Giving: Purpose is the New Currency

Do you give to charity?

Do you give enough?

Those two questions defined Alexandre Mars’s journey from venture capitalist to activist. In 2013, Mars began a worldwide journey to learn from people on the ground. He saw a world that was already changing. Fueled by a passion for social change, young people everywhere donated their time and money, but it wasn’t enough. There was a barrier to giving. People didn’t know what nonprofits were trustworthy and didn’t have the time to do the research. Giving became a burden instead of an encouraging and joyful practice.

Mars’s solution? Epic, a foundation that sends 100 percent of user donations to rigorously vetted charities while reporting its impact in real time. But this isn’t just Epic’s story, this is about a movement driven by our deep-seated desire to give. It’s about how the benefits of technology—increased connectedness and transparency—can amplify impact. It’s about holding our new centers of power—multinational corporations—accountable. It’s an urgent call to action: give more, give better.

100% of the author's proceeds will go the Epic portfolio organizations to help disadvantaged youth.

Alexandre Mars is the founder of Epic, a charitable giving platform, through which he has enable some of the world’s largest organizations—L’oreal, Dior, Giphy—to give more. Before Epic, Mars was a serial entrepreneur who launched and sold several start-ups. In 2014 he began a venture capital fund, blisce/. But now Mars now dedicates 90% of his time to Epic and spreading the joy of giving.