Life is short. And it is about doing meaningful things, with the people you love.
Elliot Costello is an Australian leader in social entrepreneurship, innovative fundraising, and strategic problem-solving.
In 2008, Elliot co-founded YGAP - a nonprofit organisation that supports local entrepreneurs in some of the world’s toughest communities. Elliot spent ten years building and running YGAP as the Founding CEO. The organization has backed over 450 early-stage impact ventures across Africa, South Asia, and Asia-Pacific, that significantly and measurably improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people living in poverty. YGAP launched and operated four viable social enterprise businesses in different industries, and ran two international fundraising campaigns, including the Polished Man Campaign. Under Elliot’s leadership, YGAP raised over $20m.
After stepping down as CEO in 2018, Elliot completed a Masters in Comparative World Religions at Oxford University, focusing his dissertation on the intersection of faith and politics in the United States. Presently, Elliot is working with the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C.
Video
Listening, Through Someone Else's Ears | Elliot Costello | TEDxOxford
Most people listen with the intention of replying, not always with their focus on understanding. Elliot Costello shares a local, national, and global example of why it is important to listen, through someone else's ears. Listening has a profound capacity to create deep and meaningful connections, and, importantly, to facilitate social change. Elliot Costello is a post graduate student at Oxford University, focusing on Christian Ethics and contemporary Islam. Prior to coming to Oxford, Elliot co-founded and was CEO of YGAP, a global nonprofit organisation that finds and backs locally-based impact entrepreneurs in some of the world's toughest communities. Under Elliot's leadership, YGAP has supported 470 impact ventures which has significantly and measurably improved the lives of over 590,000 people living in poverty.
