Giving: Purpose Is The New Currency

Dubbed “the little French Bill Gates” in his native country, Alexandre Mars quit the startups that made him rich, transforming himself from entrepreneur to philanthropist. Determined to become a responsible and effective giver, Mars traveled around the world, asking two very simple questions. “Do you give to charity?” “Do you give enough?” While all answered yes to the first question, their second answer—“no” surprised him. From Hong Kong to Paris to New York, he met numerous people passionate about making the world a better place, yet unsure of how to do so. Certain there must be a better answer than volunteerism or blank checks, Mars began Epic, a foundation that allows for users to donate directly to rigorously vetted charities while seeing their impact in real time.