Mark Shuttleworth started the Foundation in 2001 and he is the driving force behind the success of the initiative. Known for testing boundaries in every sphere he becomes involved in, Mark continues to drive change in the world through the Foundation.
The Foundation was originally set up to drive education and technology projects in Mark’s home country, South Africa. We did some great work, the legacy of which you can still see around the South Africa school system.
After existing for five years, we reviewed out contribution to change and based on some startling realisations, decided to change how we do things and break the mould of funding organisations.
We found out:
- The projects that were most successful were those that had a champion at the core, who would drive the project with or without our support.
- The projects that were open, both legally and practically, had longevity and use past our limited vision, long after the investment ended.
- Initiatives that existed where they needed to be, rather than superficially confined by the borders of South Africa, took hold quicker.
To this end, we are now an experiment in open philanthropy, finding champions from China to San Francisco. Using alternative funding methodologies, new technologies and collaborative ways of working to ensure that every initiative receives the best exposure and resources to succeed.
