Last month, the Material Change Institute held its 2023 Summit — an event nearly two years in the making. Our first in-person gathering, the summit gave our thriving ecosystem an opportunity to network, learn, and draw from diverse experiences as we created new value together. Fellows from all three classes, teachers, domain experts, Angel and VC investors flocked to Toronto for the experience, which was followed by a two-day Super Session from our partner, the Creative Destruction Lab.
Across two days, our community gained new insights from sessions on investor resilience, Climate, AI and other topics shaping the asset management landscape. We also explored the latest in investments in Emerging Technology, Health and Femtech during intimate fireside chats. Together, we created a space for meaningful dialogues and diverse voices.
Ayori Selassie, a Fellow from Material Change’s inaugural cohort, was inspired by the collaborative community at the summit. Says Ayori, “To be in a room full of people with such diverse backgrounds — and I don’t just mean creed and color; rather, perspectives far beyond Wall Street — means that you can see futures that everyone else doesn’t see.”
Christy Fernandez-Cull, one of many Class II Fellows at the summit, said connecting with Fellows across all three cohorts was a powerful experience. She also highlighted the value of the CDL Super Session; we’ll share a full recap of that event with you soon.
“Material Change Institute’s two day summit was a wonderful opportunity for this network of three classes of Fellows, VCs, moderators and teachers to connect, learn and discuss such important topics,” says Christy. “Through the partnership Material Change has with Creative Destruction Lab, we all attended CDL Super Session as well, which was also incredible”.
For Mahum Jamal, a Class III Fellow who started her Fellowship last month, the summit was a catalyzing experience.
“The caliber of leadership among the Fellows is unparalleled, and the carefully curated discussion prompted deep, personal reflection on our individual paths towards impact and investment,” says Mahum. “Connections with current and past fellows have added a new dimension to my leadership and VC journey, sparking entirely new avenues of creativity and ideation.”
As the Material Change team explores the innovation and impact that grew out of the 2023 Summit, we’re already busy planning our next in-person gathering. We can’t wait to continue fostering the strong, human connections — and passion for impact — that tie together all the voices in our ecosystem.
“It was truly an eye-opening experience and a wonderful foundation for developing a purpose-driven community,” says Mahum. “I’m excited to see what’s next.”
We couldn’t agree more, and we’re so grateful for the community that came together for our inaugural Material Change Summit.