A nineteen-year-old Ivy League drop-out, uniformed in jeans and a hoodie, and founder of a start-up in Silicon Valley. This is the popular image of the “innovator”: he looks and dresses like Mark Zuckerberg. It is hardly controversial to argue that, to many, Silicon Valley is innovation. But is innovation necessarily a place? Is it necessarily an app or some “cool” new software?

At Students For Liberty, we stand at the forefront of developing new strategies to advance the liberty movement. We know that innovation is not restricted to a geographical place – we are headquartered in the USA and have trained student volunteers in over 100 countries – nor is it limited to a particular field. In the last year alone, we had over 65,000 attendees come to around 1500 events in North America and abroad. These events include start-up incubators focused on creating free-market oriented businesses, art festivals that promote free speech, and other innovative ways to  advocate for a freer future. Better yet, SFL events are conceptualized and executed by our student leaders.

Our student leaders have found organizations that conceive of new ways to promote freedom. We boast several entrepreneurs amongst our current students and alumni, all in different sectors – from non-profits to think-tanks to social enterprises. In slightly over a decade of existence, SFL alumni have founded over 30 non-profits and dozens of businesses (crypto, VR, 3D-printing, investment, services, etc.), cultivating leaders who turn into founders is a dream for many organisations, yet not many can find that sweet spot; this is why we are so proud to highlight our students’ accomplishments.

Take for example alumnus Dr. Mark Lutter’s work with one of the most devastating humanitarian situations of our time: there are over 65 million refugees and displaced people in the world. In 2017, the UNHCR received over USD 2 billion from the USA, Germany, the EU and the UK collectively. Yet, the current crisis persists. This is where Dr. Mark Lutter’s work comes in: he has been working for several years on the idea of startup cities. Arguing that the current refugee model management system of refugee camps and humanitarian aid is outdated, he’s been advocating for innovation: what if we created special economic zones that let refugees own property, have jobs, and create laws? These new free cities could transform camps into economic powerhouses.

Mark recently founded a new organization, the Center for Innovative Governance Research, which he describes as both a think tank and an incubator whose goal is “to become the thought leader for charter cities, free cities, special economic zones, seasteading, and other forms of political decentralization.”

And, as our students innovate in their own ways, we as an organization are also always thinking of ways to reinvent our programming to ensure that we’re effective in the fight for liberty. The world is ever-changing and the liberty movement must proactively plan for changes and upheavals. We must innovate, or face being dismissed as irrelevant.  One of the key ways in which we plan for the future is our biggest event of the year – LibertyCon. At LibertyCon liberty-lovers of all ages share their expertise, improve their skills and work to build a freer future!

LibertyCon, which will take place January 17-20, 2019, connects liberty-lovers of all ages in an open, high-energy environment where they can meet, learn, and socialize. Many of our attendees are young and mid-level professionals who are actively seeking out innovative solutions as they either start out or progress in their fight for liberty. Others, such as Steve Forbes, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey and the Cato Institute’s executive vice-president David Boaz, are seasoned veterans looking to cultivate the next generation of liberty advocates. This kind of environment is vital to keeping students, young professionals and veterans in the liberty movement engaged and motivated to fight for a freer future.

At LibertyCon, ideas are incubated and brought to life. Imagine the possibilities: students can meet veterans who can impart their expertise and help to mould a new generation of effective advocates for liberty.

You can meet the Students for Liberty at FreedomFest, “the world’s largest gathering of free minds,” July 11-14 at Paris Resort Las Vegas. Call 1-855-850-3733 ext 202 or register online at 2018.freedomfest.com Use code VOICE100 to take $100 off the regular price.