A very warm welcome

The art of disruptive innovation

Philanthropy as a necessary component of an organization’ s DNA

Making the world a better place

Katharine Boshkoff, Global Vice President of Career Development & Alumni Relations, kicked off the weekend with a warm welcome to all the attending alumni. She seized the opportunity to encourage alumni to stay involved and visible in the Hult community by joining Hult Connect and the Alumni Mentorship Program.

“ When you graduate from Hult, you leave with more than just a degree. This unique student experience does not stop after graduation, since Hult provides the tools and resources to keep you engaged. Stay connected to your peers, professors, and colleagues and you will have access to a global network that provides an array of opportunities.”

Andrew Grill, Global Managing Partner in Social Consulting at IBM, formally opened the summit by explaining what companies need to know to stay ahead of the digital curve. His presentation,“ Disrupt or Be Disrupted,” had the audience thoroughly engaged.

Grill said,“ Digital disruption is not just around the corner. Every industry is being disrupted by digital technologies and new business models … companies need to act now.” He urged companies to infuse their business models with digital technology, and placed a significant emphasis on affirming that“ digital disruption should not be seen as a threat, but as an opportunity to transform companies and make them more efficient.”

An inspirational talk by Ebony Frelix, Senior Vice President, Philanthropy & Engagement at Salesforce, emphasized that companies must help build sustainable communities around the world, and asserted that young professionals are becoming increasingly committed to this cause.

“ Employees want to have an added value and volunteer. Companies have to provide vehicles for employees to have these experiences and give back to the world.” Frelix also described the“ 1-1-1 model” Salesforce created with the aim of improving the state of the world:“ We call this integrated philanthropic approach the 1-1-1 model because it started with a commitment to leverage 1 % of Salesforce’ s technology, people, and resources to improve communities around the world.”

This formula framework was particularly well-received by alumni, who voiced their renewed sense of commitment to give back to their community.

The three Master of Social Entrepreneurship students from the San Francisco campus presented their $ 1 million idea to the attending alumni in preparation for the 2016 Hult Prize Global Final in New York. Team Musana aims to improve the lives of millions of people by distributing solar-powered Musana Carts that provide more efficient infrastructure to street vendors. In January, the team piloted their model in Kampala, Uganda, and have already raised 110 % of their funding targets.

Having only presented to a large audience twice, Team Musana seized the opportunity to gather constructive feedback.“ We knew that the alumni would be a challenging audience … We received good advice on how we can better tailor our pitch and figures. Alumni had encouraging words and mentioned that they were impressed by the work we have done in only few months,” said team member Manon Lavaud.

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