Disruptors for GOOD | Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises

This is the first episode of our new show Intelligence for GOOD. Subscribe here on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.In the inaugural episode of Intelligence for GOOD, I sit down with Andrew Sweet, Vice President of Innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation, to explore how AI is already being used to solve real-world challenges in agriculture, education, healthcare, workforce development, and public services.Andrew brings a unique perspective to the conversation. From serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo and a presidential appointee at USAID, to leading global COVID-19 initiatives at The Rockefeller Foundation, his career has focused on tackling complex challenges at scale.The discussion also explores Rockefeller's remarkable connection to the origins of artificial intelligence. In 1955, the Foundation funded the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence, the gathering where the term "artificial intelligence" was first coined and the modern AI field was born.Today, nearly seventy years later, Rockefeller is helping shape how AI can be deployed for public benefit around the world.In This EpisodeThe untold history of The Rockefeller Foundation's role in the birth of artificial intelligenceHow AI is helping millions of smallholder farmers improve crop yields and livelihoodsWhy developing countries often have a more optimistic view of AI than the United StatesThe growing importance of AI sovereignty and locally owned AI infrastructureHow AI can expand access to public benefits and government servicesWhy AI literacy should become a core part of educationThe rise of solo entrepreneurs building businesses with AI toolsHow states like Maryland and West Virginia are preparing citizens for an AI-driven economyThe role philanthropy can play in ensuring AI benefits everyone, not just a small group of technology companiesWhy Andrew believes AI can help reduce inequality rather than increase itKey TakeawaysAI is already creating measurable social impact.From Digital Green's Farmer.Chat platform reaching millions of farmers across multiple countries to new AI-powered health and education tools, practical applications are delivering results today.The biggest opportunity may be where talent is scarce.Rather than replacing workers, AI can fill critical gaps in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and education where there simply are not enough professionals available to meet demand.AI literacy is becoming essential.Just as previous generations needed proficiency in Microsoft Office and internet tools, future workers will need a working understanding of AI systems and how to collaborate with them effectively.Public services are ripe for transformation.AI has the potential to make government services more accessible, responsive, and human-centered by reducing complexity and improving citizen experiences.Optimism matters.While risks deserve serious attention, Andrew argues that society needs more conversations about the opportunities AI creates, especially for entrepreneurship, workforce development, and global problem solving.About Andrew SweetAndrew Sweet is Vice President of Innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation, where he leads AI partnerships and strategy initiatives.Before joining Rockefeller, Andrew served as a presidential appointee at USAID, worked with Dalberg Advisors in Africa and the United States, and began his career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo, West Africa.His work today focuses on helping governments, nonprofits, and communities leverage emerging technologies to improve lives and create economic opportunity. ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

The modern retail landscape is currently defined by a structural tension between consumer demands for convenience, the escalating necessity for sustainable practices, and the persistent inflationary pressures affecting household food security.Thrive Market has emerged as a seminal case study in resolving these tensions through a membership-based, digital-first model that integrates social impact directly into its financial architecture.Founded in 2014, the organization was conceptualized not just as a commercial enterprise but as a movement to democratize access to healthy living, specifically targeting the geographic and monetary barriers that have historically rendered organic and non-GMO products the exclusive domain of affluent, urban demographics.By operating as a hybrid of a wholesale club and a specialty health store, frequently articulated as "Costco meets Whole Foods", Thrive Market has successfully bypassed traditional retail markups, offering a hyper-curated catalog of over 6,500 products at prices 25% to 50% below traditional retail.Full case study ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

This Sundance, you’ll have the chance to experience a first look at the film’s sizzle — and to sit with other creators, funders, civic leaders, and artists wrestling with these questions at Power House, a warm and intentional gathering hosted by Powerlines.org just steps from Main Street.Over hot food and drinks, these conversations go beyond festival noise into how stories truly intersect with democratic life, citizen power, depolarization, and collaborative problem-solving.The Fight For Power isn’t just a film to watch, it’s a lens on what’s at stake for communities, for accountability, and for civic engagement in 2026 and beyond.To watch the sizzle and be part of this Sundance experience, RSVP at www.thefightforpowerfilm.comFull post here. ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

Healthcare has not changed its patient attire in over a century. That is not an exaggeration. While medicine, technology, and clinical standards have advanced at a remarkable pace, the patient gown has remained largely untouched, often becoming a quiet barrier to care rather than a support for it.Shawn Gibbs knows this firsthand.After 15 years in clinical practice, he repeatedly heard the same story from patients. People delayed or avoided care because they felt exposed, embarrassed, or powerless the moment they were handed a standard medical gown.Over time, that pattern became impossible to ignore. What started as individual patient conversations turned into a clear systemic failure.GIV Gowns was born from a simple but uncomfortable truth. Dignity matters in healthcare. Confidence matters. What a patient wears can influence whether they show up, how open they are during an exam, and how effectively a provider can do their job.GIV is building what Shawn calls a new gold standard for patient attire, designed with real human experience in mind, not institutional convenience.Read full interview ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

Transportation has always shaped how societies function. Who can move, how easily they can get from one place to another, and at what cost often determines access to work, healthcare, education, and community. In the digital age, rideshare platforms have quietly become part of that infrastructure.In a recent conversation, I sat down with Jerry Golden, Chief Policy Officer at Lyft, to unpack how transportation policy, technology, and social responsibility intersect. The discussion covered Golden’s unconventional career path, the realities of policymaking in a fast moving sector, Lyft’s expanding role in disaster response and accessibility, and how autonomous vehicles may reshape the future. ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

The statistics on marine pollution are staggering: an estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic enter our oceans every single year, equivalent to dumping a garbage truck full of plastic into the sea every minute.This crisis impacts everything from coral reefs and endangered species to the seafood on our plates.For decades, the fight to save our oceans was led primarily by large, established non-profits. Today, however, a new, dynamic force has emerged: the ocean conservation startup.These ventures are attracting significant investment and deploying cutting-edge technology to tackle pollution at its source, in rivers, and in the open ocean. They represent the leading edge of sustainable ocean tech.Full post here. ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

The push to decarbonize the world’s energy systems now overlaps with a long standing problem: what to do with the massive amount of agricultural waste produced every year.Billions of tons of crop residues and animal waste are generated across the globe. Much of it is left to rot or is burned, which adds to air pollution and releases methane.The result is a two sided problem.We face avoidable environmental damage on one side, and a large source of unused energy on the other.A growing group of startups is working to change this. They are building practical technologies that convert agricultural waste into clean energy that farmers and rural communities can actually use.These companies are cutting waste, lowering emissions, and supporting local economies. They are also helping build a circular bioeconomy that treats waste as a resource rather than a burden.Read full post ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

Ben & Jerry’s is often celebrated as the blueprint for socially conscious capitalism, a company that set out to prove business could serve both profit and purpose.Founded in 1978 in Burlington, Vermont by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the brand grew from a local scoop shop into a global symbol of activism wrapped in indulgence.Its mission, famously defined as a three-part balance between product quality, economic sustainability, and social justice, positioned the company decades ahead of mainstream corporate responsibility trends.But behind the lighthearted flavor names and progressive branding lies a far more complicated story. Over the past four decades, Ben & Jerry’s has struggled to reconcile its idealism with industrial reality, and its activism with corporate ownership.The 2000 acquisition by Unilever(SEC Filing) marked a turning point, one that gave the brand global reach but also sparked ongoing tension over how far a subsidiary can push social and political boundaries inside a multinational conglomerate.The company’s evolution highlights both the potential and the pitfalls of value-driven business. Its impact programs, from Fairtrade sourcing and regenerative agriculture to refugee employment and racial equity initiatives, have made real contributions to ethical commerce.Yet, the same mission has exposed Ben & Jerry’s to accusations of hypocrisy and partisanship. The gap between its public commitments and operational constraints has grown increasingly visible as global scrutiny around corporate activism intensifies.Today, Ben & Jerry’s stands as both a pioneer and a cautionary tale.Its enduring popularity and strong brand equity demonstrate the power of purpose-driven storytelling, while its public controversies and internal governance conflicts reveal the structural limits of idealism in a profit-driven system.The lessons drawn from its trajectory extend well beyond ice cream, they speak to the broader tension facing any brand that dares to mix business with belief.Full case study ----------------------------------------Disruptors for GOOD is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.