In the early noughties, Nick Sleep and Qais Zakaria founded the Nomad Investment Partnership and a record of our adventures in capitalism can be found in the Nomad letters, posted elsewhere on this website, and in William Green’s book “Richer, Wiser, Happier”. A few years ago, we took the profits from that business and each set up our own charitable foundations.  I.G.Y. is Nick’s charitable foundation.

So, why name the foundation I.G.Y.? The International Geophysical Year (I.G.Y.) took place in 1957 and 1958 and was a collaboration between the world’s scientists to solve the problems of the day. The advances made were available to all mankind (rather than owned by corporations or countries) and included the basic building blocks of the internet and the agreement for the Antarctic Treaty. The stamp opposite was produced in Japan to mark the event. The I.G.Y. was also the inspiration for a song of the same name by Donald Fagen which celebrated a world made better by technology…and we like a bit of Donald Fagen.