In this candid conversation, Michael Minkoff, Director of Business Development at Athena Infonomics, offers a thoughtful look at the evolving role of local businesses, exciting growth areas for Athena, and what makes the company truly stand out. Get ready for a candid mix of wit, expertise, and practical insights that only Mike brings to the table!
Mike (M): Light-heartedness is incredibly important to me when it comes to creating a productive and connected team environment, both in person and (perhaps especially) in a remote setting. I find that humor and levity make it easier for everyone to feel comfortable, engaged, and safe to bring their full selves to the table. I’ve always felt put off by people who carry themselves with too much self-seriousness—it becomes hard to engage and just doesn’t inspire openness or creativity. For me, leading with a sense of humor, a bit of play, invites a relaxed atmosphere where people feel safe and are more receptive to constructive feedback. I’m glad Athena embraces that about me—it’s just who I am, for better or worse!
M: There’s a lot going on in international development right now, especially with emerging political trends (e.g., the recent election results) that will certainly shift the ‘how’ and the ‘who’ when it comes to tackling climate risk and resilience.
More broadly, the development sector has seen a strong push towards digital transformation and data-driven decision-making at the local level over at least the last decade, with countries focusing on building digital and ICT infrastructure that supports smarter, real-time responses. I fully anticipate those trends to continue. Emerging technologies like GenAI are stealing headlines at the moment and will continue to have a substantive impact in the way people do work – in international development and beyond, and advanced robotics will likely play increasing role in humanitarian assistance and emergency response.
At the same time, even with the shifting political winds, I expect we’ll continue to see a trend toward sustainable, traceable global supply chains across food systems, manufacturing, and more, driven by both regulatory pressures, consumer demand, and a real desire from corporate leaders to operate as 'good actors.' While there’s certainly still uncertainty about how all of this will evolve in the face of these recent political shifts, I ultimately believe the momentum around digital development, corporate stewardship, and sustainability is here to stay.
M: Local businesses play a huge role in the social impact landscape, especially when it comes to ensuring supply chains are traceable and compliant with global standards. There’s a unique strength that comes from these businesses being rooted in their communities—they’re better positioned to understand and monitor the first mile of supply chains.
Outside of government-funded development work, I think we’ll keep seeing large foundations and corporations prioritizing investments in local ecosystems to drive sustainable impact and I expect USG-funded development work will prioritize strengthening local actors and ecosystems to enable more private sector development.
For small businesses the ability to offer exceptional specialized services, while having the adaptability to quickly respond to evolving corporate, organizational, and/or regulatory priorities and requirements will be essential, whether supporting government, foundations, multilaterals, non-governmental or corporate clients. Fortunately, Athena possesses that combination of traits!. By staying in tune with the evolving needs, we’ll be well-positioned to keep our edge, while driving positive social impact for our clients.
M: What excites me most about Athena is our ability to bring together rigorous social science research, digital transformation, and data analytics to make a real impact. We’re working on big, meaningful challenges, whether it’s urban sanitation, anti-trafficking, or climate resilience, and it’s the quality of our work across these areas that really stands out. Looking forward, I’m especially excited about expanding into areas like agriculture, health, and natural resources. There’s a huge opportunity here for Athena to help clients make smarter, more sustainable decisions with data and digital tools, and I think we’re in a great spot to lead in those spaces.
