Celina Proffen’s Post

🚀 Exciting News! The MacArthur Foundation is unleashing a whopping $100 million in its global 100&Change competition! This is the largest amount ever awarded to a single project, and I'm thrilled to see how this will drive positive change in the world. 🌍🌱 🏆 What's even more groundbreaking is that for the very first time, applicants are required to focus on addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. This bold move reflects the growing recognition of the importance of these crucial factors in driving social progress and innovation. 💪🌈 Here are my thoughts on this important development: 1️⃣ Significance of Funding: The MacArthur Foundation's commitment to allocating such a substantial amount of funds underscores their dedication to creating lasting impact. This level of investment will undoubtedly provide the opportunity for groundbreaking solutions and meaningful change. 💰💡 2️⃣ Addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: By placing emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, the MacArthur Foundation is embracing an inclusive approach that recognizes the need to address systemic barriers. This requirement not only acknowledges the urgent need for social change but also encourages applicants to think innovatively and holistically about tackling these issues. 👥🌍 3️⃣ Catalyzing Innovation: This competition will not only foster collaboration but also unleash the power of innovation. It will bring together brilliant minds from various sectors and backgrounds who are passionate about making a difference. With diversity as a driving force, the resulting solutions have the potential to reshape industries and build a more equitable, inclusive society. ✨🚀 As an expert in the field, I'm optimistic about the transformative impact this initiative will have. I'm excited to witness the groundbreaking ideas and solutions that will emerge as a result of this competition. What are your thoughts on this exciting development? Share your insights and let's discuss! 💬 #MacArthurFoundation

[ICYMI] Stiftungstag: Foundation Day 🌟 Last month, we came together with our counterparts CONTRACT GmbH Germany and troodi to connect, align and find common (and uniquely different) ways of making a positive impact in the world. This year we followed the theme of “Let’s talk humane economy and humane society” in our thinking and conversations. The challenging riddle of how we still keep humanness at the centre of our work with clients, while continuing to thrive economically. We argued, we agreed, we discovered some clarity and some messiness as Inspiring a Humane Economy remains an aspirational goal which we will keep striving towards. Watch the highlights here: https://lnkd.in/dq-Z2RTs #CONTRACTSA #CONTRACTGMBH #Troodi #FoundationDay #Stiftungstag

🔥It's been 3 weeks and I'm still not over how incredible the Nordic Women in Tech Awards was in Reykjavik! I am beyond proud to be part of such an empowering community marking a turning point in the history of technology. Across industries fundamental for humanity, we’re suddenly able to build things we’ve only dreamed of for decades. But, it takes persistence to build a company that lasts. The reality for startup founders looks drastically different compared to only 12—18 months ago. 2023 marks Europe's quietest year in VC deals for over six years. Suddenly, building enduring companies trumps building explosively growing companies. Startups that will come out as winners are those able to focus on what matters and ignore the noise. The Finnish word ´sisu´ - equivalent to determination, grit and resilience - encapsulates something oddly topical for this moment. Some of the best companies were forged during tough times: to become a diamond, you must go through fire. Ultimately, it takes persistence to change the world. 🤝 Lola&Lykke is more than a business; it's a movement: a women´s health revolution. We set up the Femtech business to put power and knowledge into women’s hands. There is a new world of health before us, driven by science, by technology, but also by changing expectations around how we approach our individual bodies and minds. Nothing could ever quite sum up how much personal sacrifice and passion has gone into building Lola&Lykke. To be awarded the Nordic ´Initiative of the Year 2023´ means the world to us and we are excited to continue building our dream for the years to come. Link to article and NWiTA winning post in the comments.

All aboard for summer! I don’t know about you, but here’s my checklist for July: ✅long days ✅warm nights ✅hearty conversations at #civitasfiresidechat! Dive in with our dynamic speakers and your curious peers for a series of engaging talks. Here are some of our wonderful moderators who will steer the conversations: David Donev is a seasoned strategy consultant with an MSc in Financial Economics from the University of Oxford. Having worked with Morgan Stanley and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), he currently contributes to major public sector developments in the Middle East at FTI Delta. Having visited 24 countries and lived in 5 of them, David is passionate about making complex industry discussions accessible and enjoyable. He will moderate a discussion with Daniel Marshall and Adam Gartai on startups and venture capital, aiming to provide valuable insights into #entrepreneurship. Lu Qian is the student engagement manager of Project Civitas. She is currently a fourth-year undergraduate student studying Natural Sciences at Imperial College London. Beyond academics, her interests encompass languages and religions, travel, (good) coffee and wine, happiness and wisdom. She will have a conversation with classical pianist Hu Lan on life in the arts and building one’s identity. Lily Li a consultant at Cornerstone Research, holding a bachelor's degree in Statistics and Data Science from Duke University. Her passion lies at the intersection of technology, creativity, and law. As an amateur photographer, guitarist, songwriter, and skateboarder, Lily values the diverse communities she's engaged with through her experiences. She believes in the power of self-reflection and building connections with individuals, which she will bring into her role as a moderator in the session on technology and AI regulation with Piersilvio De Bartolomeis. Liu Yuequn (Alias: Bai Yuqing) is the head of 706 Nanjing and has been leading this youth community since 2020. As a lawyer focused on legal and social change, he brings a rich experience of being grounded in his local community of Nanjing. Yuequn has engaged with various ethnic, religious and cultural circles, and advocates for a collaborative societal approach. He will converse with mental health advocate Xiao Ka about the relationship between the individual and society. Elaine Zhang double majors in Public Policy and Mathematics at Duke University. With extensive volunteer and internship experience in non-profit organizations, Elaine is dedicated to understanding and helping others. Experiencing different educational systems in the US and China, she has developed a keen interest in social sciences and public policy. Committed to being an observer, thinker, and listener, Elaine will moderate the session on arts and culture in conversation with Isabelle. Ready to meet our moderators? Scroll through the slides below. We’ll be waiting by the fire, ready to chat! #civitasinternational #InternationalLeadership

🌟 Fantastic Announcement! 🗞 💡 Last week we had the joy of highlighting Sonja Betschart as a Social Entrepreneur, and this week we get to highlight a compelling report that her organisation WeRobotics just published in partnership with Camber Collective and Disrupt Development! Raising questions around power in the sector of international development, The Power Footprint Report is fascinating from the outset. It posits the idea of organisations, similar to sharing their carbon footprints, share their 'Power Footprint'. The Power of Local recognises the invaluable expertise and agency within communities, yet power dynamics within international organisations often overshadow local voices. This initiative aims to shift this paradigm by quantifying and redistributing power, empowering local stakeholders, fostering genuine collaboration, and creating solutions that are more responsive. 🌱 Engaging with "over a hundred individuals from international organisations, foundations, development agencies, and local organisations" like us here at Ashoka, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the World Vision Switzerland and Liechtenstein, the team has been able to build up the Power Footprint initiative to where it is today. 🚀 Congrats to the team at WeRobotics, Camber Collective, and Disrupt Development that are behind this initiative and report! 🌟 To check it out, head to: https://lnkd.in/dRcmexz3 This report also reminds us of the importance of True Participation! If you want to learn more about True Participation and the idea of 'Everyone A Changemaker' (yes, even you 🤩), check out the Ashoka Changemaker Summit at: https://lnkd.in/ghs_-Ere #PowerFootprint #DevelopmentTransformed #DEI #ShiftThePower

TIME TO LIVE, TIME TO GO GLOBAL! The International i-Volunteer Conference 2023. 2023 isn't over, and this is your chance to make a 360 life change. Break the limits and become a global influence, capturing the world's attention. The International i-Volunteer event is a once-in-a-lifetime convergence of the brightest global, continental and local leaders uniting not one, not two but over three continents of impact makers. Don’t let this year slip away without a major WIN! You win when you discover your next phase of life, you win when you make a meaningful impact, you win when you create profitable social enterprises. It is Insanity to keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. So prepare to innovate, inspire change, and ignite progress during the conference, where you'll: * Learn practical steps to become a global change-maker through volunteering. * Master the art of designing and executing community projects * Immerse yourself in hands-on workshops that fuel your passion. * Discover how volunteering can help you pivot into local and international career opportunities. * Gain insights into raising funding and forging partnerships in social development. * Unlock opportunities to intern with leading organizations in Africa. There are only 50 available this year. So, if you're determined to seize control of your destiny then click this link https://lnkd.in/dddyh98Y NOW! Pause! Before you make new year resolutions for 2024, take a moment to gain clarity on how to impact your world and become a truly global today. #iVolunteer #IV2023 #Training #Abuja #Free #ServeleadHumanitarian #TowardsTheBettermentOfHumanity

Wonderful discussions and learnings today #Researchforum2024 hosted by Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association & Fondazione Cariplo I feel humble to take home the learnings and ideas from the event bringing together foundations across Europe to share knowledge and experience on the field of innovation Some take home messages from the 1st day on foundations' role in the innovation: -Foundations play an important role in holding on to values that go beyond profit and growth. -There is a power in doing things together, innovations born from interaction. -Inclusion from the start: margin-centered design, if it works for marginalized people it works for everyone -Foundations can make a difference in building bridges between knowledge and scale. In addition to the steel focus, TAH Foundation is looking how foundations could support the access to early-stage finance for climate innovations, our newest team member Auli Nikkilä is leading the project. https://lnkd.in/dPpaprbV #ilmastoratkaisuja #acceleratingclimateefforts Looking forward to have more interesting discussions, please reach out and let's connect!

I am embarking in a couple of days for what is to be the adventure of a lifetime #TheBreakFellowshipProgramme.  After more than 3 months of online group sessions, mentoring with different experts, we are all finally meeting to spend a month in the beautiful San Sebastián in Spain. The Break 2023 fellows aims to achieve 3 common goals: Goal 1: To take our project to another level supported by mentoring experts, management skills and high-level alliances. Goal 2: To be immersed in a community of 1 000 women from every spectre of life and over 52 nationalities and build lifelong relationships. Goal 3: Local Development. To engage in a challenge that helps develop further the region. The Fellowship is funded by the European Union designed by Escuela de Organización Industrial EOI School and powered by The Break Alliance, and in collaboration with numerous entities : Impact Hub Madrid, Aceleradora MentorDay..  #TheBreakFellowshipProgramme #businessdevelopment

Exciting Developments at CHARM-EU's Workpackage 15 Meeting! We are thrilled to announce that experts from all CHARM-EU partner institutions recently convened for a pivotal Workpackage 15 meeting. As WP Lead Fabian Rotter set the collective goal to strategize and set the course for an innovative and interconnected future. Here's a glimpse of the key topics we delved into: Connecting Entrepreneurship Ecosystem by recognizing synergies between national support structures and extending them to an international level. Creating a Collaborative Platform students, researchers, teachers, NGOs, and businesses converge to collaborate on. Engaging the Global South and Marginalised Groups as Inclusivity is at the heart of CHARM-EU. We're committed to extending our offerings to groups from the global south and marginalized communities across Europe, ensuring diverse voices are heard and empowered. Investigate Diverse Funding Mechanisms which is is key for an ongoing sustainable stakeholder engagement. Together, we're shaping a brighter, more connected future for education and entrepreneurship. We thank Universiteit Utrecht for being such good hosts. #CHARMEU #EuropeanUniversityAlliance #Innovation #Collaboration #HigherEducation #Entrepreneurship Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg Trinity College Dublin Eötvös Loránd University University of Montpellier Universitat de Barcelona Åbo Akademi University Hochschule Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences University of Bergen Martin Kufferath-Sieberin

New Year, new resolutions! What if your #newyearresolution was to collaborate on a project to advance #diversity, #equity and #inclusion (#DEI) in #SMEs? Together with international and Finnish partners we are building a #digitaltool for #planning, #implementing, and monitoring #DEI activities. But we need you! Your help, participation, and inputs to build the most suitable tool for managing #social #sustainability (#ESG) in small and medium #enterprises are instrumental. You choose your #involvement! Possibilities are endless, among them… ✔ Tell about challenges managing diversity and inclusion in smaller #firms (under this post or in the forums we organize) ✔ Raise awareness on DEI through a webinar ✔ Share your insights on the topic by filling a survey ✔ Join a forum discussion on best management practices of DEI ✔ Submit your firm’s challenge on DEI management for students to solve in a hackathon ✔ Or pick your brain and participate in a hackathon to solve the submitted challenges ✔ Come and chat about what you do, your actions on DEI! ✔ Or whatever you would like to propose :) Contribute to #inclusive #future in #business and #society by #registering here: https://lnkd.in/d46694yH. We will reach out to you regarding the activities you are interested in. Message our team via LinkedIn Ausrine, Sniazhana, Leena, Tiphaine, Shariful or comment below if you have questions. Every small or big action matters! Do you know someone who would be interested or would like to benefit from this project? Share this post or tag them!   Check out who are our partners in this endeavor: University of Vaasa, Kaunas University of Technology, Room466 by WKO Steiermark, IHK-Projektgesellschaft mbH Ostbrandenburg, E.N.T.E.R., Technology Centre Merinova Oy Opetushallitus - Utbildningsstyrelsen - Finnish National Agency for Education A big thanks and shout out to the talented painter Markku Harri, who created the masterpiece illustrating today's post entitled 'Hear Ye!'. It inspired our team, we hope it will inspire you too. 💭 #hear our #message.