Michael Sheldrick, co-founder of Global Citizen and a leading voice in the fight to end extreme poverty, recently spoke at MIT about his experiences mobilizing global support for critical issues in fields like healthcare and climate resilience.

The author of From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World, Sheldrick discussed his book and work in a panel with academic-policy entrepreneurs Erhardt Graeff, Mihaela Papa, and Wonyoung So, who joined him in sharing their perspectives on driving meaningful change.

Through examples, including a coal community in Australia creating the largest battery installation in the Southern Hemisphere and young activists in South Africa working to improve access to period products in schools, Sheldrick outlined five principles for effective policy entrepreneurship: focusing on solutions, building alliances, prioritizing impact, establishing trust, and recognizing incremental achievements.

The event was co-sponsored by the MIT Center for International Studies (CIS), the Data + Feminism Lab at MIT, and MIT MAD.