Simon Monk
Climate Tech investor based in Sydney, Australia.
He is passionate about the value of great design, loves innovation and gets excited imagining the future.
Climate
Climate is without doubt the most pressing challenge of our time. The world needs to look very different if we are to remain inhabitants of it.
The science of climate is clear. By 2030 we need to have made spectacular progress reducing CO2 emissions. It's a complex subject but looking at CO2 sources is a good place to start.
The best thing about science is that it's true whether you believe it or not.Neil deGrasse Tyson
A vast energy transition is underway, driven primarily by fundamental economics rather than the fact that energy is the largest contributor to CO2.
We're still in the early years of this transformation and this is where I focus my time, energy and attention.
Design
I trained in Industrial Design, now more frequently called Product Design, where the skills are much the same whether the product is physical or digital. I find it remarkable that the value that design excellence brings to business, particularly startups, is still largely mis-understood and under-valued.
Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.Joe Sparano
This remarkable Marc Andreessen piece on product market fit is essential as is Build by Tony Fadell where he shares his wisdom and expertise from building insanely great products like the iPod, iPhone and Nest.
Much has been written about design thinking, but the best process for rapid design innovation is the design sprint outlined by Google Ventures.
Giving
I'm extraordinarily privileged to have been born into a place where education was highly valued.
Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.Nelson Mandela
Not only have I been able to travel widely, but I've witnessed those less fortunate and it's incredibly humbling to try to help do something about it. I invented one of the first digital micro-donation platforms, which helps change the lives of many people around the world, and as a family we continue to give.
Climate 200
To enable climate policy, we believe it's essential to shift the balance of power to Independents. Our matching campaign helped deliver an excellent result.
AGNSW
The AGNSW help Australia develop appreciation of Asian culture through their Asian Collection.
Fred Hollows
Restoring someone’s sight, brings back their independence, ability to work, or get an education.
World Food Program
Have you ever gone more than a day without food? Every single day millions of people do.
World Nomads
Many businesses have a good creation story, so this is mine.
In 1989, I quit my job, sold everything and headed off to explore the world. The experience of being able to go anywhere, do anything and taste unconstrained freedom was memorable.
When you're young, you feel bullet-proof. I had nevertheless bought travel insurance to cover me for six months but, as with all the best travel plans, they changed and I ended up in China during the tumultuous summer of 1989. Being pre-internet, staying in touch was by letter and post restanté and there was certainly no means to buy travel insurance while you were still away.
No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.Heraclitus 475 BC
After emigrating to Australia in 1993, I bought worldnomads.com as my personal website, thinking the name philosophically reflected who I was. I created one of the first travel blogs before ‘blogging’ was even invented, by sending stories home by fax and film canisters by courier!
In 2000 I started developing an online travel insurance service for independent travellers like me. My travel experiences inspired the World Nomads core concept of being able to buy a travel insurance from anywhere and have the freedom to extend it as many times as you needed. It was the first of its kind.
For more on what I've done since, listen to my 2018 interview for the World Nomads PodCast.
Adventures
Travel has always been a big part of my life and I've been dreaming about what's over the horizon for as long as I can remember. I'm fortunate to have had some incredible adventures over the years. Here are a few.
-
Lord Howe Island
A little bit of Australian magic in the middle of the pandemic.
-
Kumano Kodo
A trek through the mountains and temples of Wakayama offers another perspective on Japan.
-
Raja Ampat
I've had some remarkable dive adventures, but this was my son's first trip after getting his diving license. That's him on the left!
-
Lycian way
A family walking trip through parts of ancient Greece. Here at the Acropolis of Bergama.
-
Central Asia
Up near the Chinese border at Kel Su, that's me on the horse. This was one of the last pieces of the puzzle that is Marco Polo's 14th century journey to China and back.
-
The Marquesas
I didn't even know the Marquesas existed until I stumbled across them scrolling around Google maps. Although hard to reach, they made for a wild family adventure.
-
Himalaya
The Snowman Trek is one of the finest treks in the entire Himalaya. It's also one of the most challenging.
-
Shuzenji
Japan never ceases to amaze me. At a Ryokan in Shuzenji, the food was so spectacular you didn't want to touch it.
-
Climate Witness
Witnessing climate change first hand is sobering. Out onto the ice with Jason.
-
Tigers Nest
Like a dream come true, on my first trip to Bhutan I was incredibly fortunate to go with National Geographic photographer, Jason Edwards. Sometimes even the famous places can still take your breath away.
-
Abydos
On a trip along the Nile we were lucky enough to stumble upon the temple of Seti I at Abydos. Here my son's are captivated by a ray of light crossing the floor.
-
Saigon
An extraordinarily chaotic collision of cyclo's, ducks, decrepit Renault buses left by the French in the 40's and huge Chevy's left behind by the Americans in the 60's. Today's it's all rather tame.
-
1989
On the streets of Chengdu among millions of protesting Chinese. A truly searing memory, one that transformed my opinions of both media and society. 1989 was such a pivotal year.
-
Camino de Santiago
Nobody really walked the Camino back then. There was almost nowhere to stay except dusty schools, old barns and the odd police station.