Launch of exhibition for innovative solutions to the SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5, 9 and 14

Background
Documentation

Background

This session will launch a poster exhibition of innovators from different parts of the world who are contributing towards accelerating progress towards the SDGs. The exhibition will also serve as a networking hub for innovators and other participants. It will serve to showcase innovations that, along with other examples discussed in the sessions, provide practical examples of concrete progress on the ground. A special feature will be a ‘walk-through’ showcase by Microsoft demonstrating multiple technologies.

Moderator:

- Ms. Stephanie Kimber, innovationXchange team, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's, Global Innovation Exchange, Australia.

Speakers:

- Dr. Hayat Sindi, President, Institute for Imagination and Ingenuity, Saudi Arabia
- Ms. Mary Snapp, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Philanthropy, Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs Department, Microsoft corporation, USA
- Two representatives of the innovators:
- “Ingnitia in West Africa”, presented by Ms. Lizzie Merrill
- “WaterQuest Hydroresources Management”, presented by Mr. Akash Bhavar

Biographies

Ms. Mary Snapp

Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Philanthropy, Corporate, Ex ternal, and Legal Affairs Department, Microsoft corporation, USA

Ms. Mary Snapp

Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Philanthropy, Corporate, Ex ternal, and Legal Affairs Department, Microsoft corporation, USA

Mary Snapp is the Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Philanthropy in Microsoft's Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs department (CELA).

Mary leads the team responsible for Microsoft’s philanthropic efforts, which brings to life the company’s mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. The team seeks to invest the company’s strongest assets – technology, money, employee talent, and the company’s voice – to partner with nonprofits and communities to create lasting positive impact. In the most recent fiscal year, Microsoft’s total annual giving surpassed $1 billion, with cash donations of nearly $120 million and in kind donations worth nearly $950 million.

A 27-year veteran of Microsoft, Mary joined the company in 1988 as Microsoft’s first female attorney. Prior to her current role, she led the legal work for Microsoft’s business development, strategic partnership, developer relationships, and business strategy teams. For many years she led the Products & Services Group, which provides legal support to Microsoft’s engineering, marketing, and research divisions. There, she led teams engaged in commercial transactions, acquisitions, and counseling on matters such as intellectual property, privacy, competition law, and regulatory compliance related to the development and distribution of hardware, software, and services. In addition, she has served as executive sponsor of CELA’s diversity and inclusion efforts since 2002, overseeing the development of the department's diversity and inclusion strategy and execution. She is also the executive sponsor of the Women@Microsoft employee resources group. She is a frequent external speaker on issues related to her role at Microsoft.

Mary has been active on the boards of directors in a number of human services and arts non-profit organizations over many years nationally and in the Puget Sound region. She is a past chair of the board of directors of Minority Corporate Counsel Association. Mary currently serves on the board of directors for KCTS 9 Public Television, the YWCA of Seattle, King, and Snohomish County, and is a board member, and past chair, of ArtsFund. She also serves on the President’s Advisory Panel of the University of Michigan.

Before joining Microsoft, Mary was an attorney with the Seattle law firm now known as K&L Gates. Mary began her career in public relations at General Motors’ corporate headquarters. She graduated from the University of Michigan School of Law, where she was Articles Editor for their Journal of International Law. She also holds an MBA from Wayne State University and was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the School of Journalism at the University of Kansas.

Mr. Akash Bhavar

Akash Bhavsar is the Co-founder & Director of WaterQuest Hydroresources Management India Pvt. Ltd., an AI based Water Source Development company.

Over the last 12+ years, he has conceptualized and led several flagship programs for S&T agencies, Development agencies, Private sector, Public service R&D, Platforms, Start-up clusters etc. for both developing and developed ecosystems. Akash has been part of 40+ licensing deals & involved in fundraising of ~108+ Mn USD.

Akash is also the Managing Director & Co-founder of SkyQuest Technology Group specializing in Scouting, Assessment, Incubation & Acceleration of Innovative technologies & ventures operating across 16 countries, working for MNCs, R&D centers, Govts and startups alike.

He is the Chief Architect of the Sustainable Development Goals Accelerator (SDGA). The SDGA identifies and supports disruptive innovations & start-ups that can radically transform businesses/industries in high impact areas viz. Agri & Food, Water, Health, Energy, ICT, Consumer care.

Akash Chairs the Innovation & Competitiveness Task Force of the UN ESCAP, Sustainable Business Network-SBN (Thailand), Technology Innovation International-TII (Luxembourg), President of Indian Innovators Association, Western Chapter and commercialization advisor for International Federation of Inventors Association- IFIA (Geneva).

Ms. Lizzie Merrill

Lizzie started her career in international development before transitioning to social enterprises and corporate social responsibility. She received her MSc International Relations, Corporate Social Responsibility from the University of Edinburgh. She is passionate about finding scalable, sustainable solutions to development challenges. Her responsibilities at Ignitia include: business development, account management, external communications, while also facilitating projects in marketing and monitoring and evaluation.

Ms. Hayat Sindi

President, Institute for Imagination and Ingenuity, Saudi Arabia (and TFM 10-Member Group)

Ms. Hayat Sindi

President, Institute for Imagination and Ingenuity, Saudi Arabia (and TFM 10-Member Group)

Ms. Hayat Sindi is a leading biotechnologist and a champion of science and technology in the Middle East. She co-founded a non-profit organization with a team at Harvard called “Diagnostics For All” which creates innovative, inexpensive, point-of-care diagnostic devices for people in impoverished regions. She has invented a machine combining the effects of light and ultra-sound for use in biotechnology. Along with her scientific activities, she participated in numerous events aimed at raising the awareness of science amongst women, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the Muslim World. Further, at the heart of Ms. Sindi’s innovations is a passion to develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Middle East that would transcend existing gaps between education and opportunity.

In 2011, she launched i2, the Institute for imagination and Ingenuity, to encourage innovation among young people, specifically scientists, technologists and engineers. Through fellowships, trainings and mentorships, i2 seeks to empower and inspire the next generation of innovators so that they may realize their dreams and ultimately contribute to Saudi Arabia’s growing economy. In 2013, Ms. Sindi was one of the first 30 women to be appointed to Saudi Arabia’s highest consultative body, the Shura Council, and she was one of the 25 global experts selected by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to be a member of the UN Scientific Advisory Board which provides advice to UN’s leadership on science, technology and innovation for sustainable development. Ms. Sindi is also a Goodwill Ambassador for Sciences at UNESCO. In 2016, she was appointed by former UN secretary Ban Ki-moon to the Ten Members group to support the technological facilitation mechanism (TFM) for Sustainable Development Goals. Recently, Ms. Sindi was asked by Prime Minister of Malaysia to join his Science and Innovation advisory council to support the country vision 2020.

Ms. Stephanie Kimber

innovationXchange team, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's, Global Innovation Exchange, Australia

Ms. Stephanie Kimber

innovationXchange team, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's, Global Innovation Exchange, Australia

Stephanie Kimber is the Grand Challenges Manager for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s innovationXchange, a unit created to catalyse and support innovation across the aid program. She has spearheaded Australia’s first development global challenge looking for innovative solutions to problems facing sustainable development in developing countries. The challenge is now supporting ten winners to implement their ideas in the Indian Ocean Region. Previously she worked on the aid program to Africa in maternal health and resources management.

Background

Biographies

Ms. Mary Snapp

Mr. Akash Bhavar

Ms. Lizzie Merrill

Ms. Hayat Sindi

Ms. Stephanie Kimber

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