Greater Good Blog

On September 24, during the UN General Assembly and Climate Week in New York, I had the privilege of gathering with over 200 philanthropists, policymakers, nonprofits, change agents, and practitioners to discuss our shared goals of building a digital future that is ethical, inclusive, and equitable. Tech Together, a full day event to catalyze a global movement around financing and investment in public interest technology, convened this multi-disciplinary group of stakeholders at Cornell Tech’s Roosevelt Island campus to spark thoughtful conversation, inspire innovative solutions, and rally us to take meaningful actions and commit to investing in public interest technology. 

It was fitting that our meeting came just two days after the United Nations adopted the Global Digital Compact, a comprehensive framework for global governance of digital technology and artificial intelligence. The Compact promotes universal connectivity and the safeguarding of human rights, with an emphasis on data privacy and sovereignty.  

The UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology Amandeep Singh Gill spoke at Tech Together about the power of the framework, while acknowledging the immense commitments and work still needed to ensure an open, free, and secure digital future. “Light up the sky with millions of fireflies,” he said, “not by using a few searchlights.” 

Three themes, in particular, resonate with me as I reflect on the discussions at Tech Together, my experiences from a career in technology, and the work underway at the Public Interest Technology Infrastructure Fund.   

• The need to engage diverse stakeholders and collaborate across sectors;  

• The importance of including diverse voices and prioritizing the public interest in technology development; and  

• The enormous potential of developing data marketplaces that unlock global innovation 

Collaborate across public, private, and social sectors 

Left to their silos, the private, public, and social sectors have diminished capacity to solve looming technological and societal challenges. The private sector lacks incentive to allocate capital to public interest concerns; the public sector loses out on top talent, leading to a decline in marketplace innovation; and the social sector struggles to secure adequate capital. Together, however, meaningful change is possible.  

David Siegel, founder and chairman of the Siegel Family Endowment, pointed out that “governments, the UN, philanthropy, and academia must work together with the private sector towards addressing overlooked problems.” I was inspired to hear about the work of United States Digital Response, a nonprofit which leverages a dedicated network of 10,000 pro bono private sector technology specialists to partner with governments and nonprofits on over 400 projects—building public and social sector technology capacity to deliver critical services. 

Engage diverse voices and prioritize the public interest in technology development  

 If we want to build a future in which cutting-edge technological advancements center the broader public benefit and real-world needs, then we must engage communities, diversify the tech workforce, and support digital literacy and dialog. Scratch helped nurture coding literacy from a young age. New Public creates thriving digital public spaces where people can connect, offer recommendations, and solve community problems together. Break Through Tech provides students with different lived experiences access to influential tech opportunities, ensuring that our future will be shaped by a new generation of innovators from varied backgrounds and perspectives.  

Develop data marketplaces that unlock global innovation  

Data is the critical asset at the heart of AI and technological innovation. However, many data sets are privately owned and hard to access. They are often collected without proper consent or transparency, may reflect biases inherent in the source material, and may contain sensitive personal information that is susceptible to unauthorized access. One of the most powerful ideas I heard at Tech Together was the creation of data marketplaces as a public good—platforms that make data accessible to a wide range of stakeholders and support innovation for broader societal benefit. One powerful example of such a platform is Open Supply Hub, which began with mapping 90,000 apparel facilities and now offers open, accessible, and trusted retail supply chain data to the public. It’s the first step in shifting the industry toward a more sustainable and just path. 

Tech Together was an inspiring springboard for discussion and partnerships in service of building a more inclusive, public interest-focused technological future. For me, it underscored the importance of ethical considerations, data accessibility, the role of technology in working in service of the public interest and fostering innovation, and addressing the needs of the Global South. I left inspired and humbled by the gravity and magnitude of the work that lies ahead.  

Learn more about Tech Together’s speakers and their important work here. If you would like to learn more about the Public Interest Technology Infrastructure Fund, a pooled fund that invests in a diverse portfolio of organizations like the ones featured at the event, explore the opportunities here.