Business · Companies · 1 day ago
Ecosia founder says Nepal trip changed his career path
In 2007, Christian Kroll’s trek in Nepal changed his career plans after he spoke with a local guide about their futures.
Kroll, who had studied business in Nuremberg, had expected to become an investment banker.
He felt the guide worked hard and was highly capable but had fewer chances to achieve a prosperous life.
Kroll wanted his work to benefit people and the planet, so he started a search engine in Nepal and planned to give its profits to local projects.
That first search engine failed because search advertising could not make money in Nepal.
Later, a trip to South America showed Kroll the effects of rainforest destruction and gave him a new idea.
He founded Ecosia, directing its profits to forest restoration, and says all of the company’s profits now go to climate protection.
Ecosia founder Christian Kroll says a 2007 trip to Nepal changed his career plans.
At 24, after graduating with a business degree in Nuremberg, he had been considering a career as an investment banker.
A conversation with a young Nepalese guide led Kroll to question his ambition to make a lot of money.
He started a search engine in Nepal that would donate profits to local projects, but closed it after it failed to earn money from search ads.
Kroll later drew inspiration from rainforest destruction in South America and started Ecosia, directing its profits to climate protection.
- Who
- Christian Kroll, founder and managing director of Ecosia.
- What
- Kroll says his Nepal trip changed his career plans and inspired him to pursue work with a social purpose.
- When
- In 2007, after graduating from university at age 24.
- Where
- Nepal; he later found inspiration for Ecosia during a trip to South America.
- Why
- A conversation with a Nepalese guide changed his view of opportunity and wealth, while seeing rainforest destruction later suggested a way to fund reforestation.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
After graduating with a business degree, Kroll travelled to Nepal and spoke with a young guide.
Kroll founded a search engine intended to compete with Google in Nepal and donate profits to local projects.
Kroll gave up the Nepal search engine after it failed to make money from search ads.
Kroll said he saw the effects of rainforest destruction and developed the idea of funding reforestation through a search engine.
- Founder
- Christian Kroll
- Nepal trip
- 2007
- Age during trip
- 24
- First venture
- A search engine intended as a Nepalese competitor to Google
- Ecosia profits
- 100 percent directed to climate protection
What people are saying
In Nepal spürte ich: Ich will nicht das große Geld verdienen, sondern etwas für die Menschen auf unserem Planeten tun.