The Akamai Foundation: Our Chance to Give Back
The Akamai Foundation was set up in 2018 to improve the impact and focus of our long-term philanthropic activities. Importantly, we wanted to support the next generation of technology innovators; promoting the pursuit of excellence in STEM education amongst school children. Our work had an incredible impact in 2020 and I'm thrilled to announce the release of the Foundation's first Annual Report.
The Report celebrates our efforts, but it also tells a larger story. One that extends well beyond the world of technology, with chapters highlighting the Foundation's response to environmental disasters, civil unrest, the COVID-19 pandemic - and the creation of new avenues for giving.
The Foundation wouldn't have had such an incredible impact without the outpouring of support and generosity we received from our employees around the world. What's more, we listened and responded to the passion of our employees by funding impact grants. They aimed at building stronger community connections, and enhancing outreach and educational awareness efforts for diverse populations and causes that Akamai employees are passionate about. Through these grants, we were able to extend our reach to support equity, diversity and inclusion - amplifying our community impact. In some cases, we had the potential to change the trajectory of someone's life.
This year, the Akamai Foundation is ready to continue our important work. We'll be accelerating our efforts and responding to the changing needs of the communities we support, as we become a true, global lifeline. For our STEM grant giving, there will be a special focus on digital inclusion. The technology ecosystem, with its complex set of systems, creates roadblocks, and limits the participation of diverse talent. To amplify this issue and help to create solutions, Akamai is providing the Foundation with an additional $20 million. We will also be creating new programs to fund registered charities, together with global, non-government organizations who are enabling underrepresented individuals to achieve success.
Just as Akamai was created to connect people through the internet, the Foundation was created to build relationships with our global community and foster connections between people. We're so proud of the impact we've had and we're looking forward to the achievements that 2021 will bring.
