In order to end poverty, the most likely approach is creating a new breed of frontier multinational corporations. Otherwise, the SDGs and all the energy put behind them will just be an exercise.
Paul PolakMay 2, 2017
Profitable markets serving poor customers all over the world are waiting to be tapped; but, is it immoral to create a business that earns profits selling to the poor?
Paul PolakAugust 2, 2016
Running the numbers can identify key opportunities as well as the greatest stumbling blocks to success. Here are how some actual entrepreneurs have done it.
Paul PolakJuly 5, 2016
The biggest reason most technologies for developing countries never reach scale is nobody knows how to design for the market. This post explains how.
Paul PolakJune 10, 2016
We have to mimic Mother Nature and select the most efficient growing systems she produces—it’s essential to the design process.
Paul PolakMarch 21, 2016
It's time for major corporations to undergo a revolution. Opportunities to create profitable businesses serving 3 billion bypassed customers are limitless.
Paul PolakJanuary 25, 2016
Major corporations have demonstrated no meaningful interest in the bottom-of-the-pyramid market, and it seems unlikely to do so in the future because it squanders resources. Who will fix this disconnect?
Paul PolakJuly 3, 2014
Success in nascent markets requires a commitment to agility and constant refinement. Entrepreneurs bypass the bureaucracy of multinational corporations leaving them better equipped to fight for those at the bottom of the pyramid.
Paul PolakJune 26, 2014
University Innovation Fellows respond to Larry Page's assertion that, "I would rather give billions to Elon Musk than charity." They believe, "The future depends on us. The time is now."
Paul PolakApril 23, 2014
Recently Larry Page was quoted as saying; “I Would Rather Give My Billions To Elon Musk Than Charity.” This is Paul Polak’s thoughtful response to Larry’s idea.
Paul PolakApril 14, 2014
Paul Polak and his "soul brothers" have a vision: bring radically affordable solar pumps to farmers in rural villages. Read this post to learn how this will transform livelihoods and radically reduce rural carbon emissions.
Paul PolakJanuary 22, 2014
Our marketing strategy can now increase sales to 1000 liters of water a day within two months of opening — a level at which the company begins to turn a profit. In this post, we share the most successful tactics with you.
Paul PolakJanuary 9, 2014
Economists have it all wrong. The only effective large-scale answer to extreme poverty is to stimulate rapid scalable growth. Here are three ways to end poverty and limitless opportunities for you to participate.
Paul PolakNovember 13, 2013
Five years ago, Steve Bachar and I decided to invest in companies capable of transforming the livelihoods of at least 100 million customers living on $2 a day, generating at least $10 billion in annual revenues and earning sufficient profits to attract commercial financial investment. There was only one problem. We couldn’t find any.
Paul PolakNovember 6, 2013
Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. This is not enough for the men and women living in extreme poverty, but there is an answer.
Paul PolakOctober 21, 2013
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by hard problems, here is a list of resources to help you increase your understanding of the world and then take action.
Paul PolakOctober 3, 2013
You want to scale your business? An effective scaling strategy boils down to answering some fairly simple questions. Read on to greatly improve your chance for success!
Paul PolakSeptember 12, 2013