Future-thinking entrepreneurs with both courage and a network of like-minded problem solvers are making a difference at nearly every level of an economy and culture struggling toward a more sustainable and humane future. Along the way, they’re proving that innovation, empathy, and business models based on regenerative and sustainable missions can also satisfy investors.
In this conversation, Aviv Shahar learns more about the origins and remarkable stories of the most innovative, forward-looking entrepreneurial ventures succeeding today from their founders: Court Lorenzini, founder of DocuSign, the global standard for electronic signatures, who invests in and supports promising startups; Grant Canary, CEO of DroneSeed, a company that restores resilient forests after wildfires and is making reforestation scalable; and Bryce Bennett, CEO of Solo, a platform empowering independent workers by solving gig economy challenges.
Among their insights and inspiration:
- The empathy mindset is a willingness to meet people where they are, not where you are. Opening our minds and hearts to other people's experience, without judgment; just listening.
- One of the most impactful things that young people can do to make a dent in the world is maintain an education that allows them to see problems in their broadest possible context.
- Part of the practice is asking all the hard questions about “why this will not work”. When you can no longer kill the business, it’s probably the right idea.
- I look at entrepreneurs, especially founder-inclined people, like modern-day superheroes. They take on the biggest challenges; if they're successful, they'll change the world.
- Solo is for millions of gig workers who start thinking that you can do this; you can have control over your time and finances, and take a different path.
- DroneSeed sees climate change as the problem that all other problems report to. Mitigate its worst effects, or risk social and economic systems falling apart.
This conversation is part of the continuing Portals discovery into what is emerging on the frontiers of human experience in this time of profound change. Information about upcoming special events can be found on the Events page. Also visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
A bigger worldview is—we all do better when we all do better. If you stop there and think about that statement for just a minute, it is unbelievably simple and elegant. If everyone is doing better, the entire world does better. So anything we can do entrepreneurially, financially, to support our peers and our fellow citizens is, for the large part, making ourselves more successful also.
Court Lorenzini
Court Lorenzini is the founder and CEO of multiple successful technology startups including DocuSign, Point.com, Primus BioVision and MetaBrite Inc. His latest venture, Founder Nexus, aims to radically increase the success rate of early-stage startups, and his work with the Lorenzini Family Foundation is aggressively investing in building a stronger and more equitable society. Additionally, Mr. Lorenzini serves on the boards of many early-stage companies across the US and UK as well as the United States Olympic and Paralympic Foundations, and is an active investor and advisor.
Over his career, Mr. Lorenzini has raised over $300M in venture and strategic funding from leading corporations and venture capital funds. Prior to his entrepreneurial ventures, Mr. Lorenzini held senior management positions with Cisco Systems and KLA-Tencor, and spent three years running a technology business in Neuchatel, Switzerland.
Visit: Court Lorenzini
Grant Canary
Grant Canary is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DroneSeed and its recently acquired subsidiary Silvaseed, which together form the western US' largest vertically integrated reforestation company. DroneSeed was named the World’s Most Innovative Company in Robotics by Fast Company in 2021.
Grant has focused his entire career on sustainability—working at Vestas wind energy in China, the US and Denmark, and for the US Green Building Council in its infancy. He spent close to a decade founding and building a prior company in Bogotá, Colombia that utilized food waste to feed insect larvae for use as industrial fish feed— alleviating pressure on overfishing of small fish, utilizing food waste, and providing a protein source for farming fish to increase world food supplies most efficiently.
Grant is a Pacific NW native, growing up in Oregon, a Mulago Foundation Fellow and a climate tech investor.
Visit: Grant Canary
Bryce Bennett
Bryce is the cofounder and CEO of Solo and is a native Seattleite. He has worked with Solopreneurs for almost a decade at Uber and Convoy. Outside of work, he enjoys rooting for Seattle sports teams, perusing new Ballard breweries, and spending time with his wife and family (including his 110-lb Bernese mountain dog, Maple).
Visit: Work Solo
Aviv Shahar
Aviv is the Founder of Aviv Consulting, helping leaders unleash strategic innovation, and is the author of Create New Futures: How Leaders Produce Breakthroughs and Transform the World Through Conversation.
Visit: Aviv Consulting
