March 8, 2010

Well, the Bill Gates and Warren Buffets of the world have so far not taken up the cause of Hyper Capitalism, so it's up to us to make it happen - to harness the power of the free market, the Internet and our drive to make a positive impact on our planet and our future.

The idea is to create, initially through 100% volunteer effort, a nonprofit ecommerce website where all proceeds go to the charitable cause of the consumer’s choice. It’s a big project, but we have a plan that will enable us to start small - with very little capital and a handful of volunteers – and work our way up.

In addition to the profits on each purchase being directed by the customer to a charitable cause, we will find philanthropists (perhaps through the nonprofits for whom we raise money) to match the donations of our customers. Thus, with a profit margin of 10% and matching of, for example, 2x, a $100 purchase can result in a $30 donation. Through this mechanism of donor matching we can enhance the experience of giving for both consumers and philanthropic donors and, hopefully, encourage both to give more.

The first step, which we’re working on now, is selling flowers online through existing wire services. We are starting with online flowers because of the low capital requirements to get started and because people who are buying flowers are generally already in a giving spirit. Once we prove out the "business" model we will expand to other areas of ecommerce.

My background is in law, so I am in the process of organizing the nonprofit here in California. Also, on board is a stellar computer programmer. Paul (a former private equity investor, McKinsey consultant and now entrepreneur) is advising on strategy. Can the three of us do this alone? Maybe, but I hope I never find out. This idea is about creating something that will belong to humanity and that will nourish the world – a global cooperative of people coming together to make a better tomorrow. If its sounds like something you would like to be a part of, then please contact us at ReneeOrth@gmail.com and we will put your talents to good use.

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June 5, 2009

The following is a letter we drafted to the world in mid-September, 2008.  If anything, the need for the idea we uncovered has multiplied exponentially since then.  Due to our own shortcomings and our inability to get our ideas to those who are in a position (i.e., who are both enlightened and have the requisite resources and/or ability) to facilitate the execution of the idea, we have be unable to launch this plan as we believe it deserves to be launched.  Accordingly, we have decided to share the entire plan with the world here (see the Business Plan for details):

September 14, 2008

We have been on an extraordinary journey that began with a casual "what if" conversation over a glass of wine that led to the most creative period of our existence and has since hijacked our lives.

We have been working together on an artificial intelligence software program for the past two years and in the process have learned many amazing things. About a month ago some of these lessons crystallized, almost by accident, into an idea that we believe can provide a spark for the next stage in the evolution of capitalism. We have termed this next stage "Hyper Capitalism."  In a Hyper Capitalist economy the highest aspirations of human beings - belonging, community, and contribution - are unleashed as forces in the free market, thus broadening and deepening the awesome power of capitalism and putting this power at the service of humanity.

Hyper Capitalism will be launched by a unique philanthropic business model that is made possible by recent innovations.  As an example, this model will allow consumers to buy products totaling $1000 (the exact same brands, products, price, quality, and service) and cause over $150 to be donated to the cause of their choice.   This model will also enable philanthropists to invest $1 and cause over $10 to be contributed to the philanthropic causes of their choice. 

We recognize how absolutely impossible this sounds.  We recognize that it defies everything we know about economics, consumer product profit margins, and philanthropy.  We have shared this specific business model with approximately twenty people including CEOs, partners of private equity institutions, and executives of conventional investment funds .  None see a material flaw in the logic, and none disagree with the potential.   This model does not require corporate altruism, revolution or legislation - all that is required is for people and corporations to act in their best interests.

While the idea has incredible potential to address a vast array of issues, one application of the idea would result in steering substantial capital to addressing global climate change. Specifically, we believe that, by using this business model, a one-time philanthropic investment of $500 million could cause commercial air travel to be carbon neutral within ten years.

Not only can this idea put the entire force of humanity and capitalism to work solving the toughest challenges facing our planet, but it also has the potential to restore community and connect people with the inherent value of every human being.

We quickly realized that this idea is too important to tackle ourselves - we owe it to humanity to share this idea with those who have the financial and human resources necessary to make this happen with scale and momentum.

What we have included on this website is a paper entitled "Hyper Capitalism at the Service of Humanity." This paper is an explanation of the power of Hyper Capitalism to address the shortcomings of capitalism from the inside out; however, it does not describe the business model that will enable the evolution of capitalism (i.e., it describes the end, not the means). At this time we are sharing the business model with select individuals and only upon signing a non-disclosure agreement. We believe this secrecy is necessary for two main reasons: 1) as with all major economic changes there will be a minority who lose when this idea is executed and we do not want the potential losers to attempt to thwart our efforts, and 2) by keeping it under wraps it will be easier to launch this process with velocity.

We feel like we have stumbled upon the Theory of Relativity, yet we don't know physics or any physicists.  We need help to achieve our immediate objective - partnering with a founding philanthropic investor or investors who can help execute this extraordinary opportunity.  Please share this link with anyone you think might be able to help (e.g., prominent academics, business people, politicians, activists and anyone who's making a large and positive impact in the world).  Better yet, just send this link to anyone you know who might be interested in living in a world free from extreme poverty, needless suffering, and environmental degradation.

If you can make a direct impact (e.g., you know someone, or are someone, like Al Gore, the charitable millionaire next door, or the head of a large philanthropic organization), please email us at info@hypercapitalism.org.  If you would like to be informed of major developments you can sign up for our mailing list, or if you're a Facebook user you can join our Group, Hyper Capitalism at the Service of Humanity.

Regards,