Because of Impact Hub’s unique global reach, our quarterly Mash Up event series is able to engage people around the world on a single theme, on the same day, through PechaKucha-style presentations at local Impact Hubs. Our last Mash Up of 2016 was held November 29th on Giving Tuesday. 

This was the second Mash Up in a row where we broadcast a Digital Super Speaker to participating Impact Hubs simultaneously and the first Mash Up held on this very special day.

#GIVINGTUESDAY

Giving Tuesday is the day after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It was created by the team at the Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact, a cultural center in New York, and was strategically chosen after these two days of consumerism. Through the power of social media, the movement connects diverse groups of individuals, communities, and organizations across the globe for one common purpose: to celebrate and encourage giving. We knew it was the perfect day to hold our fifth-ever Mash Up; all we needed was the right theme!

THEME

Nearly all of our past Mash Ups have been themed around specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). And if we think about the time, money, and expertise people give, a large part of it goes towards relieving hardships like poverty and hunger. Therefore, we decided that this edition’s Giving Tuesday theme should be SDGs #1 and #2: No Poverty and Zero Hunger. Speakers at participating Impact Hubs covered topics like battling food waste, community and ecological farming, and scholarships for bright students in developing countries.

DIGITAL SUPER SPEAKER

Speaking to Impact Hub Mash Up participants through a livestream direct from his office in New York, we welcomed Boaz Paldi, Partnerships and Communications Specialist at the UNDP. Boaz has worked with the UNDP for over a decade and witnessed first-hand the creation and implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. His presentation illustrated how the SDGs came to be and how they were being carried forward.

After that we had more questions come in from across the globe than the Q&A time could cover! It was our first time using the MYIA to unite Mash Up audiences watching the livestream. The app automatically connects participants anywhere in the world, and we were able to supplement content with extra information real-time. It also enabled our audience to ask questions directly to our keynote speaker and to see what other attendees were up to.

PARTICIPATION

This edition we had a nine participating Impact Hubs, including Brno, Budapest, Floripa, Kuala Lumpur, Prague, Stockholm and Zurich. Budapest, Stockholm and Zurich streamed the Digital Super Speaker in real time to complement their local speakers. As a bonus, we had some participation in North America, with Minneapolis and Seattle hosting live viewings of the event. Now that’s what we call locally rooted, globally connected!

LOCAL SPEAKER SNAPSHOT

Pro-Cserehat from Budapest explained how they aim to develop realistic, regional livelihood alternatives for the members of disadvantaged rural communities, both Roma and non-Roma.

Biovidion Foundation from Zurich shared how they combat hunger and poverty, and are commited to the dissemination and application of ecological methods that sustainably improve living conditions on the African continent while also serving the environment.

Karma from Stockholm presented their revolutionary new platform where restaurants, cafés and grocery stores can sell their surplus food to consumers.

#GIVINGTUESDAY EXTRAS: KUALA LUMPUR PLEDGE

Impact Hub Kuala Lumpur ran a pledge in the second half of their Mash Up, during which the audience–and even the speakers–could commit either funds or volunteer time in the spirit of Giving Tuesday. The initiatives receiving pledges ranged from a newspaper for food programme and a movie charity to feeding the homeless at Christmastime.

MASH UP 2016 IN NUMBERS

With this Mash Up, we wrapped up a few interesting facts:

• We held four Mash Ups;
• 16 of our 80 Impact Hub spaces participated, which is 20%!
• We had an estimated 95 speakers, which means…
• We reached an estimated audience of 1,200-1,500 people during our Mash Ups!

Do you want to make Impact Hub Mash Up history? Be a part of our first global event in 2017! Fill out this form to find out more or learn how to host a Mash Up at your local Impact Hub.