physical space at Singularity University.
Recognition We recognize our annual supporters for their generosity in providing donations and in-kind contributions. We honor requests for donor anonymity. For those who provide levels of donations and in-kind contributions that are transformational to Singularity University and the global community we seek to inspire, educate and empower, we provide the following special recognition: Impact Partner Individuals, companies, organizations, educational institutions, foundations and governments that provide $75,000+ in annual donations or in-kind contributions. Exponential Impact Partner Individuals, companies, organizations, educational institutions, foundations and governments that provide $1M+ in annual donations or in-kind contributions. Those who sponsor programs, events and activities receive naming recognition and other marketing benefits, and are not eligible to be recognized as an Impact or Exponential Impact Partner.
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Contact Us We welcome inquiries and visits to our campus at NASA Research Park to learn how we—together—can transform the future through collective impact. Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom Chief Impact Officer
[email protected]
Venilde Jeronimo, Ph.D. Impact Engagement
[email protected]
Singularity University S. Akron Rd. Building 20 Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
Our mission is to educate, inspire and empower leaders to apply exponential technologies to address humanity’s grand challenges.
Benefit Corporation Disclosure Singularity University was founded in 2008 in Silicon Valley by Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, Founder and Chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation and International Space University (ISU), and Ray Kurzweil, futurist, author and a director of Engineering at Google, inspired by the desire to combine the need for a place to learn about accelerating technologies in a synergistic way with an interdisciplinary, international and intercultural experience of learning. While SU was founded as a nonprofit organization, it was important to us to incorporate as a California benefit corporation in 2012. This change allowed us to pursue our envisioned, diversified set of programs at a real level of scale (a requirement to achieve our vision to impact billions of lives), including our expanded vision for SU Labs. Benefit corporations are statutorily required to pursue the creation of a material positive impact on society and the environment, taken as a whole. We made a conscious decision to add the following to Singularity University’s Articles of Incorporation: “The specific public benefit purpose of the corporation is to improve life by advancing exponentially growing technologies, providing education about those technologies and developing companies that leverage those technologies.”
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