Giving (Purpose Is the New Currency)

Dubbed “the little French Bill Gates” in his native country, Alexandre Mars quit the startups that made him rich, transforming himself from entrepreneur to philanthropist. Determined to become a responsible and effective giver, Mars traveled around the world, asking two very simple questions. “Do you give to charity?” “Do you give enough?” While all answered yes to the first question, their second answer—“no” surprised him. From Hong Kong to Paris to New York, he met numerous people passionate about making the world a better place, yet unsure of how to do so. Certain there must be a better answer than volunteerism or blank checks, Mars began Epic, a foundation that allows for users to donate directly to rigorously vetted charities while seeing their impact in real time.

Epic takes no cut—100 percent of the donations reach the people who need them. In this vital book, Mars not only tells the story of Epic and its new formula for  giving but redefines what it means to give and have purpose. Like the millennial generation driving much of today’s change, Giving is about holding the new centers of power—multinational corporations—accountable to society.

People are passionate about social causes, and want to donate their time, money, and skills. Combining Mars’ extensive knowledge and experience in tech and economics with the real-life stories of NGOs, Giving provides the inspiration, tools, and insight we can use to make our modern and unpredictable world a better place.