Skip to content
Skip to main content
Microsoft
Official Microsoft Blog
Official Microsoft Blog
  • Home
    • About Microsoft
    • Company Timeline
    • Global Diversity & Inclusion
    • Microsoft by the Numbers
    • Microsoft on the Issues
    • Microsoft Stories
    • Official Microsoft Blog
    • Regional News Centers
      • Microsoft Asia
      • Microsoft Europe
      • Microsoft India
      • Microsoft Latin America
      • Microsoft Middle East & Africa
    • Accessibility Blog
    • AI Blog
    • Customer Stories
    • Education Stories
    • Feature Stories
    • Innovation Stories
    • Microsoft Latino
    • Microsoft Life
    • Microsoft on the Issues
    • Microsoft Research
    • Story Labs
    • Official Microsoft Blog
    • Product blogs
      • Azure
      • Devices
      • Microsoft 365
      • Windows
      • Xbox
    • Security Blog
    • AI for Business
    • Image Gallery
    • Press Releases
    • Microsoft News on Twitter
    • Events
    • Executive Biographies
    • Microsoft CEO
    • Press Contacts
    • Board of Directors
    • Facts About Microsoft
    • Investor Relations
    • Worldwide News
    • Video & Broll
    • Executive Speeches
    • Press Kits
      • Automotive and Mobility
      • Dynamics 365
      • Healthcare
      • Manufacturing
      • Microsoft 365
      • Mixed Reality
      • Philanthropies
      • Surface
      • Telecom
      • Microsoft 365
      • Office
      • Windows
      • Surface
      • Xbox
      • Deals
      • Support
    • Software
      • Windows Apps
      • OneDrive
      • Outlook
      • Skype
      • OneNote
      • Microsoft Teams
      • Microsoft Edge
    • PCs & Devices
      • Computers
      • Shop Xbox
      • Accessories
      • VR & mixed reality
      • Phones
    • Entertainment
      • Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
      • PC Game Pass
      • Xbox games
      • PC games
      • Windows digital games
      • Movies & TV
    • Business
      • Microsoft Cloud
      • Microsoft Security
      • Dynamics 365
      • Microsoft 365 for business
      • Microsoft Power Platform
      • Windows 365
      • Microsoft Industry
      • Small Business
    • Developer & IT
      • Azure
      • Developer Center
      • Documentation
      • Microsoft Learn
      • Microsoft Tech Community
      • Azure Marketplace
      • AppSource
      • Visual Studio
    • Other
      • Microsoft Rewards
      • Free downloads & security
      • Education
      • Virtual workshops and training
      • Gift cards
      • Gift Ideas
      • Licensing
      • Microsoft Experience Center
    • View Sitemap
    0 Cart 0 items in shopping cart

    Creating a world of good: A celebration of Microsoft’s Global Social Entrepreneurship Program

    Apr 25, 2021 | Jean-Philippe Courtois - EVP and President of Microsoft Global Sales, Marketing and Operations

    • Share on Facebook (opens new window)
    • Share on Twitter (opens new window)
    • Share on LinkedIn (opens new window)
    Entrepreneurship artwork

    I often share this quote by the French author and aviator, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: “Your task is not to foresee ​the future, but to enable it.”

    Throughout my career at Microsoft I’ve been proud to play a part in enabling a safer, healthier, more sustainable and fairer future for our planet by supporting social entrepreneurship. It has helped me align my personal purpose with the purpose of Microsoft.

    We only do well when the world does well.

    Microsoft’s Global Social Entrepreneurship Program was created in early 2020, after we asked ourselves how we could further empower purpose-driven social enterprises that measure success not just by the profit they generate, but by the good they do. We know that technology plus purpose is powerful and lifts us all up.

    Over a year later, I am pleased to share that we now have more than 100 social impact organizations participating from every market, working toward every single one of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals.

    Today, I’d like to tell you about three in particular.

    Vector Center

    Desert scene with canal

    Vector Center is helping companies, institutions and governments navigate profound water and systemic risks by providing real-time, contextualized intelligence about water, climate and intersecting global threats to help inform responses.

    As J. Carl Ganter, Vector Center CEO and recipient of the Rockefeller Foundation Centennial Innovation Award put it, “To avoid serious, imminent disruptions for business, people, and the environment, the world needs nothing less than a coordinated, data-informed global water movement.”

    And we need it now. Climate change continues to be the biggest single threat to all our futures.

    But Ganter is also an optimist. So am I.

    He believes we are entering an exciting era of accelerated innovation and problem-solving, where advancements in technology like machine learning are making it possible to work smarter, spot trends faster and predict responses better.

    The organization draws on its decades of experience and its revolutionary Perception Reality Engine™ running on Microsoft’s Azure platform to uniquely combine state-of-the-art satellite data, social sentiment analysis and on-the-ground investigative research.

    It’s also been wonderful to see how its network of purpose-driven innovators, all at the forefront of sustainability, analytics and global trends, has developed a creative, collaborative relationship with Microsoft as we work together to meet our common sustainability goals.

    Circuit Clinical

    Circuit Clinical logo

    I’d now like to introduce you to Dr. Irfan Khan.

    While he was the director of the electrophysiology lab at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, New York, Dr. Khan made an important realization: Researchers need a diverse slate of clinical trial participants that fully represent the human population, and people from all backgrounds need access to the latest treatments.

    As a result, he made the decision in 2016 to leave medical practice and focus on solving the problem. He founded Circuit Clinical, which works to bring together a network of health systems serving diverse populations to provide clinical research as a care option for patients.

    I’ll let Dr. Khan tell you more about it:

    “Circuit Clinical’s core belief is that patients prefer to learn about clinical research from healthcare providers they already know and trust. That’s why our team is integrated within our network to deliver clinical research where it matters most to patients – their own doctors’ offices. Since its founding, Circuit Clinical has brought together a network representing 180 doctors, more than 30 medical practices and a nationally accredited cancer center with direct access to more than 2 million patients who may qualify for clinical trials.”

    To complement this strategy, the team also built TrialJourney, the first-ever ratings and reviews platform for clinical trial participants.

    Circuit Clinical is not only working toward a healthier future, but a more inclusive one as well.

    “Improving diversity in clinical trials is a very powerful opportunity to create real change,” Dr. Khan says. “We believe improving access and inclusion in clinical trials is both the right thing to do AND creates a differentiated business advantage.”

    The Circuit Clinical team is also 70% women, and Dr. Khan meets personally with every hire to explain how they are all committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion  as a core value.

    UPEPO

    UPEPO logo

    1.8 billion people will soon be living with absolute water scarcity. In urban environments and fast-growing towns and cities in Africa, water rationing and shortages caused by aging infrastructure and commercial losses limit household consumption and service even as demand grows.

    At UPEPO, founder Kevin Kihara and his team are helping to solve this problem of water loss by integrating Azure-based Internet of Things solutions that help achieve water efficiency, conservation and management outcomes.

    Most importantly, these solutions are customized for emerging markets and Africa where this issue is critical, and where high capital expenditure is a barrier to technology.

    Like most social entrepreneurs, Kevin’s ambition to make an impact is both immense and inspiring, going well beyond the issue of water loss in his home country of Kenya.

    “Our long-term plan is to go across Africa and the Middle East focusing on cities, eventually hoping to have our devices installed on over 300,000 devices,” he says. “Our objective is save every last drop. And through water conservation, we can address the issues of climate change, which is putting a great strain on our water resources.”

    Conclusion:

    I hope you are inspired by these amazing stories as I am.

    Tags: entrepreneurs, Global Social Entrepreneurship, startups

    Follow us:

    • Check us out on RSS
    What's new
    • Surface Pro 8
    • Surface Laptop Studio
    • Surface Pro X
    • Surface Go 3
    • Surface Duo 2
    • Surface Pro 7+
    • Windows 11 apps
    • HoloLens 2
    Microsoft Store
    • Account profile
    • Download Center
    • Microsoft Store support
    • Returns
    • Order tracking
    • Virtual workshops and training
    • Microsoft Store Promise
    • Flexible Payments
    Education
    • Microsoft in education
    • Devices for education
    • Microsoft Teams for Education
    • Microsoft 365 Education
    • Education consultation appointment
    • Educator training and development
    • Deals for students and parents
    • Azure for students
    Business
    • Microsoft Cloud
    • Microsoft Security
    • Dynamics 365
    • Microsoft 365
    • Microsoft Power Platform
    • Microsoft Teams
    • Microsoft Industry
    • Small Business
    Developer & IT
    • Azure
    • Developer Center
    • Documentation
    • Microsoft Learn
    • Microsoft Tech Community
    • Azure Marketplace
    • AppSource
    • Visual Studio
    Company
    • Careers
    • About Microsoft
    • Company news
    • Privacy at Microsoft
    • Investors
    • Diversity and inclusion
    • Accessibility
    • Sustainability
    English (United States)
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Manage cookies
    • Terms of use
    • Trademarks
    • About our ads
    • © Microsoft 2022