This ongoing Q&A series profiles a few of the speakers we're looking forward to seeing at this year's Net Impact Conference. Raj is the founder and CEO of Zero Percent and will be speaking in our Sustainable Food & Agriculture track.
If you could spend 15 minutes with one impact hero past or present, who would it be and why?
I'd love to meet Mr. Bill Gates. I believe in technology-based and market solutions for world problems, and he would be the one to speak with, and learn from his past successes and failures.
What’s one surprising stat or emerging trend anyone looking to make an impact in your field should know?
More and more working (poor) people and veterans are facing food insecurity in the U.S. All in all, one in six Americans (49 million people) face food insecurity, while $22 billion worth of edible food is thrown away each year.
What do you love about your work?
Making a real, visible impact every day both in terms of feeding the hungry and reducing waste.
What's the single biggest challenge in your work?
Working with super busy but well-intentioned food service operators to incorporate a change.
What's your best advice for someone who wants to create positive change through their career?
Find something at the intersection of what feels natural to you, what feels right to you, and what is exciting to you.
When have you found yourself breaking boundaries in your work?
Zero Percent seeks to solve a problem that has always been the realm of nonprofits. I believe we are breaking boundaries with a market-based approach that focuses on creating new value for the stakeholders through a unique, safe, reliable, and convenient solution.
How has being part of the Net Impact community or attending the conference in the past made a difference in your work?
It is unbelievable how far-reaching the Net Impact community is. Who knows what doors a member of the community can open for you.
What’s your best advice for first-time conference attendees?
Meet people, listen to them, and ask a lot of questions.
About Raj
Raj Karmani is the founder and CEO of Zero Percent, an Impact Engine technology company. Zero Percent’s online platform helps food businesses such as Au Bon Pain and Einstein Bros Bagels donate excess fresh food and unlock new value. He has a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. During the last year of his PhD, he co-founded Zero Percent, which combines his passions for volunteerism, technology, and entrepreneurship. At this year's conference, he's speaking at The Real Food Fight: Solving the Food Waste Epidemic and Broadening Our Understanding of Sustainable Food.
Want more?
This year's conference is over, but you can also catch up with video of several sessions on our site. Watch now!
