In this episode, Mike Spear and Eric Barela discuss the launch of their new project, Altruous, and share pieces of their personal backstories of how they got into this work. They highlight the significance of Altruous in addressing social challenges and amplifying unheard voices. The conversation explores the intersection of social justice and personal background, emphasizing the need to recognize and value diverse perspectives. They discuss expected value calculations, the debate between quantitative and qualitative evaluation, the role of human evaluators in an AI-driven world, and the importance of comprehensive evaluation methods.

In this episode Derrick Feldmann discusses the importance of building social movements and engaging individuals in creating meaningful change. He explores the intersection of social issues and generational engagement, highlighting the unique perspectives and characteristics of Millennials and Gen Z. The conversation also delves into personal journeys in civic engagement, the motivations for giving and sustaining involvement, and the need for inclusive activism.

In this episode, Jake Wood discusses his journey from being a Marine to co-founding Team Rubicon, a nonprofit organization that provides disaster relief and humanitarian aid. The episode explores the humble beginnings of Team Rubicon after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 and how they gained traction through viral donations. The conversation also delves into the role of technology in their success, particularly their partnership with Palantir, a big data intelligence platform. The episode highlights the evolution of culture and leadership within Team Rubicon, as well as the importance of measuring impact and prioritizing vulnerable communities. 

In the premiere episode of Cause & Purpose Season 2, Mike Spear and Shalini Vajjhala discuss inefficiencies in the philanthropy space and how to make the most of your philanthropic dollars. From building footbridges to proactive disaster mitigation, we explore how to think about funding and collaboration to achieve the best possible outcomes for communities around the world.

Nathan Mallipeddi is the Founder and CEO of Myspeech, an international nonprofit, where he leads a team of ~50 members and ~200 volunteers in tackling two of most significant issues in the field of healthcare services in speech therapy—the lack of access to care and unaffordable prices. They are currently building a technology platform to scale therapy and community services to millions of people who stutter around the world. They’ve impacted ~25,000 people in 26 countries, with partnerships in 30 schools. Their partners include Fast Forward, Future Founders, Harvard Innovations Labs, Microsoft, Salesforce, Verizon, the Westly Foundation, Donald A. Strauss Foundation, UCLA SOLE, the World Stuttering Network, and many more.