# How to Fund Your Social Impact Design Project: Joe Speicher of Autodesk Foundation (Core Talk Ep 4)

- Show: [Core77 Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast)
- Published: 2017-03-07
- Length: 22m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2017-03-07-how-to-fund-your-social-impact-design-project-joe-speicher-of-autodesk-foundatio
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/corejr/how-to-fund-your-social-impact-design-project-joe-speicher-of-autodesk-foundation-core-talk-ep-4

## Summary

Joe Speicher, Executive Director of the Autodesk Foundation, explains how the 501(c)(3) charity funds social impact projects by prioritizing clear problem statements, design-centric management teams, and measurable scalability. He highlights specific grantees like Proximity Design, which uses water pumps and data collection to aid Myanmar farmers, and Build Change, which employs drone mapping for post-earthquake site assessment in Nepal. Speicher emphasizes that successful projects require a rigorous 'theory of change' to navigate pivots and leverage emerging technologies like IoT, robotics, and AI for climate adaptation and mitigation.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2017-03-07-how-to-fund-your-social-impact-design-project-joe-speicher-of-autodesk-foundatio#t=1) Introduction: Joe Speicher and the Autodesk Foundation
- [1:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2017-03-07-how-to-fund-your-social-impact-design-project-joe-speicher-of-autodesk-foundatio#t=95) Autodesk Foundation Mission and Speicher's Background
- [4:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2017-03-07-how-to-fund-your-social-impact-design-project-joe-speicher-of-autodesk-foundatio#t=248) Criteria for Funding: Problem Statements and Design Lens
- [12:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2017-03-07-how-to-fund-your-social-impact-design-project-joe-speicher-of-autodesk-foundatio#t=728) The Importance of Theory of Change and Pivoting
- [15:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2017-03-07-how-to-fund-your-social-impact-design-project-joe-speicher-of-autodesk-foundatio#t=925) Emerging Technologies: IoT, Drones, and AI in Social Impact
- [19:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2017-03-07-how-to-fund-your-social-impact-design-project-joe-speicher-of-autodesk-foundatio#t=1147) Climate Change: Mitigation and Adaptation Opportunities

## Topics

- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Autodesk Foundation (company)
- Proximity Design (company)
- Build Change (company)
- Simprints (company)
- Prime Coalition (company)
- Rebuild by Design (company)
- Core 77 Design Awards (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 111: Robots for climate action - Patrick Meier](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-02-28-episode-111-robots-for-climate-action-patrick-meier) (Robot Talk)
- [Mid-Week Update - January 27, 2022](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/designing-in-the-wild/2022-01-27-mid-week-update-january-27-2022) (Designing in the Wild)
- [#007: It's Time We Start Thinking Beyond the User - Dan Griner - Director of Design, Innovation, and Strategy at University of Colorado Denver](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/designing-in-the-wild/2022-02-07-007-its-time-we-start-thinking-beyond-the-user-dan-griner-director-of-design-inn) (Designing in the Wild)
- [Keenan Wyrobek (Co-founder/CTO, Zipline)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-07-29-keenan-wyrobek-co-founder-cto-zipline) (Just Gonna Send It)
- [Startupalooza: The Silicon 100 | Humanitarian Engineering | Horses to Starships](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2020-07-03-startupalooza-the-silicon-100-humanitarian-engineering-horses-to-starships) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

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