Change.org's Founder Talks Social Entrepreneurship With AshokaTECH

Ten thousand years ago, our ancestors began gathering together in makeshift villages and using the most primitive of tools to improve their day-to-day life. Ten millennia later, it's hard to comprehend how dramatically technologies have evolved and changed not only human society, but the planet as well. Still, though, the AshokaTECH podcast is trying, and in our most recent episode, we were happy to host Change.org's founder and CEO Ben Rattray to be a part of that conversation.

This week, Ben joined us in a discussion of how to harness the power of technology and social entrepreneurship to improve the world. In the episode Ben and I put aside our Pac-10 sports rivalries, and get to the heart of how his experience leading Change.org can inform us all about the intersection of technology and social entrepreneurship.

In our conversation, we delve into how running an online social enterprise differs from running a purely for-profit endeavor. We talk about the challenges it entails, from placating investors to recruiting top talent. I get Ben's take on "slacktivism" and question whether organizing online really can manifest itself in concrete change beyond the internet's world of ones and zeros. We also touch on how social entrepreneurs can take advantage of the fundamental shifts occurring today -- the product of incredible online technologies -- and how entrepreneurs can stay competitive and make their vision go viral by embracing the new web.

Ben joins an impressive list of social entrepreneurs whose work has already been featured on the podcast -- from solar-powered hearing aid creators in Brazil to renewable energy developers in rural Nicaragua to people launching public health breakthroughs via SMS in Ghana. Every two weeks for AshokaTECH, I go around the world searching for social entrepreneurs utilizing technology and innovation to create both local and global change. Ben's experience with Change.org (and the broader community it's involved) shows the incredible potential the internet holds to improve the world around us, when used ambitiously and creatively.

Growing up in Silicon Valley, I've seen from a young age the latent potential inherent in technology. But it wasn't until I began traveling around the world, studying it in the classroom and learning from social entrepreneurs that I've come to see how technologies can be utilized for the social good in ways our ancient ancestors -- and even our more recent ones -- couldn't have imagined. (For the latest evidence of the fact, look no further than the way the tech community has mobilized to support Chile in the aftermath of its earthquake, which Nathaniel blogged about yesterday.)

To join this conversation and listen to the most recent episode of our podcast with Ben Rattray, check out the AshokaTECH Podcast homepage, where you can listen directly to our interview online. To subscribe to the podcast and download the episode directly, you can visit our page in iTunes, as well. Let me know any feedback you have in the comments, and enjoy!

Photo Credit: Mr. T in DC