RIVET CEO Eric D. Dawson argues that venture capital and innovation funding prioritize familiar networks over proximity-based expertise, sidelining young global problem-solvers.
When Eric D. Dawson began his journey as a social entrepreneur at 14. he and his peers learned a lesson that formal institutions often miss: bullying and school harassment aren’t solved by detentions or scoldings. They are solved by students who have the courage to stand up for one another. changing the culture one relationship at a time.
Over the past 30 years. Dawson. now the CEO and founder of RIVET. has supported more than a million young people tackling everything from garbage-based water filtration to malaria testing enzymes and police-youth relations. Despite this, he argues that the current systems of backing innovation remain stubbornly narrow. While we frequently call young people “the future. ” we rarely treat them as innovators worth betting on today—especially those lacking privilege or pedigree.
Evidence of this concentration is stark. Data from the National Venture Capital Association shows that in 2025. California. New York. and Massachusetts accounted for nearly three-quarters of all venture dollars invested. This reliance on familiar geographic and credential-based networks acts as a barrier. confusing the ability to network with the ability to innovate.
Consider the experience of 25-year-old Nigerian hydrologist Joshua Ichor. After being hospitalized from drinking contaminated water in his community, Ichor studied hydrology and founded Geotech Water. His technology allows communities to monitor water quality and detect contamination. a solution born from the visceral. firsthand experience of unreliable access to safe water. His proximity to the problem provided a depth of understanding that no outsider could replicate. a core reason RIVET is currently providing him with funding support.
Similarly. in Uganda. Walter Okwir observed how the lack of access to menstrual products led to early marriage and educational loss for girls—a cycle he witnessed firsthand when his own sister dropped out of school and became a mother of four before the age of 20. With a small amount of catalytic funding from RIVET, Okwir purchased four sewing machines to produce reusable sanitary pads. Crucially. he mandates that the boys in his community learn to make these pads for their sisters and friends. fundamentally shifting the responsibility for menstrual health.
These stories highlight a disconnect in how we measure potential. Pitch fluency—the ability to speak the language of investors—is often mistaken for proof of a robust solution. But as these cases demonstrate. lived experience is a form of expertise that is currently undervalued in the professional search for innovation.
To correct this, the path forward requires a shift in how resources are allocated. Leaders should look beyond established universities and startup hubs to grassroots networks and youth groups. They must weigh proximity to a problem as a metric of expertise. evaluating whether the innovator is trusted by those they serve and what they have learned from early testing. Finally. the gatekeepers of capital should embrace smaller. earlier bets—providing a mentor. a pilot. or a modest grant to give innovators room to prove their concepts.
Innovation is widespread, yet the opportunity to scale it remains locked behind traditional doors. For billions of young people ready to solve real-world problems, the next breakthrough isn’t missing; the willingness to bet on the right messenger is.
innovation venture capital Eric D. Dawson RIVET social entrepreneurship youth leadership