Spark the lights of
a new dawn

Join us in setting a new dawn—set out on a transformational leadership journey while addressing the significant challenges of our times.

dawn, a new program by the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, invites a cohort of pioneering leaders to embark on a journey to address a meaningful challenge and develop tangible solutions by tapping into the collective capacity of the group.

 

During this journey, you will gain new mindsets and skills to transform yourself and those around you for the well-being of our societies and the planet.

The Program

25 leaders, 12 weeks

The 3-month-long dawn pilot will bring together a cohort of 25 committed leaders from the Responsible Leaders Network and beyond.

Focus on a single challenge

Each dawn cycle will focus on a single theme. The pilot’s focus is “innovation towards new economic models,” for which participating leaders will collaborate to prototype multiple tangible solutions.

Learn by creating

The program is designed to create a space for participants to reflect upon and refine their leadership skills as they tackle the challenge with a curated and diverse group of fellow leaders that will form the cohort.

The Thematic Focus

Historically, our economic systems have led to significant social benefits in many parts of the world. However, too often, this progress focused exclusively on financial growth at the risk of leaving behind an uninhabitable planet and many disadvantaged societies.

 

This is why we believe we need a new “dawn.” We need to take a step back from the existing paradigms, reflect and collaborate to uncover the patterns that do not serve us any longer. We need to develop solutions that will help shape new economic models that are regenerative and that care for all.

The Journey

Program participants are expected to attend all day-long sessions (10 day-long sessions over the course of 3 months) in addition to allocating 3-5 hours a week for inspirational Elevation Sessions, coordination, teamwork, field research, and prototyping to deliver their solutions and reflect on individual leadership skills.

Modules

Throughout the program journey, participants will be engaged through diverse methods in experiential learning and emergent facilitation; as well as being immersed in interactive content and co-creation sessions.

Immersion

A 4-day leadership retreat to explore key Responsible Leadership mindsets and grow within a supportive community.

Ignition Suites

Virtual and hybrid workshops to boost leadership skills, collaborate on challenges, and build prototypes with support from thought leaders.

Elevation Sessions

2- or 3-week long digital learning journeys to explore various responsible leadership themes with a cohort, form peer accountability circles, and practice newly acquired mindsets and skills.

Outcomes

Facilitated by renowned practitioners and thought leaders, dawn will bring the Responsible Leaders Network closer for deep collaboration and collective action. During the 3-month-long journey, while developing solutions to the challenges at hand, the participants will master the following skills and mindsets.

Learning Outcomes

Mindsets

Purposeful Responsibility

We are accountable for serving the collective well-being of all.

We drive systemic change with a strong internal compass and constantly adapt it to the world around us by digging deep.

Graceful Navigation

We strive to understand the ever-evolving tensions of our world.

Leaning on to the wisdom of existing and emerging realities, we hold the space to hear every voice at the table with curiosity and compassion.

Insightful Interdependence

We commit to the interdependent wellbeing of the people and the planet and create systems for them to thrive.

We tackle complex challenges with nimble but bold experimentation.

Skills

Uncover your unique responsible leadership style and your personal "Why?"

Discover how to use your personal compass to incite change in larger systems through practicing with peer participants as well as others beyond in the program.

Step up to a global setting as a pioneer who champions Responsible Leadership as both a mindset and an action for leverage systems transformation.

Rapidly gain insights and domain expertise to take wiser action towards a specific challenge; tap into the collective intelligence of the group.

Acquire a future-ready leadership toolbox informed by cutting-edge science and enlightened wisdom traditions focusing on leading through uncertainty.

Practice in-person, online, and hybrid facilitation techniques and feed these skills into your own contexts and communities.

Master systems transformation and participatory change approaches by practicing emerging theoretical frameworks and methodologies.

Collectively act on a systemic challenge that focuses on the well-being of our planet and societies.

In a facilitated open space, collaborate with fellow inspiring leaders from diverse demographics and backgrounds who bring an abundance of experience.

Become part of an impact-driven community that will learn, act, and thrive together in solidarity going into the future.

Upon completing the program, if you aren’t already affiliated, you'll be eligible to join the BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Network with over 2000 leaders from across 100 countries.

Solution Outcomes
& Funding

Solid Prototypes

Throughout the program, the cohort will develop several iterated prototypes enriched with learnings and insights that emerge during the journey.

Implementation Roadmap

Towards the end of the program, teams will develop bids on potential action steps and clear implementation roadmaps based on the prototypes delivered.

Seed Funding

The BMW Foundation will commit to a seed fund of €10.000 to be distributed among selected bids. The cohort will share ownership with the BMW Foundation to decide the allocation of the funds.

Co-Funding

Upon completing the program, the cohort will be offered a dedicated space to present their bids to the dawn Committee, the Responsible Leaders Network, and the potential partner organizations that could provide funding.

Match Funding

If additional funding is received, the dawn team will explore match-funding opportunities and potential connections with other partners from the BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Network.

Further Opportunities

Funded teams will share their progress in 4-month cycles with the dawn Committee and the Responsible Leaders Network to explore opportunities to build and launch their solutions.

People

First Igniters

Inaugural members of the cohort that is defining the challenge.

ElsaMarie D’Silva

Founder
Red Dot Foundation

Dr. Linda Lopez

CEO
Impact Strategies Inc.

Katarzyna Hanula-Bobbitt

CONCORD Europe, Head of Policy and Advocacy and COO Professors without Borders

dawn Committee Members

Members of the Steering Committee who oversee the program

Responsible Leaders Network

Thais Vojvodic

Plastics Pact Network Manager at Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Alejandro Álvarez von Gustedt

Independent Senior Advisor & Co-Founder and Board Member at Latimpacto.

BMW Foundation

Ilsabe von Campenhausen

Executive, Leadership Team, BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt

Pablo Handl

dawn, Head of Program (external)

Valerie Marouche

European Network Organizer at the 
BMW Foundation 
Herbert Quandt 

ATÖLYE

Mert Çetinkaya

Director and Learning Designer at ATÖLYE Academy