The Bloomberg New Economy Catalysts

Bloomberg New Economy established the Catalysts program in 2021 to identify the innovators and leaders driving business and policy toward a more prosperous and inclusive future global economy. Catalysts are the vanguard of the new economy: the founders, activists, entrepreneurs, policy makers, scientists, and visionaries whose remarkable work demands recognition. Working closely with the Bloomberg Newsroom, we published this year’s class of 20 Catalysts in Businessweek to highlight their innovations, efforts, and objectives that have a genuine shot at changing the world for the better. Some of the incredible accomplishments from this year's cohort include the creation of biodegradable fabric using invasive plant species in Brazil [ Mabe Bio ], the prioritization of talent in Africa and giving the continent the resources it needs to keep that talent [ Pezesha ], and the development of critical ovarian cancer diagnostics that affect the health of over a quarter million people in the US each year [ AOA Dx ].

Earlier this week, we announced that the sixth annual Bloomberg New Economy Forum will convene 500 global CEOs and government officials in Singapore this November 8 – 10. As part of the larger Bloomberg New Economy community, Catalysts provide an invaluable perspective to the convenings we host each year. 59% of Catalysts are from emerging economies and 55% are women. Our community is a proven accelerator for the next generation of global leaders, with Catalysts being sought after for collaborations from our delegates and top decision-makers.

Last year, Mastercard selected Taynaah Reis 泰晓旭 to participate in their Start Path Program, where they launched an immersive VR and metaverse experience at a restaurant in São Paulo and invited investors to demonstrate their new NFT, micro-credit program to fund female coffee farmers. The VR experience put investors in the coffee field to show how climate change is affecting women’s livelihoods in real time. The NFT features these women and utilizes blockchain technology to fund insurance for the corporation and their life insurance. Many of our Catalysts are also pivotal members of the initiatives we organize, such as the Climate Technology Coalition ( Sara Menker - 2021), the Cities Council ( Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE - 2021 & Edu Lyra - 2022), the Climate Council (Ma Jun - 2021 & Danielle Wood - 2021) and the Health Council ( Abasi Ene-Obong, PhD - 2021 Catalyst & Gregory Rockson - 2022 Catalyst).

In an effort to further elevate the 2023 cohort, this year we will launch the inaugural “Catalyst Pitchfest” — an event on the sidelines of the Forum where the class will be given an opportunity to showcase their work in three different styles of “pitching.” The event will allow each Catalyst 60 seconds on stage to answer a prompt provided by our editorial team to discuss the impact of their organization to the 80 guests present. Attendees will include Forum delegates and investors, international journalists, local government officials, and high-level executives from Bloomberg Media.

Catalysts have also been featured speakers on the mainstage at the Forum alongside global CEOs and government officials. In the last three years, we have had over a dozen Catalysts contribute to our editorial program, with an additional three to speak this year. Her Excellency Aminath Shauna, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology for the Republic of the Maldives, and Vriko Yu , Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Archireef, will participate in a session alongside Swiss Re’s CEO, Christian Mumenthaler , to provide their insight about the frontlines of the climate fight.

Learn more about the Catalysts here and watch them live on the Forum stage at BloombergNewEconomy.com