New +Impact Studio Applebaum Impact Design Fellows Bring Expert Knowledge and Passion to Ventures

Loren Townes Jr.
+Impact Studio at Michigan Ross
4 min readFeb 23, 2023

By Katie Moore (BA ’25) and Loren Townes Jr.

Undoubtedly the +Impact Studio made incredible strides in 2022. From reviving its physical community space and impact design lab following COVID-19 to launching its largest and most diversified cohort of founders & Applebaum Impact Design Fellows to date and propelling financial equity & climate action ventures to success, the Studio continues to surpass all expectations. This momentum continued into 2023 as the +Impact Studio added three new faces to a few of their all-star ventures. After a rigorous application process, the new Fellows selected include Ogochukwu Okoye for finding joi, Rebekah Lim for Grow Together (G2G), and Jonathan Amos for Affirmative. (previously named Lifeboat).

Pictured: Ogochukwu Okoye (MBA ‘24), Jonathan Amos (MPH ‘24), Rebekah Lim (MSI ‘23)

Okoye, Lim, and Amos all bring a unique and genuine passion for impact to the Studio and the ventures they support. When asked about the connection between their personal experiences and the impact-focused work in the Studio, Lim noted, “This impact can actually change someone’s life.” She further stated, “I believe the work we’re doing together will help someone looking forward to a different opportunity or new chance, and it can have a really big snowball effect.”

For Amos and Okoye, the impact is personal, too. “There’s an African proverb that says that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us,” explained Okoye. “It’s about recognizing the communities that have made you who you are. I like to use finding joi as a venture to support others who need support.” It’s this care for others that drives Amos as well. “My own experiences accessing healthcare and difficulties I’ve faced as someone with a relatively large amount of privilege and resources have informed me that marginalized people have a very difficult time accessing healthcare, and my mission is to improve that experience through my efforts with Affirmative..”

However, it’s not just personal motivation that these new fellows bring to the table — it’s unique expertise as well, thoroughly suited to each venture. “finding joi is really looking to support womxn in Human Resources (HR) and Employee Resource Groups (ERG), and as someone who used to be an affinity ERG leader in my office and who is looking to pursue a career in HR post-grad, this is really up my alley,” said Okoye. The benefit goes both ways, as Okoye utilizes prominent connections she had working in human capital consulting to benefit finding joi’s prototyping and launch. Lim and G2G have a similar connection. As a skillful UI/UX designer and founder of her own startup, Lim fundamentally understands what a new startup requires. She feels, “both startups are trying to make a very healthy community for the people in need,” noted Lim, meaning her startup expertise goes hand in hand with G2G, which seeks to ease the financial and emotional burdens of individuals experiencing major life hardships, offering wealth-building aid and initiatives.

Amos’s expertise, too, is extraordinarily tailored to the newly-christened ‘Affirmative..’ The venture underwent a name change after transitioning from a focus on abortion healthcare to gender-affirming care. “There’s something wonderfully direct about that word in full form,” explained Sasha Kolodkin, founder of Affirmative.. “It makes me think of NASA, and the like. Is this going to be covered by my insurance? We always hope the answer will be ‘affirmative’ — that’s our mission.” It’s this same mission where Amos’s expertise truly shines through. With a background in LGBTQ+ health policy and experience working at the front end of a healthcare system, Amos is uniquely well-suited to work on Affirmative., and he believes “having people in social impact ventures that are looking at health equity and policy are essential for a circuit like this.”

With such extraordinary energy, knowledge, and support, these ventures and their new fellows are only going up from here. “There’s a lot of opportunity to meet so many different people,” said Okoye. “I’m sending out emails to people for interviews that I would never have had the courage to contact prior.” Soon, she adds, “finding joi will have a prototype and a vision to share with the masses.” G2G and Affirmative., are also excited to continue to make headway. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how G2G will grow,” said Lim. “We’re researching our target market and are exploring how to make a social and financial impact throughout the semester.” With a more policy-based background, Amos is eager to learn “more about specific issues relating to payers and providers in terms of accessing care.” Since a lot of knowledge on navigating the healthcare system is currently in Twitter threads or Discord channels, they’re “building something that could be a centralized place for accessing information about queer and trans healthcare.”

With their new fellows and their expertise, these and all the other +Impact Studio ventures are on the rise, looking to change the world. It’s in this space, with these people, that they’re planning on making it a little bit better.

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