SABF 2013 closed its first day of debate with its conclusions presented by Diego Luzuriaga, Founder and Executive Director at Equitas Ventures.
He started by making the audience reflect by asking different yes/no questions. First he asked whether technology is necessary and sufficient to achieve a sustainable world. Most of the presents agreed that it is necessary but not enough. He also questioned about environmental and social sustainability. Again, most of the people agreed that both were necessary. He pointed out that sustainability should not be though just for a few, but spread it all the population. He also investigated amongst the audience about economic growth and if it means development and equity. As everybody agreed that no, he stated that entrepreneurs are the ones capable of changing this, though they cannot do it by themselves.
Diego recalled some questions the Dean from the host university made during his opening speech. Should the university teach entrepreneurship? Is it something we learn?
Afterwards, Luzuriaga reflected upon Jose Luis Cordeiros’s session who talked about technological singularity and human immortality.
About Eduardo Braun’s speech he recalled what he said about Martin Luther King: “He didn’t say I have a plan, he said I have a dream”. Another interesting personality Eduardo Braun quoted was James Cameron who said that he enjoyed the moments where he did not have all the answers because it encouraged teamwork in order to find them.
Regarding Eban Goodstein he highlighted what he said about the rules of the game: politicians are the ones who define them, but business people are the one who play their game under those rules. He also supported Eban encouraging the audience not to wait to start changing the world.
Later, referring to Ayla Matalon’s speech, he remarked what she said about what it is needed to succeed in entrepreneurship, such as being tolerant to failure.
Finally, Luzuriaga talked about Catherine Bracy’s great plenary. He pointed out that although there are not lots of examples yet, some governments have find a successful way to lean on technology and obtain positive results.
Once Diego Luzuriaga highlighted the main ideas of the first day, he began to share his own thoughts. He introduced the concept of corporate power. The greatest companies in the world own more than the 80% of the economic resources and they only create jobs for the 0.33% of the global population.
He pointed out 3 things needed to create a sustainable world. First, we need to redefine prosperity with a more holistic concept. There cannot be isolated prosperity surrounded by poverty. Second, we do not have to think prosperity together with development. There cannot be infinite growth in a finite world. Last, we need to start worrying for the suffering of the ones around us. He also proposed to incorporate nature as an economic actor.
To conclude, he made two final reflections:
How can we take feminine aspects of leadership and mix them with masculine executive ones?
How can we make effective, emphatic and tolerant actions which generate sustainable development?
Diego strongly thinks that the future is to be created, not estimated, and that this generation is the one that should make incredible things.
“What we need is a consciousness revolution.”
