Innovating for Profit and Purpose

Engine Ventures, led by Katie Rae ’97, backs science-intensive innovation, including clean energy, quantum computing, and human health—an approach to venture capital defined by long timelines, deep expertise, and the potential for transformative impact.

We talked with Nick Callegari ’25, Dianna Liu ’18, and Ariana Yuen ’19 about the unique challenges faced by founders trying to make a difference and the moments that make their work worthwhile.

A wellness app created by Nneka Mobisson ’04 aims to help Nigerians manage chronic health conditions—while showing that for-profit innovation can make a difference for low-income populations.

We shared the stories of two alumni entrepreneurs with Professor Jonathan Feinstein, author of Creativity in Large-Scale Contexts, and asked him to apply his framework for creativity and innovation to help elucidate their paths from idea to impact.

We talked to Dean Takahashi ’83, founder and executive director of the Carbon Containment Lab, a nonprofit helping to develop multiple high-quality, undervalued climate innovations. ‌‌

As Whole Foods expanded in the 1990s, Denis Ring ’84 took on the challenge of developing the grocery chain’s 365 brand. Wooing shoppers with joyful design and affordable prices, he harnessed the power of private labels to expand the scale of organic and all-natural foods.

Advances in technology and a maturing development ecosystem have made renewable energy more economical, less risky, and increasingly rewarding for landowners, says Reid Buckley ’89, a partner at Orion Renewable Energy Group. But it has also become more politicized.

For a project in Bangladesh, Prof. Mushfiq Mobarak and his team used machine-learning models applied to mobile phone records to identify the poorest households—faster and at far lower cost than traditional surveys.