[From Emerson Collective’s Demo Day 2023](https://www.emersoncollective.com/events/demo-day/demo-day-2023)

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.”
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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.
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[From Emerson Collective’s Demo Day 2022](https://www.emersoncollective.com/events/demo-day/demo-day-2022)


Demo Day 2022: It Takes All of Us

[Emerson Collective Demo Day 2023:](https://www.emersoncollective.com/events/demo-day/demo-day-2023) Hear from entrepreneurs, artists, and doers presenting solutions with the potential to move humanity forward.

Demo Day 2023: Full Event

Demo Day 2023 - Devoted Health

[From Emerson Collective's Demo Day 2023](https://www.emersoncollective.com/events/demo-day/demo-day-2023)

Demo Day 2023 - Recidiviz

Demo Day 2023 - OHMCONNECT

Demo Day 2023: Garden

Demo Day 2023 - Tennessee House of Representatives

Demo Day 2023 - Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project

Demo Day 2023 - Chicago CRED

Demo Day 2023 - The Atlantic

Demo Day 2023 - American Journalism Project

Demo Day 2023 - Switch Bioworks

Demo Day 2023 - ARRAY

Demo Day 2023 - Trombone Shorty Performance

Demo Day 2023 Playlist

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Demo Day 2023 - Sixto Cancel

Demo Day 2023 - Think of Us

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Brandan "bmike" Odums is an artist and muralist based in New Orleans, celebrated for his vibrant street art that addresses themes of identity, culture, and social justice. In addition to his artistic endeavors, bmike founded Eternal Seeds, a nonprofit organization that provides resources, mentorship, and opportunities for young artists, cultivating a new generation of creative voices. He also founded Studio Be, a large-scale art space that serves as a gallery and community hub for the local arts scene in New Orleans. bmike’s art and community initiatives use creativity as a tool for dialogue and transformation.

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Brandan "bmike" Odums

Brandan "bmike" Odums is an artist and muralist based in New Orleans, celebrated for his vibrant street art that addresses themes of identity, culture, and social justice. 

Demo Day 2024 - Video - Brandan “bmike” Odums

Reimagining opportunities for the next generation of artists | Brandan “bmike” Odums

Joanna Strober is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Midi Health, a virtual care platform for women in perimenopause and menopause. The company brings expert care, covered by insurance, to women nationwide. Prior to Midi, Joanna founded Kurbo, the first digital therapeutics program for childhood obesity, which scaled to help tens of thousands of children worldwide. Joanna spent more than 20 years in direct private equity and venture capital investing in health and consumer companies. She is the author of Getting to 50/50, a primer on how women can succeed and thrive at work and at home. In 2023, she was selected for the Forbes “50 Over 50” list of top innovators.

Joanna Strober is transforming health care for women over 40 by creating a virtual care clinic sensitive to the needs of those experiencing perimenopause and menopause.

Joanna Strober

Joanna Strober is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Midi Health, a virtual care platform for women in perimenopause and menopause. 

Demo Day 2024 - Video - Joanna Strober

Insurance-covered care for women experiencing menopause | Joanna Strober

Nicholas Flanders is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Twelve. He has dedicated his career to uncovering and developing energy innovations to address the climate crisis. Before launching Twelve, Nicholas was the Chief Operating Officer of Levo, a venture-backed technology startup, and a business analyst at McKinsey, where he co-authored groundbreaking studies of the global energy system. In 2016, Nicholas was named an Echoing Green climate fellow and selected for the Forbes “30 Under 30” list for the energy sector. He graduated from Cornell with a BA in mathematics and he holds an MS in engineering and an MBA from Stanford University.

Nicholas Flanders

Nicholas Flanders is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Twelve. 

Demo Day 2024 - Video - Nicholas Flanders

The benefits of fossil fuels without the environmental costs | Nicholas Flanders

Michelle Ebanks is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Apollo, the largest African American performing arts center in the nation. She joined The Apollo in 2023 at a pivotal time, as the organization expanded by opening The Apollo Stages at The Victoria, bringing two new flexible performance spaces to Harlem. Previously, as CEO of Essence Communications, Michelle oversaw the nation’s leading media and communications company dedicated to African American women. In that role, she led Essence magazine, Essence.com, and the internationally renowned Essence Festival of Culture, one of the largest annual live music events in the world.

Michelle Ebanks is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Apollo, the largest African American performing arts center in the nation.

Harlem’s Apollo Theater: A legacy of art and opportunity | Michelle Ebanks

Emerson Collective Presents Demo Day

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Demo Day 2023 - Think of Us

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Demo Day 2023 Playlist

Demo Day 2023 Playlist