David Shaw Keynotes Entrepreneurship For Impact Conference at Babson College

By David E. Shaw

It was a privilege to join the 20th Annual Babson Sustainability & Energy Conference as keynote speaker, exploring a theme that resonates deeply with me: Entrepreneurship for Impact.

The full-day gathering brought together several hundred students, founders, investors, alumni, and ecosystem leaders—an energizing exchange of bold ideas at the intersection of entrepreneurship, sustainability, and climate impact. Conversations moved fluidly across disciplines and perspectives, all converging on a shared belief: that entrepreneurship, guided by purpose, can help shape a more sustainable and hopeful future.

Babson’s distinctive culture of entrepreneurial excellence was on full display during my visit. It has earned the school wide recognition, including top ranking for undergraduate entrepreneurship programs by U.S. News & World Report for a remarkable 29 consecutive years.

In a thoughtful conversation with President Stephen Spinelli Jr., I heard more about the school’s mission: to empower entrepreneurial leaders who will create value—for business, for society, and for the planet. I also had the opportunity to congratulate the team on Babson’s recent recognition as the #2 college in America by The Wall Street Journal.

My keynote focused on lessons drawn from a long and rewarding journey through business and social entrepreneurship. The central message was the simple and powerful idea that purposeful action, taken with conviction, can create waves of lasting impact. And that each of us has the capacity to be a wave maker – transforming challenges including climate change, sustainability and human wellbeing – into extraordinary opportunities for innovation and impact.

These themes are explored more fully in my book, Wave Making: Inspired by Impact, published in 2025. The presentation incorporated video elements to bring these ideas to life, and an extended version, enriched by dialogue of that day, can be viewed below.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/1185301180?badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479

Additional blogs and video on my impact initiatives can be found in the list at the bottom of this post.

I hope this marks the beginning of an ongoing collaboration with Babson—plans are already underway.

I’m especially grateful to have been honored with Babson’s inaugural Award for Impact – recognition that is a tribute to the spirit of entrepreneurship and the outstanding teams that I have worked with. It is a meaningful reminder that entrepreneurship, at its best, is not just about building enterprises that achieve financial success — it’s about building a better future.