Alex Darrow
Encyclopedia
Alex Andrew Darrow is an American entrepreneur
best known for founding the fiscally-sponsored non-profit organization PictureTheWorld. As of February 2010, he is one of the youngest executive director
s of an established non-profit organization in the world.
to Landy, a civil engineer, and Andrew, also a civil engineer. Darrow, along with his younger brother, was raised in Auburn, California
.
The young entrepreneur
began forging innovative concepts, and inventing high-tech gadgets when he was 13 years old, including a silicon mat which used a capacitive system to turn any computer monitor into a touch-screen—in pursuit of which he presented the invention to venture capitalists and received good advice, and a social application for MySpace—in pursuit of which he went as far as signing a non-disclosure agreement
(NDA), and speaking with the Vice President of MySpace Music, and the COO of MySpace
.
Before attending Placer High School
, beginning in his sophomore year of high school, Darrow attended the private Jesuit High School (Sacramento) during the regular school year of 2007-2008, and the prestigious Phillips Academy Andover
during the summer of 2008. Darrow says, after graduation, he plans on majoring in business.
On March 3, 2011, Darrow, at age 17, spoke on a panel about social entrepreneurship and social innovation at Harvard Business School. At the event, he addressed students and faculty of both Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
However, it took Darrow nearly two years to raise the funds for the launch of PictureTheWorld. Darrow earned the money by washing dishes at a pizza place, and saving all cash received for Christmas and his birthday. Eventually, he was able to establish the organization, and launch its website. Darrow, PictureTheWorld's founder and executive director
, does not take a salary.
using photos submitted by people from all over the world, using the organization's website. All funds are dispersed among ten beneficiaries, including: Doctors Without Borders, 88 Bikes, the World Food Program
, and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. PictureTheWorld will require at least 112, 896 photo submissions in order to break the current world-record for largest photo-mosaic.
The current world record for the world's largest photo-mosaic is held by The Big Picture, which was created by Helen Marshall in England in 2008. The Big Picture came through the Arts Council England, West Midland, and was supported by the BBC
.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
best known for founding the fiscally-sponsored non-profit organization PictureTheWorld. As of February 2010, he is one of the youngest executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
s of an established non-profit organization in the world.
Personal life
Darrow was born in Santa Clara, CaliforniaSanta Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
to Landy, a civil engineer, and Andrew, also a civil engineer. Darrow, along with his younger brother, was raised in Auburn, California
Auburn, California
Auburn is the county seat of Placer County, California. Its population at the 2010 census was 13,330. Auburn is known for its California Gold Rush history.Auburn is part of the Greater Sacramento area.- History :...
.
The young entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
began forging innovative concepts, and inventing high-tech gadgets when he was 13 years old, including a silicon mat which used a capacitive system to turn any computer monitor into a touch-screen—in pursuit of which he presented the invention to venture capitalists and received good advice, and a social application for MySpace—in pursuit of which he went as far as signing a non-disclosure agreement
Non-disclosure agreement
A non-disclosure agreement , also known as a confidentiality agreement , confidential disclosure agreement , proprietary information agreement , or secrecy agreement, is a legal contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties...
(NDA), and speaking with the Vice President of MySpace Music, and the COO of MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
.
Before attending Placer High School
Placer High School
Placer High School is a public high school located in Auburn, California and is part of the Placer Union High School District. Auburn is located northeast of Sacramento, California, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.-History, 1897 to 1906:...
, beginning in his sophomore year of high school, Darrow attended the private Jesuit High School (Sacramento) during the regular school year of 2007-2008, and the prestigious Phillips Academy Andover
Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
during the summer of 2008. Darrow says, after graduation, he plans on majoring in business.
On March 3, 2011, Darrow, at age 17, spoke on a panel about social entrepreneurship and social innovation at Harvard Business School. At the event, he addressed students and faculty of both Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Founding
Darrow officially launched PictureTheWorld in February 2010; however, the website was not launched until May 2010. The idea came to him when he decided "to start a project that really represented a large community--thousands and thousands of people coming together to support a worthy cause." He explains, "But I also wanted a project that was fun, innovative, and kind of epitomized the global community. And would allow donors to be able to participate. Not just make a monetary donation, but actually join the movement."However, it took Darrow nearly two years to raise the funds for the launch of PictureTheWorld. Darrow earned the money by washing dishes at a pizza place, and saving all cash received for Christmas and his birthday. Eventually, he was able to establish the organization, and launch its website. Darrow, PictureTheWorld's founder and executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
, does not take a salary.
About
PictureTheWorld is a fiscally-sponsored non-profit organization creating the world's largest photo-mosaicPhotographic mosaic
In the field of photographic imaging, a photographic mosaic, also known under the term Photomosaic, a portmanteau of photo and mosaic, is a picture that has been divided into rectangular sections, each of which is replaced with another photograph that matches the target photo...
using photos submitted by people from all over the world, using the organization's website. All funds are dispersed among ten beneficiaries, including: Doctors Without Borders, 88 Bikes, the World Food Program
World Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children...
, and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. PictureTheWorld will require at least 112, 896 photo submissions in order to break the current world-record for largest photo-mosaic.
The current world record for the world's largest photo-mosaic is held by The Big Picture, which was created by Helen Marshall in England in 2008. The Big Picture came through the Arts Council England, West Midland, and was supported by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.