SBA is an innovation firm that designs transformative engagements with the world’s most inspiring people.
We do this for leaders in business, science, the arts, and civic life who are searching for new ideas, new approaches, and new solutions to challenges that can only be solved through the insights that come from surprising human connections.
As the pace of progress accelerates in all fields, it’s nearly impossible to address the biggest challenges you face—and seize the opportunities you sense—using only the minds you have on hand.
To stay relevant, understand the latest trends and ideas in your industry (and adjacent fields) and move ahead quickly and confidently toward the next opportunities, you and your team need consistent strategic interactions with the world’s best thinkers and doers.
Our genius is identifying and cultivating an ever-expanding network of extraordinary thinkers and doers, strategically organizing them and creating transformative engagements to help leaders in business, science, the arts and civic life envision new possibilities and ways of achieving them.
Sunny operates wherever executives, thinkers, artists, creators, innovators, entrepreneurs, educators, philanthropists connect and collide around the globe. Her genius is developing networks of extraordinary people and connecting their ideas in surprising ways toward concrete outcomes.
As an author, serial entrepreneur, mentor and advisor, her client roster has included some of the world’s most prominent companies and organizations, from GE, TED and Credit Suisse to MTV, the National Academy of Sciences, Techstars and Kickstarter, of which she is a founding board member.
Alejandro has been an organizer of extraordinary events as long as his mother can remember (his kindergarten class was a daily techno-rave). In college he was known for producing unforgettable concerts with bands like The Knocks, of Montreal, Kid Sister, Yeasayer, and Javelin, among many others. At SBA, Alejandro’s laser focus on research, design and logistics ensures that whatever SBA touches becomes an out-of-body experience. He is a Media Studies graduate from Vassar College.
Mariah makes order out of chaos, and breathes life into big ideas. As a natural choreographer of people, projects, and process, she won’t rest until the standing ovation is over.
Prior to joining Sunny’s orbit, Mariah was the Manager of Influence Knowledge Transfer and an FAO Schwarz Family Foundation Fellow at Year Up, the premier youth development and training organization in the country. Before that, she developed new models for education and social impact while working at New Sector Alliance and as a campus co-coordinator for Peer Health Exchange. Mariah graduated from Harvard College with a degree in History of Science.
Elke is that rare combination of wild creativity and impeccable attention to detail. Her operational savvy ensures that SBA and its projects run smoothly and her eye for beauty lifts the look and feel of where we work and what we do. Prior to SBA, she worked on the production of short films, music videos, and commercials in LA and NYC and her photography has been featured in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Time Out New York, and American Theatre. Elke holds a B.A. in Photography from Bard College.
We work with a range of organizations, from startups to global corporations, to expand their thinking and see around new corners by connecting their leaders to the people and ideas that are shaping the future. We work on what keeps you up at night.
You need access to new voices, rising actors and cresting conversations here and around the world?
You’ve got a new business, new division or you’re entering a new market?
Looking to rise above your traditional way of thinking? Need a breakthrough? Exposure to new approaches, ideas, and solutions?
CLIENT WORK
Envision the universe of people relevant to your current and future business with our ecosystem map.
Have an actionable strategy for reaching out and engaging those people with our network strategy.
Activate your network through strategic engagements designed to accelerate learning and form meaningful connections through large scale events, thought-leadership dinners, and unique working groups.
Sustain and foster your network through access to external expertise by developing mentor networks or advisor and governing boards.
Optimize your talent pool and team performance through customized advisory on talent recruitment, development, and 1:1 learning journeys.
At SBA, we’re constantly hearing about potentially game-changing ideas and remarkable people. We’re now making that vision of the future available to others through immersive, accelerated learning experiences. Our Red Thread Projects focus on the urgent agendas that will shape our lives and work as we move faster and faster into the future.
Our Red Thread Series convenes influential leaders to address topics that will give you that elusive edge in the market by expanding your mind and exposing you to ideas, solutions, and people you would never encounter on your own.
Our first Red Thread Series explored biofabrication and its impact on the future of food. Each event focuses on one emerging topic, around which we design mission-critical conversations with key experts to dissect the challenges and opportunities that will arise over the next 24-48 months. You will engage in an experience like no other–one that artfully combines intense learning, great food and wine, and transformative connections with an extraordinary group of people.
What’s around the corner that you need to hear about now? What’s an angle you haven’t considered before? What do you want to know but are afraid to ask?
These are the kinds of questions we dive into at our expertly curated conversations at the Standard Hotel, High Line and East Village locations in Manhattan.
We’ve explored everything from immortality & AI, cybercrime, the history of voguing, improv storytelling, the paranormal, gossip, the future of digital rights, polyamory and the architecture of mourning.
We’re such a curious crew we can’t contain ourselves. This is as much for us as it is for you…which is why everyone’s welcome! Join our mailing list to stay in the loop and receive an invite to our next event (just click that nifty button below).
The Global Insights Network (GIN) is a diverse community of the world’s most passionate, influential and purpose-driven leaders determined to shape the future.
GIN’s mission is to be the invisible force behind the most important collaborations and breakthroughs of the coming decade. GIN connects the best minds of our time across industries, disciplines and generations to tackle mission-critical topics and amplify each other’s impact. Since its founding in 2012, GIN has curated an intimate community of members from over 30 countries.
GIN is invitation only. If you would like to nominate a remarkable global leader for consideration please contact us at GIN@sunnybates.com