Dr Larry Brilliant

Google.org

Hybrid Philanthropy
40 minutes, 18.4mb, recorded 2008-11-05
Dr. Larry Brilliant

Even before their highly successful Google IPO, the founders outlined a unique philanthropic strategy.  The strategy ensured that Google would not only dedicate itself to index all of the world's information, but also to address the biggest problems in the world. This strategy, which was sent by a letter to all shareholders, outlined a hybrid philanthropy approach. By allocating 1% of the shareholder equity, 1% of Google's profit, and 1% of its manpower they created Google.org.

Never heard of hybrid philanthropy? No, it's not about donating hybrid cars. Dr. Larry Brilliant, Executive Director of Google.org, explains it as combining the best parts of a normal corporation with a traditional not-for-profit corporation. In the case of Google, the hybrid structure eliminates the wall between Google and Google.org. This allows Google.org to do things prevented in a normal nonprofit organization. As an example, the bylaws of a non-profit prevent it from investing money in new companies. With this more flexible organization, Google can make investments instead of grants. Thus far, they have invested almost one hundred million dollars since the organization

In this session from the 2008 Web 2.0 Summit, Dr. Brilliant converses on Google's hybrid philanthropy approach and describes Google.org's major initiatives. Through a process similar to the typical venture capital model, they examined over 10,000 ideas looking for the ones big enough to have a real impact. In the end, they selected three initial projects: developing Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal, Predict & Prevent, and Inform & Empower. In this session Dr. Brilliant describes each of these initiatives and why Google believes they can make an impact.


Dr. Larry Brilliant is the Executive Director of Google.org. In this role, Larry works with the company’s co-founders to define the mission and strategic goals of Google’s philanthropic efforts. Google.org, the umbrella organization for these efforts, includes the Google Foundation as well as Google Grants (the AdWords giving program) and the company’s major initiatives aimed at reducing global poverty, improving the health of the least advantaged in the world, and working to halt or even reverse the effects of the climate crisis.

Larry is an M.D. and M.P.H., board-certified in preventive medicine and public health. He is a founder and director of The Seva Foundation, which works in dozens of countries around the world, primarily to eliminate preventable and curable blindness. In addition to his medical career, Larry co-founded The Well, a pioneering virtual community, with Stewart Brand in 1985.

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