What I’ve learned… What is success for you? For CrisisCommunicator and Wise Earth Technology, I define success to be when we have an economically sustainable business that people on the ground are happy to have. For myself, I “dream the impossible dream” where success is to “reach the unreachable star”. How could we encourage more people to use technology for good and become entrepreneurs? The way I see it, there are so many ways that entrepreneurs can bring about positive change in today’s world; the only difficulty is the high amount of personal risk involved in giving your life to a project and hoping it turns out right. For myself, I feel that more opportunities are needed to quickly learn the ropes (legal structures, accounting, and so on, through intensely practical, short-term classes) and to learn from other entrepreneurs’ mistakes (through easy-to-find case stories, opinions, etc.) I would love to see the spirit of open source and service enter the entrepreneurship sphere more, with tools such as financial plan generators and market research aids becoming more accessible to people on tight budgets. People helping people is essentially the ideal behind social enterprise, and it needs to be engendered from the ground up. Are you there yet? No, not yet. There is a long way to go, but the path is clearer every day. I believe that we must build a solid foundation for success, and the decisions made during this starting phase define whether we will get there or not. Who and what have been most helpful to you throughout your journey? My mother has been my mainstay, and I’m lucky to have her input. I have also been very fortunate in having great mentors, friends, and opportunities. There are so many ways that entrepreneurs can bring about positive change in today’s world! InnovationSpace: Young Innovators 31