Sustainable Development Goals

Nishant Malhotra is the visionary behind "The middle Road," a groundbreaking for-profit social impact platform, where he serves as the Solo Founder and CEO. Nishant Malhotra, a luminary in the realm of social impact, channels his passion for global change through innovative EdTech and media solutions in his startup, "The middle Road." This unique platform seamlessly integrates media and EdTech, delivering accessible, top-tier higher education in the fields of social impact, especially international development and the financial services sector. Before his current role, Nishant wore many professional hats. With a wealth of experience acquired from diverse roles within the financial services sector, Nishant holds prestigious degrees in public and business administration from renowned global institutions. His work experience includes a diverse range of roles within the private banking and wealth management sector, including a leadership role as the head of domestic financial advisory private banking at a leading private bank in India. He also briefly taught as a visiting professor at multiple business schools in India and worked in the technology sector. In addition to his professional work, Nishant volunteered as a teacher in a visually impaired school in Pune, India.

Beyond his entrepreneurial pursuits, he is a fervent fitness enthusiast, a speaker par excellence, an ardent reader, a dedicated researcher, an educator, a prolific writer, a consultant, and a captivating podcast host. Nishant's unwavering dedication to making a positive social impact on a global scale has earned him the esteemed Indian Achievers Award. Furthermore, "The middle Road" was recognized as one of the top 11 civic tech startups in India in 2022 by Best Startup India, a top 35 social impact startup in India by Startup Pill in 2021. Nishant Malhotra holds a master's degree in public administration from the Gerald R Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, as well as MBAs from China Europe International Business School in Shanghai, China, and Symbiosis Institute of Business Management in Pune, India. His educational journey began with a bachelor's degree in electronics engineering from Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune University, India.

Research Associate at the Katastrophenforschungsstelle (Disaster Research Unit), Freie Unverstität Berlin. Consultant and researcher on Urban Disaster Risk Governance. PhD in Development Planning at the Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU), University College London (UCL), MSc. in Urban Management at Technische Universität Berlin (TU-Berlin), and Designer at Universidad Católica de Temuco (UC-Temuco), Chile. Founder and Editor of the Journal of Latin American Studies on Disaster Risk Reduction REDER (https://www.revistareder.com)

Fiorina Mugione is a highly accomplished professional with a wealth of experience in development cooperation. Her previous role as Chief of Entrepreneurship at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development involved policy advice, training, mentorship, and coaching to entrepreneurs, women leaders, and young diplomats. In addition to her coaching and consulting work at GDSI and other firms, Fiorina is a Board of the Organisation of of Women in International Trade (OWIT) working on women's economic empowerment. As a Board Member of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), focusing on education and entrepreneurship, she actively supports initiatives that empower individuals and communities. Furthermore, as a Board member of Accelerate Africa, she plays a strategic role in driving the organization's mission of fostering economic growth and development in Africa. She also regularly work as expert advisor and Master Coach. She currently serves as an Ambassador for the European Union Capacity4Development program, where she contributes to promoting sustainable development through capacity building.