THREE ORGANIZATIONS ARE making a bid
to design a better, brighter future of
work. They include the Fossil Foundation,
a social venture investment firm;
Pearson, a higher education products
and services provider; and The Dock, a
multidisciplinary research hub operated
by the global consultancy firm Accenture.
All three have joined the Unreasonable
Group, an organization promoting a
“new brand of entrepreneurship for the
21st century,” in its launch of Unreasonable
FUTURE. Unreasonable FUTURE
is a multiyear initiative that will invite
innovators and entrepreneurs to work
together “to design a future in which
people and technology work side-byside
to solve workplace challenges and
unlock human potential everywhere,”
according to a statement.
Unreasonable FUTURE coordinators
have selected 175 ventures operating
in 180 countries to participate in the
initiative as “Unreasonable Companies,”
defined as startups striving to disrupt
the status quo. Each of these ventures
has secured at least US$10 million in
financing or has generated $10 million
in revenue. These criteria, according
to the website, reflect Unreasonable
FUTURE’s focus “on scaling what
works.” The companies involved include
Aspect Biosystems, which is using 3-D
bio-printing to manufacture functional
human tissues; and Esoko, which is
providing African farmers with detailed
information about crop cultivation, crop
prices, and weather forecasts so that
they can increase their yields.
The initiative is particularly interested
in startups focused on training
underserved youth and upskilling people
to fill the jobs of the future. Among
these ventures are Workbay, which has
created a portal where low-income and
underskilled individuals can find jobs
and training; and Boxspring, a global
media company that has created short,
Hollywood-style training videos.
“Addressing the global wealth gap is
one of the grand challenges of our time,
and ... we must find a way to ensure the
workplace of tomorrow is inclusive and
equitable,” says Daniel Epstein, founder
and CEO of Unreasonable Group.
As part of Unreasonable FUTURE,
representatives from the 175 startups
will attend two-week workshops where
they can interact with mentors, specialists,
and each other. The workshops are
intended to provide participants with
greater access to resources, as well as
“induct the entrepreneurs into a lifetime
of support.” The objective, say the initiative’s
founders, is to help each startup
maximize its impact on the world.
By supporting young founders and
startups that aim to train the next generation,
Unreasonable FUTURE aims
to empower underserved youths and
help them thrive in the new economy,
says Janiece Evans-Page, vice president
of Fossil Group Global Philanthropy
and Sustainability. “Unreasonable
FUTURE,” she adds, “will help reshape
the pathways whereby youth learn,
work, and succeed, with a goal of impacting
one million young lives by 2021.”
Unreasonable FUTURE’s first program
took place this spring in San Jose,
California. Visit the organization's website to see a list of participants.