#81 Henry Elkus: A Meliorist Tackling Critical Societal Problems Alongside Various Industry Leaders

#81 Henry Elkus: A Meliorist Tackling Critical Societal Problems Alongside Various Industry Leaders

Recently, Rahul and Sourish interviewed Henry Elkus, the Founder and CEO of Helena, an organization that develops initiatives to tackle critical societal problems. Helena recruits and collaborates with leaders from various industries to address a broad range of issues, while also finding solutions that yield significant positive impact. Some of Helena’s recent projects include buying and transporting millions of medical supplies during the current pandemic, building the world’s first carbon capture factory to reduce emissions, and protecting our electric grid from threats to enhance security. These projects along with others earned his selection to the Forbes 30 under 30 list as a Social Entrepreneur. 

When asked about his company roots, Mr. Elkus responded that Helena has risen out of a need to improve the status quo. As a society, we primarily rely on ancient institutions, and have for hundreds of years, whether that be NGOs, the government, think tanks, and more. These institutions were built in the past, and Helena believes that these institutions were built for the past. The 21st century is different, a fact that has become increasingly clear throughout the pandemic. The speed that problems come about is unmatched by any era as we have recently seen with everything going on in the world simultaneously. It seems like the problems just keep coming and are no match for the primarily slow-moving institutions that seek to address them. Helena was created to solve these faster problems and inspires others to follow suit. “There needs to be a tidal wave of change”, Mr. Elkus remarks.

But the world is full of problems. How does Helena determine which problems are “important” and need their attention? Mr. Elkus responded by saying that the question is near impossible to answer as many have tried it but there have been no quantitative conclusions. It’s extremely difficult to argue that one problem is objectively more pressing than another. Mr. Elkus does agree that unfortunately there are a lot of worldly problems that do need fixing. But rather than trying to determine the most “important” ones, a purely subjective argument, Helena looks to see which problems are solvable given their current resources and seeks to maximize their impact. 

When asked to detail his projects, Mr. Elkus describes the problems he sought to solve. With Factory in the Sky, Mr. Elkus attempted to solve the problem that even if all factories cut down their emission, there is enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere already to propel climate change. With Shield, Mr. Elkus addressed the problem that our current electric grid is very susceptible to hacks, cyber threats, or even simple accidents. Solar storms can also affect these grids, so their project sought to find feasible legislation, including two state bills in California, to bolster electric grids. His America in One Initiative, Mr. Elkus claims, is a little more complex than his others, but states that it seeks to combat liberal democracy’s decline in America. And now, Helena is working to address the shortage of medical equipment during COVID-19 so they buy and route materials for hospitals in need.

When asked about his favorite quality about prospective employees, he chose gratitude towards contrasting ideas. People that prize learning truth and switching their minds over their emotional and prideful responses. His example was if someone believes 1 + 1 = 3, while another person mathematically proves that 1 + 1 = 2, the incorrect person should be grateful and happy that they learned something new rather than defending their ego.

Another trait he looks for in Helena’s employees or members is lateral thinking. Rather than focusing purely on their area of expertise, such people would be willing to use their learnings to affect change in other areas. People should be flexible and willing to work on new things. In his words, Helena chooses people that wouldn’t mind being stuck in an airport with people who possess a knack for solving problems through an intellectual lens. 

When asked to encapsulate Helena’s values, Elkus summarizes it as “the only tradition is the new.” In other words, create an anti-tradition to prioritize progress. His organization attempts to constantly try new things even if something in the past has worked. Just because something works does not mean it can be improved and that is the ideology Helena uses at its core. He further explains, “Create longevity out of the idea of seeking newness and innovation is extremely valuable.”

Regarding advice to the future generations of problem-solvers, Mr. Elkus avoids generalities and hones in on a specific piece of advice. “Just read,” he states. We’re pretty ignorant and books combat this by giving us knowledge garnered from years of experience. One unifying trait amongst almost all influential and successful leaders is that they are voracious readers. If you ever want to read but don’t know what to read, Henry Elkus’s biography on Helena has a link to books that Helena’s staff recommends.

You can watch the full interview here.

Author: Srikar Parsi

Editor: Ayan Lateef

Interviewers: Rahul Kavuru and Sourish Jasti

Graphic: Sraavya Penumudi