Years ago, as Director of The Rensselaerville Institute (formerly Institute of Man & Science), I chatted with Frank P. Davidson about macro-engineering projects, of which geoengineering is a natural extension, and how to start and fund them from idea to completed execution. (Frank and his brother were the prime movers in proposing and building the Channel Tunnel; The Institute was also where Vincent Schaefer conceived of the idea for seeding clouds to create rain and snow.) Making big ideas into big results was never a challenge for my mentors. I've inherited that DNA. And for me geoengineering stands as one of the most consequential big ideas to turn into big results for our time--presuming net positive externalities!
A recent posting in this group "The Truth About Geoengineering" reveals what the geoengineering sector needs most at this point (assuming there is a lack of significant patrons and government funding): field tests of geoengineering solutions to gather requisite data so potential investors and funders can determine the better bets from the less than better options and then support them. Good data attracts good capital plus the healthy diversity of domain expertise needed to scale big idea development into doable execution. I've already envisioned one way forward for engaging the crowd: launching a charitable, open innovation platform with a backend family of donors and investors ready to fund testable ideas (similar to the Dell Social Innovation Challenge platform I designed and brought to market last year). I'm also currently negotiating to obtain charitable donations of the most useful atmospheric data on the planet to ensure the ability of investors and funders to monitor tests and verify geoengineering innovation effects, from the ionosphere down to sea level. Bringing visibility of geoengineering innovators and merits of their solutions to potential investors and donors will accelerate testing and generate data on global climate change solutions, as well as surface insights on how to mitigate any categorical risks presumed embedded in their deployment. This sequence is the relatively easy part. My experience is that lining up well-regarded individuals and sponsors encourages the best innovators from within AND outside a sector to participate, and knowing who that is among geoengineers is the harder part (for me): What individuals in geoengineering science and policy sectors have the greatest global credibility to bring positive influence and focus? I'm asking for help in learning who could be among the most credible champions for just such a charitable, global innovation platform: any and all suggestions and finger points will be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Rob Hanna Founding Partner Social Wealth Partners 512.476.4920 Skype "socialwealth" Twitter @socialwealth www.linkedin.com/in/robhanna *What are you working on that will make things significantly better for others? Please share, I'd like to know.* -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
