The Brin Wojcicki Foundation Pledges $2 Million Honoring Ashoka's 30th Anniversary

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --  The Brin Wojcicki Foundation – established by two of the world's leading entrepreneurs, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki, co-founder of 23andMe – announced today a $2 million grant to Ashoka: Innovators for the Public. The grant will match dollar-for-dollar a fundraising campaign honoring Ashoka's 30th anniversary this year.

"The world needs more social and business innovators," Wojcicki said. "That is why more people should get involved with Ashoka. It inspires them to make a difference in their own lives, and enables them to take their great ideas to become system-changing, even global, in scope."

Wojcicki's interest in Ashoka's work began years ago when she visited its Fellows in India. "That trip had a significant impact on me," she remembers.  "Ashoka Fellows are so passionate, highly innovative and truly focused on making a difference. I'm still impressed by their ongoing dedication."

Ashoka today confirmed its launch of the Matching Gift campaign that will continue through the end of its fiscal year, August 31, 2011. Ashoka will partner with the Foundation and use its global and social media networks to get the word out:  Donate to Ashoka now, and double your gift thanks to the Brin Wojcicki Foundation's respect and generosity.

"We are so excited to have this opportunity to multiply the support we receive from partners and friends of our work, and to meet new entrepreneurial supporters intrigued by Anne and Sergey's matching grant. Their gift will allow Ashoka to sponsor the most visionary and skilled entrepreneurs in the world and to build the necessary collaborations to make their solutions have global impact," said Ashoka President, Diana Wells.

Bill Drayton, Ashoka's founder, reflected that, "Sergey's and Anne's recognition is particularly significant to us because they are both highly effective and visionary entrepreneurs with global impact in their own right.  Their lives and careers mirror Ashoka's values of deep curiosity, open-minded innovation, rigorous attention to quality and immense caring about applying their considerable talents for world benefit.  Their grant sends the right signal to others who believe, along with us, the world needs the best entrepreneurial leadership to address critical issues affecting us all."

Ashoka identifies, supports and builds collaborations and impact among almost 3,000 of the world's top social entrepreneurs to find solutions to social problems.  Over half of Ashoka Fellows' innovations have changed national policy within five years of their launch.  Fellows work spans sectors of education and teaching empathy, full economic and information citizenship, new hybrid economic models and financing, alternative energy, water and health care and human rights.

Double your impact today: Donate!  To qualify for this match, make your gift online through www.ashoka.org/doubleimpact.  To learn more about Ashoka's global work, visit: www.ashoka.org.  

SOURCE Ashoka