Jacob Korenblum has made significant contributions to the field of enterprise digital strategy, dedicating over 15 years to developing digital solutions that tackle real-world challenges across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. His pioneering efforts have been highlighted by prominent publications, including The Financial Times, Forbes, Devex, and Scientific American. He resides in Toronto, Ontario, where he enjoys the leisure activity of sailing.
Career in Social Initiatives and Innovation
Korenblum’s early career was marked by a commitment to social justice and aid programs globally. He began his impactful journey shortly after earning his bachelor’s degree, joining the Education Development Center in Washington, D.C. This global nonprofit organization is committed to enhancing the livelihood of families in 80 countries by improving access to education, health services, and employment opportunities. He quickly ascended to a leadership role at the organization, overseeing monitoring, evaluation, and communications for a significant initiative in the Middle East, where he also spent several years.
Following his stint at EDC, he transitioned to a role at OXFAM, a globally recognized nonprofit organization. From 2008 to 2010, he traveled to underprivileged communities in Malawi, India, Haiti, and Kenya, where he spearheaded economic development projects. His efforts as a team leader included overseeing microenterprise assessment and mobile technology projects that supported OXFAM’s mission to foster gender equality, economic growth, and climate resilience, impacting over 25 million people annually.
Foundation of a New Social Enterprise
While working in the Middle East in the early 2000s, Korenblum identified a critical challenge and opportunity related to economic independence in the region: the widespread lack of internet access. In places like Palestine, many families faced high costs and limited network coverage, making reliable internet access nearly impossible. He observed that despite these barriers, a large portion of the local population, about 80%, possessed mobile phones.
This discrepancy between mobile phone ownership and internet availability was not unique to Palestine but was shared across many developing nations. In 2005, seizing the opportunity to bridge this gap, Korenblum co-founded the nonprofit organization Souktel. Named after the Arabic words for “telephone” and “market,” Souktel was designed to facilitate employment connections via SMS technology, circumventing the need for internet access. His efforts helped connect thousands of mobile users in Palestine, and later across 30 countries, to job opportunities, significantly enhancing economic access and empowerment.
A Digital Career Focus
In 2018, Korenblum redirected his professional focus from nonprofit leadership to roles in the governmental and private sectors, specifically within the Government of Ontario, where he led digital policy development until 2021. In this capacity, he was instrumental in advancing the Ontario Digital Service’s initiatives to deliver simpler, faster, and better digital services to residents, including vital COVID-19-related services used throughout Canada.
Academic History
Korenblum’s educational pursuits include a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of Toronto, which he completed in 2004. He was awarded a Fellowship in Social Enterprise by the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation at Harvard University in 2005, and he earned his Master of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2006, focusing on social enterprise and international education policy.
Notable Accomplishments
Korenblum has also served as an advisor to the UNESCO Pearson Digital Literacy Initiative and has published works for UNICEF. He was a member of the advisory board for the Global Youth Economic Opportunities Summit from 2016 to 2018.
Charitable Work
For more than four years, Korenblum has been a strategic advisor to The Global Citizens’ Initiative, aiding in efforts to foster human rights, sustainability, climate protection, conflict resolution, and other humanitarian objectives.
Jacob Korenblum remains committed to addressing global social challenges, using his time and expertise to support small business owners and communities around the world.