Abraham Sorock

March is Women’s History Month. At Career Pond, we’re using this month to spotlight women across regions who are shaping industries in motion. Beyond titles and milestones, we’re interested in the decisions behind the growth, the cross-border moves, the calculated risks, the operational discipline that sustains impact. Markets move because people do. And many of those shifts are being led by women. #WomensHistoryMonth #WomenInLeadership #WomenShapingMarkets

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Today I am hosting a Twitter Space titled: “Build Networks that Last” exploring how ecosystems come together to stand the test of time. Great companies may be built by founders, but great ecosystems are built by communities, capital, and collaboration. I’ll be joined by some remarkable voices: 💡 Dyma Budorin, ACCA CCSSA Co-Founder of HackenClub, building one of the strongest cybersecurity and blockchain communities out of Eastern Europe, with global reach and deep industry impact. 💡 Rabilal Thapa : Co-Founder of Circle of Games, innovating at the intersection of gaming and Web3, with a vision for scalable entertainment ecosystems. 💡 @Alex Ray: Co-Founder of Jpool, enabling decentralized participation in staking and strengthening the Solana ecosystem through accessible tools. 💡 Shubham Bhandari : Head of Ecosystems at Manta Network, leading community-driven growth and partnerships for one of Web3’s fastest-emerging privacy-preserving networks. 👉 We’ll discuss how networks endure beyond hype cycles, what keeps communities engaged, and how capital + collaboration help ecosystems thrive for the long term. If you’d like to share your perspective live, message me. Spaces Link in comments

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Sustainability in community projects requires intentional design. Effective initiatives are built on: ✅ Clear roles and boundaries ✅ Time-bound, focused support ✅ Skills and systems that last beyond the project lifecycle The most regenerative programs we engage with prioritize local ownership and transition planning from the outset. Building capability today creates a lasting impact tomorrow. Dependency is expensive. Capability compounds.

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𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 Suddenly, proximity no longer defined possibility. Post-COVID innovation: - connected mentors and mentees across cities, states, and countries diversified networks - expanded access for people who previously had none Mentorship became borderless, and far more equitable. #PostCOVIDLeadership #ModernMentoring #MentorshipMatters #FutureOfWork #LeadershipDevelopment #AdaptiveLeadership #CareerResilience #HumanAndAI #WorkforceTransformation #GrowthMindset

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Most organizations pour structure into C-suite searches, but the mid-level leaders who actually turn strategy into results often get a faster, looser process.   In my new article for SHRM (for members), I share a practical AI playbook for hiring this layer more effectively. A few of the principles: - Start with outcomes, not adjectives - Use AI to widen the field and speed the work - Keep human judgment on the calls that carry risk - Measure what happens after the hire, not just time-to-fill   SHRM members can read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/gUe44gEj   Would love to hear how your team is using AI in leadership hiring today. Leave a comment below.   #AI #LeadershipHiring #MidLevelLeaders #AIinHR

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2026 federal funding update for ecosystem builders A week ago I wrote about where federal innovation funding stands for 2026. Here's what's changed in 7 days: What's now signed into law: The Commerce, Justice, and Science bill passed the Senate 82-15 on January 15 and is headed to the president's desk. This locks in: NSF → $8.75 billion (with protection against disproportionate cuts to any directorate) → Regional Innovation Engines: Up to $200 million EDA → Tech Hubs: $41 million → Build to Scale: $50 million → MEP: $175 million What passed the House, awaiting Senate action: The Financial Services bill passed 341-79 on January 14, confirming: SBA → Entrepreneurial development: $330 million (Congress rejected the proposed cut to $150M) → Regional Innovation Clusters: $9M → Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST): $9M → Growth Accelerator Fund Competition: $9M What's still in flux: Leaders just released a final bipartisan package for Defense, Homeland Security, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-HUD. The House may vote this week, with the January 30, 2026 deadline approaching. SBIR/STTR authorization remains expired. No new solicitations until reauthorization—though there's been some movement here. There's also a bunch of new AI policy I need to dig into still. The bottom line hasn't changed: You cannot build a 10-year innovation ecosystem on annual appropriations battles. The regions that succeed are strengthening their partnership infrastructure now, and leveraging federal funding as a bonus to accelerate outcomes. See the full analysis: https://lnkd.in/euDxDVkZ

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NEW fellowships! Time to open some doors. 🚪 Issue 22 of The Climate Code is here on a Monday! Check out these three awesome fellowships: 1️⃣ Stanford’s Ethics & Technology Practitioner Fellowship: A year-long, non-residential program offering $15K, mentorship, and project funding for mid-career professionals tackling real-world tech ethics challenges. 2️⃣ Berkeley’s BIDMaP Postdoctoral Fellows Program: A two-year research fellowship uniting AI, materials science, and climate innovation for PhD graduates solving global sustainability problems. 3️⃣ CAIDP AI Policy Clinic (Spring 2026): A global cohort empowering early- and mid-career professionals, especially from under-represented regions, to shape the next wave of AI governance and policy. Want in? Check it out: https://lnkd.in/eurNtuKT #AI #ClimateTech #Fellowships #Policy #Sustainability #GreenAI #ClimateCode --- The Climate Code: https://lnkd.in/eurNtuKT AI & Environment Resource Hub: https://lnkd.in/dCuj6hnM Portfolio website/book a meeting: https://lnkd.in/eVErGB4m

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SV Venture Group Recommends “The Plug and Play GOAL Program (Global Overseas Acceleration & Learning) is an international accelerator designed to help startups expand globally—especially into the U.S. and Asia-Pacific markets—by providing access to Silicon Valley’s innovation ecosystem.” -Soft Landing Support: Helps international startups adapt to the U.S. market through mentorship, legal/tax guidance, and cultural immersion . -Workshops & Seminars: Covers fundraising, pitching, go-to-market strategies, and startup case studies. -1:1 Mentorship & Coaching: Tailored guidance from seasoned entrepreneurs and investors. -Networking & Dealflow: Direct access to corporate partners, investors, and global innovation hubs. -No Equity Requirement: Startups can participate without giving up equity. “Since its launch, GOAL has supported over 1,000 startups from 12+ countries. Startups that graduate from the program are 25% more likely to survive their first two years and typically hire 5+ employees within that time.”  Visit the GOAL Program page "https://buff.ly/qF1Okna" or directly or attend an info session Off course, ask us for introduction, but companies better be "Good" :) @Elina Gorji @SV Venture Group (SVVG) @SV Venture Group @Plug and Play Tech Center #GOAL

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We've interviewed dozens of investors and founders, and collated some real fundraising advice from the front lines of climate tech... What are investors really looking for? We spoke to leading voices from XPRESS Ventures, StarBeam Capital, Future Energy Ventures, and founders deep in the fundraising trenches. Here’s what they said 👇 💬 “50% team, 25% tech, 25% business model—most founders get that balance wrong.” 💬 “The best pitches tell a compelling story—ambitious, grounded, and commercial.” 💬 “Don’t underestimate how little investors know about your space. Educate, early.” 🔥 Quick takeaways: Lead with traction, not tech theory Keep your pitch simple, commercial, and aligned Fundraising is a marathon—stay focused on your mission 🔁 One founder pitched the same investor three times before securing funding. Another said: “Having a co-founder to share the emotional load saved made all the difference.” Full The Green Techpreneur read here. Subscribe for bimonthly insights → https://lnkd.in/etY2UKty #climatetech #startupfundraising #greentech #founderinsights #climateinvesting #startuplife

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As co-founder and Chairman of the Intelligent Community Forum, John G. Jung has spent decades involved with cities as they evolve into innovative ecosystems with a high quality of life through technology, sustainability, and human-centered design. His fiction carries the same mission—exploring how innovation, climate science, and leadership can either save humanity or accelerate its collapse. 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲: 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧: https://lnkd.in/g7J7EQvq 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬 & 𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐥: https://lnkd.in/gvks2_UT #authors #bookstagram #ebook #reading #booklovers #books #MustRead #explore #climatechange #climatecrisis #savetheplanet #artificialintelligence #innovation #futuretech #sciencefictionfantasy

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