The gripping fascination over technology was projected to plateau in the shadow of the dot com boom. The past decade has proven otherwise, with the last several months alone demonstrating the indisputable commitment our world has made to growing the tech sector. Companies are pumping billions into AI research giants and investing in digitized platforms at a breakneck pace. Cybersecurity has become as important as physical safety, media moderation as essential as good parenting, and engagement as a life source the likes of physiological needs.
It seems a society so hyper-focused on virtual systems must have a good control of its most essential needs.
Yet it doesn't.
As mentioned last week, humans can survive a mere 3 days without water, and—believe it or not—100+ years without the luxury of an essay-generating chatbot. Sure, investment in technology has introduced a slew of new technological solutions to our global water crisis, yet headlines detailing drought and shortages continue to plague our news. Without a major paradigm shift, water-related deaths in the U.S will become normalized until they go largely unnoticed.
As the next generation of talented founders lay footing into the world, I ask you to consider the impact of your work. The complexity in many modern ventures has shadowed the simplicity that underlies good entrepreneurship. Environmental solutions can arise out of everyday ingenuity. Rather than sexy machine learning unicorns, envision ecological stallions—companies who's mission is to help those who need it most.
"What is your dream?" I used to answer the question detailing how I wanted to build a large company, always referencing the hottest industries and creative implementations. My answer now is much simpler: "I want to help people". The most beautiful part has been realizing I can do both.
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