Tech talk | Doing good through business: blunt reflections on purpose, profit and the rules of the game - 12 May 2026
Stefan will reflect on how purpose can unlock energy within teams, attract partners, and help build strong ecosystems – while also examining where it falls short, particularly in consumer markets shaped by human behavior and market dynamics. A central theme is acceptance: understanding and working with the rules of the game, rather than ignoring them.
Blending personal experience with inspiration from people who have shaped his thinking – such as the Dalai Lama and Ingvar Kamprad – along with learnings from Nobel Prize laureates in both economics and peace, the talk offers a pragmatic perspective on how purpose, incentives, and profit interact.
While grounded in today’s realities, the session also looks forward: if the current system is powerful but not a law of nature, how might it be improved? Students will leave with a clearer understanding of what it means to build companies that matter – and how to navigate, accept, and ultimately help evolve the rules of the game.