Skip to Content
Home

about-us

Demo Day 2022: It Takes All of Us

December 09, 2022

With democracy at risk, the global economy wobbling, climate negotiations failing, and war testing the world’s resolve, a word began surfacing late last year in the opinion pages of major papers like The New York Times and the Financial Times to describe the state of things: polycrisis. A polycrisis, per the Cascade Institute, is “any combination of three or more interacting systemic risks with the potential to cause a cascading, runaway failure of Earth’s natural and social systems that irreversibly and catastrophically degrades humanity’s prospects.”

In the face of such bleakness, we turn to creativity and beauty, imagination and hope. As we enter 2023, our most incisive leaders understand that our immense challenges can be overcome if we’re audacious enough to push forward, together. Last week at Emerson Collective’s Demo Day 2022 event, 13 visionary problem solvers with expertise fighting the thorniest societal challenges spoke about their work, their visions for a more just world, and their triumphs. Ranging from a healthtech startup founder to a pathbreaking photographer to a voting rights attorney, every speaker challenged the audience to do more in the face of the polycrisis—and delivered messages overflowing with optimism and hope. After experiencing Demo Day 2022, allow us to suggest three words to counter the doomsayers: proximity, inclusivity, and audacity.

From Emerson Collective’s Demo Day 2022

Demo Day 2023 Playlist

    • 1 min

      Demo Day 2022: It Takes All of Us

      about-us

      Watch
    • Dawn Lippert and Craig Nash standing on the stage of Demo Day 202392 min

      Demo Day 2023: Full Event

      Watch
    • Todd Park on the stage of Demo Day 20236 min

      Demo Day 2023 - Devoted Health

      Todd Park

      health

      Watch
    • Clementine Jacoby on set of Demo Day 20235 min

      Demo Day 2023 - Recidiviz

      Clementine Jacoby

      technology

      Watch
    • Cisco Devries on set of Demo Day 20237 min

      Demo Day 2023 - OHMCONNECT

      Cisco DeVries

      environment

      Watch
    • A man wearing a black sweater gesturing as he speaks taken from the bottom angle2 min

      Demo Day 2023: Garden

      about-us

      Watch
    • Harold Love Jr. on set of Demo Day 20236 min

      Demo Day 2023 - Tennessee House of Representatives

      Harold M. Love, Jr.

      education

      Watch
    • Conchita Cruz on set of Demo Day 20235 min

      Demo Day 2023 - Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project

      Conchita Cruz

      immigration

      Watch
    • Necole Muhammad on set of Demo Day 20235 min

      Demo Day 2023 - Chicago CRED

      Necole Muhammad

      gun-violence-reduction

      Watch
    • Nick Thompson on set of Demo Day 20235 min

      Demo Day 2023 - The Atlantic

      Nicholas Thompson

      media-journalism

      Watch
    • Sixto Cancel on set of Demo Day 20234 min

      Demo Day 2023 - Think of Us

      Sixto Cancel

      socialInnovation

      Watch
    • Sarabeth Berman on set of Demo Day 20235 min

      Demo Day 2023 - American Journalism Project

      Sarabeth Berman

      media-journalism

      Watch
    • Tim Schnabel on set of Demo Day 20235 min

      Demo Day 2023 - Switch Bioworks

      Tim Schnabel

      environment

      Watch
    • Ava Duvernay and Lorraine Powell Jobs on Demo Day 2023 stage21 min

      Demo Day 2023 - ARRAY

      Ava DuVernay

      media-journalism

      Watch
    • Trombone Shorty on the stage of Demo Day 20237 min

      Demo Day 2023 - Trombone Shorty Performance

      Troy Andrews

      Watch

    Demo Day 2023 Playlist

      • 1 min

        Demo Day 2022: It Takes All of Us

        about-us

        Watch
      • Dawn Lippert and Craig Nash standing on the stage of Demo Day 202392 min

        Demo Day 2023: Full Event

        Watch
      • Todd Park on the stage of Demo Day 20236 min

        Demo Day 2023 - Devoted Health

        Todd Park

        health

        Watch
      • Clementine Jacoby on set of Demo Day 20235 min

        Demo Day 2023 - Recidiviz

        Clementine Jacoby

        technology

        Watch
      • Cisco Devries on set of Demo Day 20237 min

        Demo Day 2023 - OHMCONNECT

        Cisco DeVries

        environment

        Watch
      • A man wearing a black sweater gesturing as he speaks taken from the bottom angle2 min

        Demo Day 2023: Garden

        about-us

        Watch
      • Harold Love Jr. on set of Demo Day 20236 min

        Demo Day 2023 - Tennessee House of Representatives

        Harold M. Love, Jr.

        education

        Watch
      • Conchita Cruz on set of Demo Day 20235 min

        Demo Day 2023 - Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project

        Conchita Cruz

        immigration

        Watch
      • Necole Muhammad on set of Demo Day 20235 min

        Demo Day 2023 - Chicago CRED

        Necole Muhammad

        gun-violence-reduction

        Watch
      • Nick Thompson on set of Demo Day 20235 min

        Demo Day 2023 - The Atlantic

        Nicholas Thompson

        media-journalism

        Watch
      • Sixto Cancel on set of Demo Day 20234 min

        Demo Day 2023 - Think of Us

        Sixto Cancel

        socialInnovation

        Watch
      • Sarabeth Berman on set of Demo Day 20235 min

        Demo Day 2023 - American Journalism Project

        Sarabeth Berman

        media-journalism

        Watch
      • Tim Schnabel on set of Demo Day 20235 min

        Demo Day 2023 - Switch Bioworks

        Tim Schnabel

        environment

        Watch
      • Ava Duvernay and Lorraine Powell Jobs on Demo Day 2023 stage21 min

        Demo Day 2023 - ARRAY

        Ava DuVernay

        media-journalism

        Watch
      • Trombone Shorty on the stage of Demo Day 20237 min

        Demo Day 2023 - Trombone Shorty Performance

        Troy Andrews

        Watch

      Interests

      Stay Up to Date

      Stay informed with the latest from us.

      Get the latest