The world is extremely complicated, and there are a lot of problems to solve. I am of the fundamental opinion that innovation as a direct result of a free market is the best way to solve the large majority of them. I see this vast multitude of challenges – climate change, healthcare, energy, and others – not just as problems to be tackled and overcome but as chances for the improvement of the human condition through innovation and growth.
I’m a bit of a tech geek(if the fact that I am writing this at all wasn’t enough of an indication). I’ve loved sci-fi and technology for a long time, and I think that the only proper course for humanity is to strive for those lofty aims. I firmly believe that one of the best ways we can improve the common lot of humanity is by increasing human labor productivity through innovation, it is the best metric for opportunity in life that I have yet found. I started a robotics company for this exact purpose.
That still raises the question, what does any of my experience have to do with investing? Quite a lot, actually. Through my interactions with Carter Williams and iSelect Fund, I was given the opportunity to help expand the movement that Invest with Impact stands for. The belief at the core of this philosophy, that technological innovation is a catalyst for positive changes in society, lined up perfectly with beliefs I have long held, and the opportunity to help expand its acceptance was one I couldn’t turn down.
Invest with Impact stands strongly against the view that bringing value to shareholders is in direct opposition to the benefit of the society it makes its profits in. In actuality, the benefits to long-term shareholder value are in direct alignment with the greater systems benefit. A bigger picture view is that the true value of an investment isn’t just in direct financial return, but in the long-term benefits that investment can bring society. This makes investments in innovation such a fantastic investment for the long-term is that a singular investment in innovation today makes the next leap easier, and the one after that just as short hop. The compounding effects of small innovations three centuries ago are directly responsible for the explosion we see today, and every investment is an opportunity to add fuel to that fire.
This summer, I get to help with this. Not just by writing emails or looking at form responses but by helping to change the perception of investing to one of great financial reward and dramatic impact on the common welfare of humanity.
I am excited to start spreading the fundamental philosophy of Invest with Impact, in concert with every investor joining our network and every startup pushing the boundaries.