During the first year of a Tuck MBA, all students complete a rigorously monitored project. The projects typically are either entrepreneurial or consulting focused in nature.

My project was related to launching a carbon nano-tube based water purification system in developing countries. We used Ghana as our focus country. As part of our primary research we talked to various village elders, local NGOs and also utilized the services of "Engineers without Borders" to survey the market for a cheap and effective water treatment solution.

Lutz Goedde, a Tuck alum, was an immense help in connecting us to various organizations like WRI which run social venture incuabtors in conjunction with the Santa Clara university. Lutz is a Senior Program Manager with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He was a perfect introduction for us to the immense scope and the nature of work being undertaken by the Foundation.

This week I had a chance to sit in on an executive lunch hosted by Jeff Raikes, the retiring president of the Microsoft Business Division, and the next CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It was an incredible opportunity to listen to a person selected to lead an organization with the financial resources and intellectual horsepower to have the maximum impact on the social inequity on this planet.

Just another example of the level of leadership and guidance visible at Microsoft..