Billions in Change
A Film About Inventions with a Purpose
Whether we want to admit it or not, our world is facing more than a few huge problems. All the experts seem to have an idea about how to solve them, but most of what they say is just talk and we all know that talk doesn’t reduce pollution, grow food, or heal the sick. Solutions require action.
This film tells the story about a group of doers. These people have made simple inventions that have the potential to enhance and change billions of lives.
It all started when Manoj Bhargava had an idea for a product and within two months it was on the shelves near the checkout counters in supermarkets all over the world. We’ve all seen the little bottles of 5-Hour Energy Shot. He now has a net worth of $4 billion and he is using 99% of it to find solutions to problems concerning, energy, water, and health.
His estate has an invention shop called Stage Two where he encourages his employees to invent stuff that would make a difference in other people’s lives. According to Ravi Sajwan, the Chief Technical Officer, their goal is to deliver products that can directly impact humanity. A good invention is able to benefit the poorer half of the world. That is how Manoj gives back; his mantra is that if it doesn’t make a huge difference, then they need to do something else.
The largest areas of work for the future are energy and water. Solutions need to be found in those two areas to guarantee life. Half of the world either has no electricity or electricity for only a few hours per day. Yet human mechanical energy is so amazing that it can be used to provide electricity. Based on that they created a hybrid bicycle
that has to be pedaled for an hour and provides electricity for 24 hours. This enables about 3 billion people around the world to become part of a productive society. This invention also means that half of the world would never generate pollution from carbon dioxide. The health benefits of this system are obvious.
Manoj Bhargava inspires his inventors to come up with solutions. He believes that energy is the great equalizer because if it were available to everybody then the poor wouldn’t be poor. He’s not concerned with only making people rich, but instead he’s interested in getting them to make a livelihood, be healthy and have access to clean water.
Bhargava has a lot to say about politics and education and his ideas are unconventional and wise. Watch this film now.