92. The Alchemist

Neil Smyth, the founder of tech startup, Alkemio, challenges the dominance of major digital platforms. Alkemio seeks to create safe spaces for collaboration, offering an open-source platform that serves societal interests, rather than shareholders. It is based on a steward ownership model which puts purpose before profit and ensures that control remains with the mission of the platform rather than external investors. Neil explains the significant challenges of scaling a platform that aims to fundamentally change how society works together and compete against well-established tech giants. This conversation unpacks the potential to address some of the most pressing problems in the digital age, where Neil’s answers might just inspire you to rethink the digital tools you use every day. For example, Neil challenges how society has allowed major platforms to control the very infrastructure of our space today, comparing it to building a house where someone else controls the plumbing, layout (and who is ultimately allowed as tenants)?Check out Alkemio here.Also, if you're interested, Pierrick Devidal from ICRC brings additional perspective to the discussion in episode 76. The Technophobe

What does NASA have to do with humanitarianism?Strap in as host Lars Peter Nissen takes off with Rhiannan Price and Laura Guzman from NASA Lifelines to explore the groundbreaking intersection of satellite technology and humanitarian action. Can the very data that orbits our planet revolutionize how we respond to crises and save lives? This episode explores how Lifelines dismantles the barriers between scientists and humanitarians, creating a community dedicated to leveraging satellite data for real-world impact.Learn about the innovative programs available to practitioners like you, from the Earth Science Review Board that offers free expert consulting to humanitarian organizations, to chatty supper clubs, to an immersive humanitarian simulation designed to showcase the power of satellite imagery in crisis scenarios. Unpack the challenges of building trust between these two worlds and why Lifelines believes it’s more than worth the effort.Be a part of the collaboration today via these links:Have your program reviewed for free by the Earth Science Review BoardGet in touch to host your own Supper ClubCheck here for Humanitarian Simulation updates

David Galbraith and Trumanitarian's host Lars Peter Nissen's parenting skills declined the moment they met and tuned their attention from their kids' soccer practice to geeky tech conversations. David is the founder of a number of startups and claims he knows nothing about the humanitarian sector. He is, however, well-versed in how technology has transformed the world and this makes for a truly interesting conversation about the link between technology and crises and how technology can both create and alleviate crises, from environmental degradation to societal issues.David has a deep dislike for bureaucracy as illustrated in this fight with Lockheed Martin, where cute animal pictures play a central roles. Interestingly he sees AI as a counter measure to the increasing burden of bureaucracy.Its a wide-ranging, complex conversation about a future that may or may not be scary in the long run, but which for sure is going to be a bumpy ride in the coming decades.

In the third and final episode on ACAPS' participation in the AI for Changemakers Bootcamp Ali, Yevhen and Lars Peter are joined by Konrad Pabianczyk who ran the Bootcamp for Tech to the Rescue (TTTR).The Bootcamp is over and ACAPS has been matched with a tech company in order to develop an AI that can strengthen forecasting of crises.

Welcome to a candid convo from March 2024 exploring the complexities of being independent. Lars Peter Nissen hosts Meg Sattler, Ed Schenkenberg, and Adelina Kamal in the studio. When can you truly claim to be independent and what does it really mean when you’re submerged into a world full of political shenanigans and blurred ethical lines?Listen in as the guests struggle to find the right balance between standing firm in their resolve for change and getting entangled in the day to day business of humanitarian action. When does collaboration become complicity, and how do you avoid barking yourself out of the conversation altogether?This episode is more than a call to listen – it’s a call to ACTION, to expose the nonsense, to challenge the norms, and dare to envision a humanitarian practice where independence isn’t just a strategic ideal; it’s a vital, lived experience.

In this 2020 episode, Mabala Nyaluwge, a Research Designer at the British Red Cross, joins her father, host Lars Peter Nissen, for a heart to heart conversation on racism and colonialism in aid. Following global outcry at George Floyd's murder, Mabala and Lars Peter explore whether the humanitarian space is free from colonial legacy.Mabala speaks about how the aid sector, while well-intentioned, often perpetuates colonial dynamics and racism. She discuss cultural communication styles and workplace hierarchies between local staff and expatriates, saying it's almost like experts are viewed as more delicate. Is your presence in crisis affected areas truly meaningful if you simply go there, hang out with expat friends in expat bars, but neglect to learn from and mentor your local colleagues?As they navigate these complex issues, they ask: are Western humanitarianism truly prepared to hand over power and break colonial cycles of dependency?

In this episode from Summer 2023, Stephen “Steve” Webster, a veteran of UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination and IFRC’s Field Assessment and Coordination Team, discusses the essential qualities of effective disaster managers. He emphasizes the power of mutual aid and love-driven leadership and reveals what he says is the single most important quality for elevating the human condition.Reflecting on his experiences, Steve tells host Lars Peter why he values individuals over institutions and how innovation requires psychological safety within teams. He also shares insights on the evolution of disaster management practices, the challenges of decolonizing the field, and why ‘synergy’ isn’t such an embarrassing word after all.

Meg Sattler sits down with Beth Eagleston and Kate Sutton, the co-founders of the Humanitarian Advisory Group (HAG), a Melbourne based social enterprise that seeks to use research to challenge the status quo of humanitarian aid. It’s a discussion steeped in reflection; Who owns the knowledge? What does it mean to listen, trust and truly aim to make difference?The privilege of knowledge meets the urgency of lived experience. For Beth and Kate, it's not just about the research they produce, but about the change it has to inspire, it's about impact, placing knowledge back into the hands of those who need it most, and staying conscious to avoid harmful habits in humanitarian dynamics.This episode was first published in 2021. You can read more about HAGs work on their website: https://humanitarianadvisorygroup.org/

Hugo Slim is one of the best known and most interesting thinkers in the humanitarian space. He works at Univeristy of Oxford on the ethics and practice of humanitarian action and currently focus on answering the question “What is Climate Humanitarianism?” In this conversation with Lars Peter Nissen, Hugo discusses how we should define and prioritise humanitarian needs. The two papers that form the basis of the conversation can be found here:How should we define and prioritise humanitarian need?Painful Choices: How Humanitarians Can Prioritize in a World of Rising Need - A Conversation Starter for the Climate Emergency

Clionadh Raleigh is not only an accomplished academic, she is also founder of ACLED - delivering the most comprehensive and timely datasets on armed conflict, registering over 300,000 events annually.Tune in and hear why Clionadh couldn’t care much about AI and why it triggers Lars Peter - who spent the past five weeks in Bob-the-AI-Builder mode (check episodes 84 and 87). You will also hear why Clionadh is considering sending her husband to an ISIS controlled area to study climate adaptation!On a more serious note, the conversation debunks the humanitarian business myths on climate change and conflict. And explores how thinking about yourself as “the good guys” is harmful.Check out ACLEDs great work here and enjoy the conversation !!!