Profile: Dr Badshah’s work explores the intersection of space, technology, and social impact, particularly how exponential technologies influence societies and how nonprofits can effectively leverage them. He is the founder and curator of Accelerating Social Transformation, a mid-career professional development certificate course on social impact. In May 2020 Dr. Badshah and his colleagues launched Restart Partners, funded by the Washington State Department of Commerce and supported by Facebook, to increase confidence in mask adoption and vaccines and help restart the economy.

A seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience in international development, corporate philanthropy, and social enterprise, Dr. Badshah led Microsoft’s philanthropic efforts for ten years, administering community investments and employee contributions, and launching initiatives such as Unlimited Potential and Youth Spark to expand digital access for underserved communities globally. He is the author of four books, including Purpose Mindset: How Microsoft Inspires Employees and Alumni to Change the World (HarperCollins Leadership, 2020), has published widely on topics ranging from urban development to vaccine acceptance. He also conducts Purpose Mindset leadership Workshops with organizations to help individuals articulate their strengths and values and craft their purpose statement. and hosts the podcast Living with Purpose. He serves on multiple nonprofit boards and actively advises organizations and leaders on social and philanthropic strategy.

Education: Doctoral graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).