Forager International at G20 YEA Summit: Climate, Culture, and the Future of Work

United Nations General Assembly Week | Highlights from Day 2 This week,Sootchy, Inc’s Founder & CEO, David Adefesoo, is in New York for UNGA2025, joining global leaders in conversations that shape economies, policy, and opportunity worldwide. On Day 2, David participated in the Legacy Investors Forum, hosted by the Institutional Investor Network (INN) alongside UNGA2025 and Unstoppable Africa. The forum convened leaders to explore how long-term capital and bold leadership can drive sustainable change, from digital infrastructure to the creative economy. David joined a roundtable featuring: ▪️ His Excellency President Duma Boko of Botswana ▪️ Raymond McGuiree, Chairman of Lazard ▪️ Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, JD (FL-20) ▪️ John Jovanovic, Chair, Export-Import Bank of the United States ▪️ Van Jones, CNN Analyst ▪️ Bintou Kaboré Zerboo, Executive Director, Institutional Investor Network ▪️ Ufo Atuanya, Advisor, Institutional Investor Network The conversation centered on AI, critical minerals, and ensuring Africa has a seat at the global table. Moments like these are a reminder: the same innovation shaping global markets must also be applied to solving urgent challenges like student debt, financial inclusion, and intergenerational wealth. At Sootchy, Incc, we believe AI has the power to democratize opportunity, not only for global economies, but for families and communities everywhere. #UNGA2025 #AI #FinancialInclusion #Sootchy #GlobalLeadership #UnstoppableAfrica

Just two weeks to go until the inaugural ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit (#AIGS25) — presented by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth in partnership with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC) Malaysia. On October 24 in Kuala Lumpur, regional public and sector leaders and changemakers will come together to explore how sustainability, digital transformation, and partnership can advance shared prosperity and inclusive economic growth across the region. For Mastercard, this work builds on our mission to connect people to opportunity and ensure that everyone can benefit from the digital economy. Learn more about the summit agenda and our speakers at https://lnkd.in/dSNiyBNp #financialinclusion #financialhealth #inclusivegrowth #ASEAN

Systems change work is often slow and at times feels Sisyphean. But days like today remind me exactly why it’s worth it. Together with an amazing teammate, Rhea Sethna, we had the privilege of introducing three incredible Ashoka Fellows to 50 leaders in one of our corporate partners. We built a virtual space where employees could connect directly with grassroots social entrepreneurs, hearing what systems change looks like in practice, and exploring how their own skills could support this work. This particular partnership focuses on the built environment, addressing both direct climate solutions—like heat-resistant roofs in India and food system innovations in Malawi—and the indirect social impacts of climate change. What inspires me most is how our Fellows center whole communities in creating and embracing these solutions. And it’s not just about the Fellows’ work; it’s also about the employees: getting to apply their expertise toward real-world impact, while deepening their understanding of how impact work differs from commercial work. What makes this partnership stand out? Our corporate partner treats time spent on these impact projects as billable hours. It begs the question: what would the world look like if more firms in consulting and professional services embraced impact work at the same level of importance and gravity as commercial work? 

The HUGE Business & Investment Council (ThinkHUGE) participated in the first-ever Latin America-exclusive retreat co-hosted by the World Governments Summit (WGS) in Punta Cana. Dr. Juan José Daboub, HUGE President, joined the panel “Strategic Moves – Mapping the Economic Chessboard.” He highlighted Latin America and the Caribbean as hubs for growth—especially in technology, clean energy, and SMEs—and shared HUGE’s mission to foster competitiveness, friendshoring, and private-sector investment across the Northern Triangle. “Regional collaboration is not just an economic strategy; it is the key to creating jobs, attracting capital, and expanding opportunities for our people,” – he stated. The retreat brought together leaders from government, business, and philanthropy to build stronger bridges between Latin America and the MENA region. #ThinkHUGE #Investment #Friendshoring #NorthernTriangle #EconomicGrowth

The Blueprint for #ClimateTech The African climate entrepreneur isn't just thinking about a "big idea." We're building the entire system in our heads, every single day: 🌍 International Collaboration: We're not just local; we're building global solutions from Day 1. Who are our partners? 💰 Funding Strategies: How do we move from grant-dependent to commercially viable and investment-ready? 📢 Strategic Communication: How do we articulate our value to a global ecosystem of customers, investors, and collaborators? 🚀 Scaling & Growth: How do we design not just to start, but to survive and scale across diverse markets? ⚖️ Proven Impact: How do we define, measure, and communicate our real contribution to the SDGs? The KTH Innovation Readiness Level framework resonates deeply because it gives structure to this chaos. It’s not just about Technology (TRL); it's about the #Customer #BusinessModel #Team #Funding #IP We are building resilient, deeptech ventures that are rooted in societal challenges, open to collaboration, and designed for global impact. #Innovation #Sustainability #KTHInnovation #ImpactInvesting #impactpioneers25 #impactpioneers SI Leadership Programmes Svenska institutet Viktor Olsson Anna Volckerts Åsa Jarskog Dr. Alfred Okot Okidi Catalina Robayo Serrano Sheryl C Mehkar Sheikh

🎤 Youth at the heart of global trade! At the #WTOPublicForum this September, the Global Shapers Paris brought together young leaders from Paris, Geneva, London, and Washington D.C. to explore how #DigitalTrade can transform lives. From empowering MSMEs and women entrepreneurs to boosting opportunities for developing economies, the message was clear: bridging the digital divide is essential for inclusive growth. 🌍 Digital trade means access. It means equity. It means opportunity. And young people aren’t waiting on the sidelines, they’re already shaping the conversation. Kudos to moderator Edilène Gauthé, Steven (JiaJie) Qi, Théophile M. H., Rosemary Momoh and Lili Vessereau for bringing your expertise to the global stage.

Across Asia, the conversation around impact has shifted.... from talk to action. In an engaging conversation with Oriel Morrison, AVPN CEO Naina Subberwal Batra shares how more than 1,500 leaders have gathered at the AVPN conference, all recognising that driving impact means taking ownership of their own destiny. The discussions have been deep, contextual, and inclusive, bringing new players into the ecosystem and highlighting a distinctly Asian model of corporate giving. Across the region, there’s now a much stronger bias for action, and a move away from conversation toward collaboration. What’s emerging is a collective mindset built on humility and partnership, where no one is trying to solve challenges alone. Instead, the focus is on working together to create a better future for the next generation, guided by values-driven philanthropy, not tax incentives. Asia, Naina says, is stepping confidently into its role as the centre of a new impact movement, one defined by purpose, partnership, and progress. Watch the full interview with Naina and Oriel by clicking the link in comments. #AVPN #Philanthropy #ImpactInvestment #VC #Collaboration #ConversationsShapingOurFuture Astari Pinasthika Sarosa

Innovation isn’t just invention. It’s intention. For the brilliant minds in the #YoungAfricaInnovates Programme, innovation means stepping outside comfort zones, solving local problems and creating impact. In this short video, young innovators reflect on what innovation means to them, not in theory, but in practice. These insights are shaping real-world solutions during the Stage Gating Phase, supported by Mastercard Foundation in partnership with UNDP. #InnovationWithoutBarriers  #StageGating  #YAI

Brian Laung Aoaeh, CFA highlights a critically important moment. The G20's focus, especially under South Africa's historic presidency, on "Bridging Markets & Building Legacies," is the essential work of stabilizing and optimizing the Bounded-We Economy. This is the economy of international treaties, trade volumes, and GDP—where the goal is to create efficient, reliable systems for the flow of capital and goods between nations. Venture capital, in this context, plays a crucial role in funding the technologies that enhance the resilience and productivity of these global systems. It's about building a better global machine. However, the profound instability of recent years—from supply chain shocks to geopolitical fractures—exposes the limitations of this model. We are trying to solve 21st-century systemic crises with 20th-century frameworks. This event's focus on "legacies" points to the more profound need: the shift to an Unbounded-Us Economy. In this model, the goal isn't just to bridge markets with more efficient supply chains, but to architect ecosystems that enable co-creation across borders. The value isn't in moving goods faster, but in fostering the relational infrastructure—the shared protocols, data trust, and collaborative platforms—that allow communities and economies to solve problems together, creating value that is emergent and shared, not just traded. Brian's role is key. The most transformative "industrial transformation" won't be a faster ship or a more intelligent robot; it will be ventures that build the metaphysical physics for this new economy—where a farmer in Kenya, a manufacturer in Vietnam, and a distributor in Brazil can collaborate with the fluidity of a single team. This is the evolution from building global supply chains to cultivating global problem-solving networks. #G20 #UnboundedUs #SupplyChain #VentureCapital #EconomicTransformation

In today’s world, resilience and purposeful pivots are no longer optional—they are essential for leaders who want lasting impact. Strategic Shifts & Purposeful Pivoting at UNGA Week 2025, New York On September 19, Always Green LLC proudly co-convened the UNGA side event Strategic Shifts: African and Diaspora Leaders on Purposeful Pivoting in partnership with Africa Health Matters and Cactus Solutions. Together, we created space to explore how leaders can approach transitions with intentionality, resilience, and purpose. Alphonso David’s keynote set the tone, reminding us that successful pivots demand inner strength, clarity of vision, and the courage to embrace new possibilities. Our panel—Florence Torson-Hart, Dr. Fungisai Nota, Damon Williams, and Mariam Braimah, moderated by Maame Yelbert-Sai—shared powerful stories of resilience and reinvention, underscoring the importance of staying anchored in purpose while navigating change. We extend deep gratitude to our sponsors—AFRI Women Network, Impact Hub, and the Ghana Chambers of Commerce—for their generous support, and to our Special Guest, H.E. Prof. Abena P.A. Busia, for honoring us with her presence. At Always Green LLC, we believe purposeful pivots are not just career moves; they are opportunities to lead with authenticity and impact. #StrategicShifts #PurposefulPivoting #LeadingChange #AlwaysGreenLLC #AfriwomenNetWork #ImpactHub #GhanaChambersofCommerce #AfricaMentalHealthMatters #CactusSolutions