Anil Dash: Honorary Steward, March 2021

by Chris McGivern & SF Team, 15 October 2020

The Shuttleworth Foundation is delighted to announce Anil Dash as Honorary Steward for our March 2021 fellowship round.

Anil Dash is an American entrepreneur, activist and blogging pioneer. He is currently engaged as CEO of Glitch and serves on the board of a diverse range of ethics-oriented organisations.

This work includes defending our digital rights with Electronic Frontier Foundation, measuring technology’s societal impact with the Data & Society Research Institute, and protecting vulnerable girls and families from New York with the Lower East Side Girls Club. He is also a board member at Stack Overflow, a company hosting the world’s largest community of computer developers, and advisor to significant startups and nonprofits such as DonorsChoose, Project Include and Medium.

A common thread runs through all of Anil’s work: a desire to construct a more open, humane, inclusive and socially-just tech world. His keen advocacy for technology as a transformative force for good is balanced by a thoughtful critique of the growing cultural and ethical challenges it poses for society.

Anil is an important and influential voice; much in-demand. We are delighted he has agreed to contribute his time, energy and knowledge to our fellowship selection process. As Honorary Steward, he will offer his unique perspective and independent guidance to help us refine our search for the next intake of Shuttleworth Fellows.

In regular times, this is not an easy task; in the current environment, it feels unusually important. While we do not select people based on trends or headline issues, it is impossible to ignore the impacts of the pandemic, the creeping rise of authoritarianism in the world, or the sense we are travelling through and towards an unknown. Financially, it is a worrying period, especially for changemakers, nonprofits and social entrepreneurs. But it is also a time of great opportunity.

When society resets to experimental mode, ambitious ideas thrive. It is a chance for the right person in the right setting to apply fresh thinking to social challenges, turn groundbreaking concepts into reality, and reshape the world for the benefit of all. Anil’s background, experience and values demonstrate he is the perfect fit to help us find these individuals and support them as they unlock their own potential.

We look forward to working with Anil, announcing his fellowship selections, and welcoming our new intake in March 2021.

Fellowship applications close 3 November 2020 for a 1 March 2021 start date.