Inspiring radical imagination and enabling collective action
Executive Director, RadicalxChange
Max SemenchukKey Ideas:
- Four strategic pillars: Democratic transformation, resilient decentralization, collective agency, imaginative hope
- Tools: Plural funding (used by Gitcoin - $70M+ allocated), quadratic funding, broad listening
- Projects: Resilient Democracy Toolkit, Civil Service Innovation Networks, Cofacts (Taiwan's anti-misinformation)
- Emphasis on decentralized power as counterweight to oligarchs and monopolies
- For Ukraine: Build on strong e-participation foundation with deeper deliberation tools
- Balance defensive (countering misinformation) with positive (amplifying voices) approaches
Jess Scully brings a unique perspective on collective decision-making, plural funding mechanisms, and the intersection of technology with democratic innovation. As Executive Director of RadicalxChange, Jess leads global initiatives that explore how emerging technologies can foster more equitable and participatory societies. Her work focuses on advancing radical markets, quadratic funding, and other mechanisms that empower communities to coordinate and allocate resources more democratically.
With a distinguished background spanning innovation policy, urban transformation, and civic technology, Jess has championed collaborative approaches to solving complex societal challenges. Her leadership at RadicalxChange has positioned the organization at the forefront of experimenting with new governance models that challenge traditional power structures. Through her advocacy for plural approaches to funding and governance, she has influenced how communities, institutions, and governments can leverage technology to create more inclusive decision-making processes.
Her presentation will offer compelling insights on reimagining democratic participation through technology, practical applications of quadratic funding and plural mechanisms, and pathways toward building more equitable digital systems — all drawn from her extensive experience leading transformative initiatives at the intersection of democracy, technology, and social innovation.
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