Did you know that peace tech is a thing? The Peace Innovation Lab along with the Peace Engineering Consortium, and European University Institute among others think so!

Peace isn’t kumbayah. It’s not fluff. It’s work worth doing. We all have a stake and a responsibility to build, maintain and sustain peaceful societies.

Sometimes that takes the form of managing negative peace - that is reducing or eliminating conflict.

Sometimes that takes the form of increasing positive peace - the area where I am focused - which is all about creating the conditions for well being, societal thriving and strong social relationships.

The tech community has focused its talents on maximizing profits. WHAT IF the tech innovation community applied its talents to INCREASING well being? Real connection? Happiness? All while making a profit? Where profit is the byproduct of effective peace innovation?

I call on you to dream a different dream. To imagine a different future. One where we genuinely work together to collectively increase our wellbeing.

This doesn’t mean you’ve stopped developing your apps. This doesn’t prevent you from creating an amazing startup that people will admire and be a part of - as an investor, an employee, a partner or a customer. I’m asking you to consider changing the intentionality behind your innovation. Where the prime directive is healthy social interactions. In authentic well being - for your employees, customers, community, stakeholders. Where customers lives - economic, social, mental, physical - are actually measurably improved because your company and products exist in the world.

By doing so, you not only make things better for others, you make things better for yourself too.

If you love yourself, if you care about yourself - your present or future self - why wouldn’t you apply your creative talents in this way?