Michael Furdyk

MICHAEL FURDYK

Michael Furdyk, 18, is the Co-founder and Director of Technology for TakingITGlobal.org, a global online community for young people, providing a platform for millions of youth across more than 200 countries to engage with social issues.

In the past, he has turned his interest in technology into a series of successful online companies, co-founding MyDesktop.com (later sold to Internet.com) and BuyBuddy.com (which raised $4.5-million of venture capital). Michael has provided insights on the Net Generation to a number of Fortune 500 companies, including a 6-month engagement developing youth strategy with Microsoft in Seattle, Washington.

TakingITGlobal, which is also known as TIG, is a charitable non-governmental organization focusing on global issues by promoting awareness and engagement among global youth. It was founded in 1999 in Toronto, Canada by Jennifer Corriero and Michael Furdyk, who are the Executive Director and Director of Technology respectively.

TIG uses an online social network aimed primarily at youth to raise awareness and discussion on a number of global issues and encourages youth to take action that affects their local and global communities. Often cited as “the world’s largest community for young people interested in positive change” , TIG’s membership has exceeded 230,000 active members from about 261 countries, as of February 2009.

Their monthly growth rate has been estimated to be about 10%.
An in-depth look at the “Net Generation”, born between 1980-2000, and how their use of technology is influencing every aspect of society.