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What does it take to transform an idea from one that serves hundreds to one that serves millions, if not billions? Sanjay Purohit has spent his career aiming to crack this code.
As the CEO and chief curator of Centre for Exponential Change, Purohit knows firsthand that scaling social impact requires more than just good intentions — it demands a complete reimagining of how we approach societal change. Since 2016, he's been pioneering what he’s dubbed "societal thinking," as described in his book “Think Scale: A Curation of Ideas to Help You Design for Scale” — the first in a trilogy he’s written on social transformation.
In the book, Purohit revealed the frameworks and strategies that have helped governments and organizations move from pilot projects to population-level impact. Drawing from his own journey of bridging Silicon Valley-style scaling with grassroots social innovation, he shared proven approaches that are reshaping how organizations tackle massive societal challenges.
As communities worldwide grapple with increasingly complex social and environmental challenges, Purohit offered a practical road map for leaders and innovators ready to move beyond incremental solutions. Through real-world examples from his extensive work, he demonstrated how smart scaling isn't just about getting bigger, it's about designing for breakthrough impact from day one.
In this episode of the Devex Book Club podcast, President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar sits down with Purohit to discuss his approach to reimagining and realizing exponential social change.
About the author
Hayley Mundeva
Hayley Mundeva is the Communications Lead at Devex, where she handles executive communications, podcast production, and other signature content. Born in Nepal and based in Rwanda, she brings communications consulting experience spanning private businesses, nonprofits, and international organizations in East Africa, Southeast Asia, and North America. She holds a master's degree in global health.
