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Students Share Insight from the World’s Largest Gathering of Changemakers

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Hoffmann Institute

Students Share Insight from the World’s Largest Gathering of Changemakers

Students Share Insight from the World’s Largest Gathering of Changemakers

Each year, the ChangeNOW summit brings together innovators, investors, thought leaders and policymakers for the largest event of solutions for the planet. Since the launch of the Hoffmann Institute, INSEAD has served as Academic Partner for ChangeNOW. We connect INSEAD MBA students to this ecosystem of promising solutions and resources needed to scale. The most recent summit opened an opportunity to hear firsthand how the experience shaped student perceptions of prosperity and positive impact. 

To ensure robust and meaningful student engagement, the Hoffmann Institute funded 50 student tickets for the March 2024 ChangeNOW summit. The Institute also partnered with the Career Development Centre and invited local companies in the impact space to pitch job opportunities to the students at an evening networking event. More attendees and collaboration with the Centre enabled students to explore avenues to take positive impact to the next level in their careers. 

After the summit, the Institute reached out to students and asked about their ChangeNOW experience. We wanted answers to questions that help us engage in years to come. What got them excited to want to attend? What did they get out of it? What do they hope for the future? The answers are a testament to the power of ChangeNOW to empower leaders and create change. 

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Student Share Perspectives

Attending ChangeNOW has been one of the highlights of my MBA so far. It was an amazing opportunity to learn from inspiring panellists, spend time with like-minded students, and meet leaders and INSEAD alumni focused on social impact. There is so much innovation and growth in social impact, and it was amazing to see it all showcased at a conference in Paris - Isabel Havens MBA’24D

It was amazing to see so many entrepreneurs and leaders from different places bringing innovative solutions to global sustainability challenges. The talks and projects there emphasized the power of collaboration across sectors for actionable change. This really helped me understand more about how business can be part of these solutions. This experience has enriched my understanding of sustainable business practices and will significantly influence my approach to both my studies and future career - Nader Mrad MBA’24J

ChangeNOW was truly inspiring! It was incredible to see and hear from various individuals who are making a difference in the world in their own unique ways. The stories and initiatives shared were not only enlightening but also motivating. This experience has inspired me to craft my own journey in a way that I get to contribute positively to the world. I am now more hopeful and excited for what the future holds, and I look forward to applying what I've learned to my future endeavors - Pamela Antwi MNA’24D

It was really interesting to attend ChangeNOW and learn about lots of innovative startups and more established firms leading the path to decarbonization and other sustainable initiatives. I found it incredibly helpful to have the networking event with alumni and company representatives as well. The companies represented were relevant and very intriguing for MBA students - Stephanie Chen Schmidt MBA’24J

For me, the highlight of the ChangeNOW conference was speaking with representatives from various startups at their booths. It was truly inspiring to witness such innovation in the sustainability space. Each booth buzzed with creative solutions that tried to address pressing issues. This experience has deepened my appreciation for the ingenuity within this sector - Sambhavna Biswas MBA’24J

Moving Forward

Listening to the voice of students is important. At the Hoffmann Institute, we use this feedback to open avenues for positive impact. It’s great to hear that INSEAD MBA students found the ChangeNOW experience engaging and insightful.

We want to keep this momentum going. At the 2024 ChangeNOW summit, the Hoffmann Institute and the Rudolf and Valeria Maag INSEAD Centre for Entrepreneurship hosted the Impact Entrepreneurship Forum. We brought thought leadership to the fore with faculty and Dean Francisco Veloso speaking about the power of entrepreneurs, new ideas and creative destruction to change the system. INSEAD students need to be there to understand the powerful potential for impact entrepreneurship. 

The Institute looks forward to our continued partnership with ChangeNOW. We also look forward to connecting more INSEAD students, faculty and alumni with this community of changemakers. 

The Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society extends a warm thank you to INSEAD alumni Kevin Tayebaly MBA'15J and Santiago Lefebvre MBA'15J, founders of ChangeNOW. We would also like to thank Vimi Emraz and the INSEAD Career Development Centre team for supporting the networking event.

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