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It’s no secret that there is money to be made in the tech industry. Every quarter brings with it another Silicon Valley darling with a billion dollar valuation. In recent years, some philanthropically minded techies have been doing their best to harness the energy of the tech sector to do some good. Though we often think of technology as a way to make our lives easier, tech also has the power to make lives better.
The charitable opportunities in the tech space have attracted a number of celebrities to overhaul their philanthropic efforts for the 21st century. Actors, producers, musicians, and, of course, tech celebrities have turned to Silicon Valley and beyond in hopes of changing the world. And some have already made a meaningful impact, harnessing tech’s immense power to change things for the better. Here are 10 Stars Working With Tech Companies to Save the World.
Jessica Alba
When Jessica Alba first became a parent, she found it was incredibly difficult to locate “effective, but unquestionably safe, eco-friendly, beautiful, convenient, and affordable” items for her children. She realized that while there were many out there who wanted to raise their children with an eye toward eco-consciousness, it took a lot of work on the part of the consumer to do so. The Honest Company, co-founded by Alba, set out to remedy this and has earned the adoration of many in the business community along the way, boasting a valuation of $1 billion on the strength of $250 million in revenue. Unlike many celebrities with vanity titles like “brand ambassador” or “creative director,” Alba has been in the driver’s seat at the Honest Company from the beginning. Forbes reported that she has a working knowledge of the company’s over 120 products.
A company like this wouldn’t be possible without today’s technology. In the Internet age, Alba and her team can rigorously source and test products from around the world. They can feature a roster of products that not only have to compete for customer affection, but that also offer truly green solutions for families. From humble beginnings, cooking up business plans with co-founder Christopher Gavigan, to hundreds of millions of dollars in profit, Alba has been at the helm, and it looks like that’s exactly where she’ll stay.
John Legend
Both in and out of the tech community, John Legend is among the most active philanthropic celebrities today. He has been involved with charitable projects as diverse as hurricane clean-up, veterans advocacy, and education reform. Legend also sits on the board of directors of PopTech, a non-profit that brings together leading minds in a variety of fields in an attempt to solve the world’s problems. PopTech is not a mere think tank, however; they focus on solutions. One of their current initiatives, PeaceTXT, is a platform that seeks to dispel rumors and ease tensions in communities facing conflict situations, such as riots. Eventually, PopTech hopes to use the initiative to reduce and even prevent war. PopTech is also seeking tech-driven solutions to climate change, banking, and eco-conscious construction.
Matt Damon
With Water.org, Matt Damon and co-founder Gary White are trying to overhaul traditional charitable practices by applying startup principles to their operation. The organization strives to find solutions for the world’s water problems that are “too big for charity alone.” Water.org hopes to find “new solutions, new financing models, greater transparency, and real partnerships to create lasting change.”
Water.org has come up with a number of creative solutions that have been inspired by the tech space. One of their most successful initiatives is WaterCredit, which facilitates low-interest microfinance loans for those in need of a reliable water source. Water.org has also forged strategic partnerships with corporations interested in doing good. One example of the work they’ve done is a partnership with the IKEA Foundation to support the New Ventures Fund, which has the goal of bringing safe drinking water to 180,000 people. By taking a cutting-edge approach to solving an age-old problem, Water.org will hopefully continue to make progress toward solving one of mankind’s oldest challenges.
Bono
One of the strongest charitable partnerships between a celebrity and a tech company is Bono’s partnership with Apple. Bono’s Project (RED), aimed at fighting AIDS worldwide, has enjoyed a long partnership with the tech giant. From red Apple products around the holidays to special addition App Store downloads, Apple and Bono have found numerous ways to work together over the years.
Bono’s partnership with Apple is just a small part of his larger history of charity work. He has been recognized for his philanthropy globally since 1986, and he points to John Cleese and Martin Lewis’s “Secret Policeman’s Ball” benefits in the late ’70s as inspiration for his commitment to charity. Since 1999, Bono has dedicated himself to the fight against AIDS. In addition to his work with Apple, Bono has lobbied politicians, started a clothing line, and partnered with various other companies, including American Express and Gap, in efforts to fight the disease.
Bill Gates
Over the years, Microsoft founder Bill Gates has shifted his day-to-day focus from technology to philanthropy. After all, once you make your billions, the next task is to figure out how to spend it, and Gates has set an admirable precedent. After Gates blazed the trail from celebrity-CEO to philanthropist, founders at Facebook, Google, and a number of other newer tech giants have followed suit.
Taking stock of the scope of Gates’s philanthropic triumphs is a difficult task. He and his wife, Melinda Gates, have had a huge impact on the charitable community in a variety of capacities. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the world’s wealthiest charitable foundation with a reported $34.6 billion in assets. In the Foundation’s latest annual letter, meant as a 15-year progress report, huge accomplishments were cited in numerous areas, including reducing infant mortality, increasing agricultural yields, eliminating diseases like polio and river blindness, and increasing technology access in impoverished nations.
Zooey Deschanel
When they launched HelloGiggles in 2011, Zooey Deschanel and her partners Sophia Rossi and Molly McAleer aimed to create a positive place for women. At the time, there was a dearth of well-funded female content online, and much of it lived on larger male-dominated sites or had a tendency to slide toward a negative, gossipy tone. Since then, HelloGiggles has attracted an army of female contributors, and amassed a large, loyal fanbase primarily comprised of women under the age of 35.
It looks like HelloGiggles is only going to continue its growth. The site was acquired by Time Inc. last month, and representatives from the company were quick to say that they intend on nurturing the site and continuing to empower its contributor network. The site is also poised to make a strong move into the world of video content, with film, television, and digital projects in development. Overall, Deschanel has said that moving forward, HelloGiggles will “be able to…inspire and support even more young women with a staff and positive media platform.”
Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher has become one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent investors. Over the last decade, Kutcher has made key investments in startups that have changed the everyday lives of people across the world. Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, and Skype are all companies that have been a part of Kutcher’s portfolio. In case you’re keeping score, that means that Kutcher has had a hand in making rides, hotels, music, and communication more accessible for millions of consumers. Though these are privately held corporations, anyone who has found their dream weekend getaway on Airbnb or communicated with an international relative for free on Skype knows how these companies have changed the world for the better.
Kutcher has become a leader in Silicon Valley’s financial class. When asked about how he picks his investments, Kutcher has a simple explanation. He said, “If we can create efficiencies in that which is mundane, then we accelerate our paths to happiness…If you find a way to help people find love, or health or friendship, the dollar will chase that.” Since 2010, Kutcher has been a partner in A-Grade Investments, along with Guy Oseary and Ron Burkle, which has allowed him to expand his already diverse investment portfolio. He and his firm continue to seek out cutting-edge investments that will improve the world and their bottom line.
Robin Wright
One of the most important ways that tech companies are doing good is through careful evaluation of the way they make their products. To that end, Intel has set out to ensure all its products are conflict-free by 2016, meaning they are produced without minerals that “directly or indirectly finance or benefit armed groups in the DRC [Democratic Republic of Congo] or adjoining countries.” In the short time since Intel formally launched the initiative in 2014, they’ve had success both in terms of changing business practices and in raising general awareness of the realities of the precious metals business in the Congo, where armed factions control many of the most valuable natural resources.
Intel and its partners in the conflict-free initiative, such as the Enough Project, have attracted the support of a number of notable names. One such celebrity is Robin Wright, a passionate activist in the area of conflict minerals, who joined Intel CEO Brian Krzanich at CES in 2014 to discuss the issue. Wright has also visited the Congo, taken her cause to D.C. policymakers, and worked on articles and films in hopes of raising awareness of the issue. Due to the early success of Intel’s program, industry insiders are now hopeful that the tech giant’s example will motivate their peers to follow suit.
Edward Norton
Crowdfunding has quickly become a competitive space with Kickstarter, GoFundMe, Indiegogo, and others all vying for attention. And then there’s CrowdRise. Edward Norton was instrumental in the founding of CrowdRise, a startup geared toward charitable fundraising. With CrowdRise’s positive message aimed at doing good in the community and its insistence on making the process enjoyable, the company has had continued success helping users raise funds for good causes. Visiting the site for the first time, you may find the layout odd: It feels a lot like Klout or LinkedIn, and users earn points as they participate in philanthropic endeavors. Since its founding in 2010, CrowdRise has grown exponentially, and received accolades from the philanthropic community, including being named a “Top 25 Global Philanthropist” by Barron’s.
Rainn Wilson
Numerous celebrities have transitioned from on-camera talent to off-camera producers and managers in the digital space. Funny or Die, Above Average, and many other digital content producers have celebrities involved at a high level. While there are many actors in the content game, few of them view their content as a force for good. That’s part of what differentiates Rainn Wilson’s SoulPancake.
In launching SoulPancake, Wilson’s aim was to get visitors thinking about life’s deeper subjects like love, faith, and death. Some shows on the platform, including “Metaphysical Milkshake” and “Kid President,” have garnered their own followings and become a part of the cultural conversation. In its brief history, SoulPancake has captured a large audience and industry attention. The company was named one of Fast Company’s “10 Most Innovative Companies in Video in 2015,” and was named the 114th fastest growing private company in America by Inc. In a world with so much bad news, the prospects for SoulPancake’s growth look great as fans respond to the site’s uplifting message.