How social entrepreneurs are tackling the toughest issues (VIDEO)

On this blog we often talk about the next generation of Social Entrepreneurs and the ways in which people are aiming to solve the toughest global issues through the use of technology. Recently we had the pleasure of hosting a panel of entrepreneurs on our Redmond campus to hear firsthand how they are investing their time, energy and resources for positive change.

Given the limited space at the event, we recorded the discussion for your viewing pleasure. The panel runs about one hour so pull up a comfortable chair and enjoy.

A bit about the panel…

Moderator: Stefan Weitz, Senior Director at Bing. You can follow Stefan on Twitter @StefanWeitz. 

Panelist: Adam Braun – Pencils of Promise: As a college student traveling across the globe, Adam asked a small boy begging on the streets of India what he wanted most in the world. The answer: a pencil. That encounter inspired Adam to start Pencils of Promise (Pop) in October 2008 with a mere $25 in hopes of building one school in Laos. The movement that grew out of the Pop approach of nonprofit idealism and for-profit business accountability soon encouraged Adam to leave his job at Bain & Company and work exclusively on realizing the Pop dream. Today, that dream has manifested into more than 40 schools in Laos, Nicaragua and Guatemala. In creating a dedicated community of over 250,000 members, PoP has become a leader in social media engagement, sustainable development, youth empowerment and digital innovation. You can follow Pencils of Promise on Twitter: @pencilsofpromis.

Panelist: Sean Carasso – Falling Whistles: An avid adventurer, Sean left college early to travel the world with John Paul DeJoria and with every step wanted to see more. In 2008 he went to South Africa on a TOMS Shoe Drop and traveled north into the Democratic Republic of Congo. There he learned of children sent to the front lines of war, armed with only a whistle. That night he wrote a small journal called Falling Whistles that was forwarded around the world. He received thousands of emails asking, what can we do? The Falling Whistles campaign was born with a simple response - make their weapon your voice and be a whistleblower for peace. Out of his garage-office in Venice California, FW has partnered with local leaders in Congo to rehabilitate hundreds of women and children and is creating a global coalition for peace in our world's deadliest war. You can follow Falling Whistles on Twitter: @fallingwhistles

Panelist: Matthew Segal  co-founded OUR TIME in 2011 to channel the consumer power and voting strength of Americans under 30 in a united membership organization. In building OUR TIME, Matthew merged the Student Association for Voter Empowerment (SAVE), a voting rights campaign he founded in college, with Declare Yourself, a national civic engagement organization founded by Norman Lear, which registered nearly 4 million young Americans to vote. In early 2009, Matthew co-founded the 80 Million Strong Coalition, the largest campaign of organizations in the United States that addressed youth unemployment and other economic challenges facing individuals under 30. In this capacity, Matthew spearheaded a national jobs summit of hundreds of young leaders, provided testimony to the House Education and Labor Committee, and was the only youth representative invited to attend President Obama's conference on jobs and economic growth. Matthew is a contributing writer to the Huffington Post, is frequently quoted in the press, and appears regularly on CNN and MSNBC. Twitter: @OurTimeorg

Panelist: James Marshall Reilly is the author of the book Shake the World, which focuses on the job market, social entrepreneurship, business in the 21st century, philanthrocapitalism, and the change generation, will be released by Penguin/Portfolio in December, 2011. The book features interviews with many of the top young game-changers in the world, from Tony Hsieh (Zappos) and Doug Ulman (CEO & President of LIVESTRONG) to Elizabeth McKee Gore (Executive Director of Global Partnerships for the United Nations Foundation) and Shawn Fanning (Napster, Rupture, Path...) among many, many more. The text explores the career marketplace and how a new generation is embracing technology and a shift in values and consciousness to trigger social change and ultimately achieve success, however individually defined. Reilly is an entrepreneur, social commentator, and connector. He is 29 years old and lives in New York City.