The College recently announced a financial pledge by David and Charlotte Willner ’06 that will launch the Bowdoin Innovators Group (BIG) as a new avenue for donations to the College. The BIG’s membership will consist of entrepreneurs from the Bowdoin community who agree to donate gifts or equity stakes in businesses they are involved with, which will pass to the College upon completion of a financial event, such as an initial public offering or business sale.

Additionally, BIG members agree to engage with Career Exploration and Development (CXD) to share expertise, mentor students in their area of interest and create pathways to internships and career opportunities.

Leadership Gifts Officer Diana Martinez described the initiative’s inception in an email to the Orient.

“The Bowdoin Innovators Group (BIG) was first envisioned by Bowdoin’s Development and Alumni Relations team in 2022 as a way for loyal donors, such as Dave and Charlotte Willner, to pledge future support tied to the success of a financial event,” Martinez wrote. “Alumni can work with our team to augment their current giving with a future gift, celebrating the role Bowdoin has played in their lives while deepening their ongoing engagement with the College.”

The Willners made the BIG’s inaugural pledge, committing five percent of an equity stake held by David Willner in ChatGPT developer OpenAI, where he used to work. This share is currently worth about $200,000, but the money can only be accessed during certain windows when sales agreements are made. Martinez noted that non-liquid commitments such as this, which form the basis of the BIG, could either result in large monetary gifts to the College or not. This differs from the traditional set monetary sum form of institutional donations.

“Outright gifts remain essential because they provide immediate impact for students and our campus community,” Martinez wrote. “What’s unique about BIG is that it gives entrepreneurial alumni, whose financial resources may be concentrated in growing companies, a way to complement their current support with the pledge of a much larger commitment that will mature in the future. The program is an opportunity for Bowdoin to recognize and celebrate their generous intentions.”

Martinez highlighted the broader impact that this initiative will have on the College.

“Philanthropic support sustains every facet of Bowdoin, from financial aid, academics and student life to the endowment and capital projects,” Martinez wrote. “BIG adds to this strong foundation by fostering a culture of innovation among alumni donors whose careers are rooted in entrepreneurship and emerging ventures.… We hope this helps inspire students while expanding the network of support available to them. Dave and Charlotte [Willner] are outstanding examples of this spirit of engagement, and we are deeply grateful for their generosity.”