What future will the boldest aspire to build?
The hosts:
Anna Ottosson, Mudcake
Jonny Everett, Marble
What is this Ripple about?
In the coming decade, we’ll have to face not only the increasing consequences of a climate and planetary crisis, but also manage the ethical and practical implications of AGI. How do we ensure that the smartest and boldest individuals are not spending that same decade heads down building wealth without a purpose?
Why this topic timely or urgent in 2026
A new generation of smart and ambitious founders and operators are being increasingly fed with the lure of building AI startups without any intention of making the world better. Can we instead leverage these technological leaps by shifting their attention towards the problems really worth solving?
Key questions or challenges being explored
Phrases like “building with integrity,” “AI in service of humanity” are often used more in the old ”Google - Don’t do evil” type of way rather than with an actual emphasis on creating a future we want future generations to live in. Can we showcase how humanity and the planet could benefit from the rapid technical developments and how individuals can contribute in a meaningful way?
How do we collectively create a narrative around building with purpose that can compete with the high salaries, beautifully designed offices and high status currently associated with the rapidly scaling AI-companies?
Should the "climate and impact ecosystem" be seen as a different one than the "normal startup world"? How can we get the best of both worlds?
The key tension or debate at the heart of this discussion
A few years ago, many of us impact- and climate-focused investors treated one underlying assumption as an almost undebatable truth: that the most intelligent and ambitious founders, operators and scientists would want to invest their time, energy and talent in solving the most important problems — climate and planetary threats included. That assumption no longer holds true with ambitious individuals being increasingly pulled toward building AI-driven companies optimized for speed, scale and wealth creation.
Who would get the most value from attending this Ripple?
Those looking to attract the smartest and boldest individuals to build a meaningful future