8 | Non-Profit Organisation Awards 2026 “BE OPEN is committed to helping a moderate amount of young people in a very practical way, supporting their passion to help their communities and make the world a better place.” BE OPEN is a private non-governmental and non-profit humanitarian foundation on a mission to foster creativity and innovation within the sustainable development space. The cultural and social initiative was designed to serve as a bridge between the great minds of today – such as philosophers, sociologists, designers, architects, artists, writers, businessmen, and opinion leaders – with the promising new minds of tomorrow, harnessing creative brain power through an ecosystem of connective events, exhibitions, and engagements. The foundation was founded in 2012 by Elena Baturina, a self-made entrepreneur and philanthropist recently recognised as Europe’s Most Influential Philanthropy Businesswoman 2026. Having built a formidable business consortium from the ground up, Elena’s international career has spanned a wide spectrum of industries ranging from manufacturing to venture capital. At the core of Elena’s specialist focus is a deepseated desire to contribute towards making the world a better place by investing in the next generation of innovators and forward-thinkers. In this regard, Elena established the BE OPEN Foundation as a vehicle for her philanthropic initiatives, having always involved herself in charities that prioritise people and their ideas. Inspired by Elena’s overarching vision, BE OPEN operates through conferences, competitions, exhibitions, and art events. These initiatives enhance the educational experience for schoolchildren and students around the world, encouraging them to embrace being creative, proactive, and entrepreneurial in their work. “The foundation is lucky enough to have creative young people from all over the world actively respond and become part of the initiatives,” Elena told us. “We believe that their unconventional creativity – the freshness of their vision – are valuable for developing out-of-the-box solutions.” At present, there are two prominent trends within BE OPEN’s work: BE OPEN Challenges and BE OPEN Art. The foundation recognises the power of promoting creative problem-solving, and has developed a range of annual competitions focused on solving actual and urgent issues impacting today’s landscape, formulated by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The programme aims to raise awareness of the SDGs whilst contributing towards their achievement by recognising, showcasing, and promoting the best design ideas that can transform inadequate systems and create better conditions for an equitable and environmentally prosperous world. With six finalised competitions and one ongoing, BE OPEN has offered continued support and recognition to its young creative participants. Its international competitions are open globally to all students and recent graduates who specialise in the fields of design, architecture, engineering, and media. The best work is awarded by the foundation The world is shifting towards sustainable practices, though further progress is critical to the global mission of meeting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A key component of this mission is engaging with the next generation of innovators and inventors, nurturing their passion for sustainability and creation whilst encouraging them to contribute with bold and transformative solutions. Introducing BE OPEN, an innovative cultural think tank developing global initiatives that support the young creative minds of today in building forward-thinking solutions for the world of tomorrow. We spoke with its Founder Elena Baturina below, as both BE OPEN and herself are named in the Non-Profit Organisation Awards 2026. Best International Cultural Initiative & Think Tank 2026 & Most Influential Philanthropy Businesswoman 2026 (Europe): Elena Baturina BE OPEN Foundation
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