Here is some of what those trailblazers said they learned:
Your original solution it almost certainly going to need massive adaptation along the way, but as long as your deep conviction about the potential to transform lives remains unshaken, you have to be courageous and stay the course.
Ashvin DayalSenior Vice President, Power and Climate, The Rockefeller Foundation
You can try to do all the analysis you want before making a big bet, but in the end, when something makes your toes curl, your experience and intuition are telling you something. That's when you take the leap.
Zia KhanSenior Vice President, Innovation, The Rockefeller Foundation
Whether at the global, regional, national, or local level, prioritize women and their well-being. When women’s viewpoints are solicited and incorporated, the family and community benefits.
Deepali KhannaVice President, Asia Regional Office, The Rockefeller Foundation
Transforming bold ideas into something tangible and valuable demands an entrepreneurial mindset. The key lies in executing with excellence on the field, measuring data, and having the agility to learn and innovate. The Rockefeller Foundation’s establishment of SPI nurtured such an entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Jaideep MukherjiCEO, Smart Power India
The supply side is the easy part. The demand side is critical. And to tap that, you first and foremost have to interact, engage, and understand the needs of the community. Don’t underestimate them. They know best what they need and what will work for them.
Samit MitraDirector, Program Implementation, SPI
Put aside for the moment arguments about energy democracy and how communities need to own their resources. In simple economics, the logic of decentralized renewable energy is so strong that it can only be a matter of time. So stick with it, whatever the challenges.
Shrashtant “Pat” PataraCEO, Development Alternatives
Don’t shy away from gnarly problems that seem impossible to solve. Those are exactly the problems we want to tackle. Bring together unconventional partners to focus on a transformative goal, and stay in it for as long as it takes, even through moments of doubt.
Suman SureshbabuManaging Director of Demand, Jobs and Livelihoods, GEAPP
Don’t be scared of very outrageous ideas. Sometimes from outrageous ideas, you get success. But at the same time, give those ideas three or four quarters. Then if they aren’t working, jettison them, because teams are demotivated if they cannot taste the possibility of success.
Sidhartha VermaniSenior Director, SPI
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