Ep 47: Making The Impossible Possible With Mick Ebeling

It’s the goal of today’s guest to make the impossible, not impossible. Mick Ebeling believes that we can overcome any obstacle; with engineering, technology, willpower the right people and a lot of elbow grease. 

Mick is the founder of Not Impossible, an award-winning social innovation lab and production company that was founded on the principle of technology for the sake of humanity. Not Impossible takes on the challenge of an individual in need, they find a solution and then scales it to help people everywhere. Mick’s resumé of awards recognition for his innovative work is too long to list. Chances are if there’s an award for innovation, he’s won it. 

 I’m pretty sure if there was a photo of someone next to the words innovator and positive changemaker in the dictionary, you would find Mick. He embodies those words in every way possible, and to say you will be inspired by his story and his work is an understatement.

Questions

Film and tv producer by trade 

Origin story of Not impossible labs

Eye writer- 2010 best innovations by time

Project Daniel

ENGINEERS

HACKERS

ENTREPRENEURS

TECHNOLOGISTS

STORYTELLERS

ARTISTS

Tackling the world’s Absurdities 

Help one, help many 

Takes on challenges of an individual in need, finds a solution and then scales it to help people everywhere. 

Open source

COVID...Current projects- Food insecurity/hunger 

• Mobile technology to give people access to food- Bento
• Data driven, frictionless
• Solution is already in our hands 96% have access to a mobile phone

Hunger not impossible 

Vaccine not-impossible (1 in 5 kids don’t have access to vaccines, 1.5 million die every year from a vaccine preventable death)- too hard to get to the health center, partnership wth pzier

Project Cody- (CODI)

Music-not impossible, music for the deaf and heard of hearing 

Build not impossible-mobile maker space, engineering principles, etc.  (Yida, refugee camp)

The Not Impossible Awards recognize people and companies committed to creating technology for the sake of humanity. These teams transform people’s lives by addressing human absurdities and fixing design flaws in the world around us. To that end, they create never-been-built solutions that respect people’s humanity, enable their independence, and enrich their experience in the world.

The Not Impossible Foundation is a corporate foundation (501c3) that supports the efforts of others that are doing their part to make the impossible, not impossible.

About Mick

Recently named by Fortune Magazine as one of the Top 50 World's Greatest Leaders , a recipient of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year Award and listed as one of the world's most influential creative people by The Creativity 50's, Mick Ebeling has sparked a movement of pragmatic, inspirational innovation. As a career producer and filmmaker and now founder and CEO of Not Impossible, Ebeling harvests the power of technology and story to change the world.

Ebeling founded Not Impossible, a multiple award-winning social innovation lab and production company, on the premise that nothing is impossible. His mantra of "commit, then figure it out" allows him to convene a disparate team of hackers, doers, makers and thinkers to create devices that better the world by bringing accessibility for all. Working with a wide array of Fortune 500 companies, Ebeling not only pushes the bar on innovation, he also shares the emotionally resonating story of doing so.

Ebeling's book, Not Impossible: The Art and Joy of Doing What Couldn't Be Done, recounts the life experiences that led to the founding of Not Impossible. Published in a multitude of languages, the book was hailed as "a unique and inspiring tale of brave abandon" by Nicholas Negroponte.

Named one of Wired's 'Agents of Change', a two-time SXSW innovation of the year award winner, a two-time Tribeca Disruptor innovation winner, a fellow with The Nantucket Project, and recipient of every major creative and advertising award, Ebeling is on a mission to provide "Technology for the Sake of Humanity."