Yale INSPIRE: Davis Smith, Founder & CEO, Cotopaxi

A fireside chat featuring Davis Smith, founder and CEO-Emeritus of Cotopaxi, examines how personal values shape entrepreneurship and leadership. Presented through Yale INSPIRE, a speaker series exploring the journeys of founders, innovators, and changemakers, the session focuses on the decisions, setbacks, and lessons behind his work. Smith founded Cotopaxi, an outdoor brand and certified B Corp that has helped millions of people living in poverty. As a senior fellow at Yale’s Jackson School of Global Affairs, he brings experience connecting business, poverty alleviation, and service—a perspective that informs his commitment to using business as a force for good. Students developing a venture or considering how to align their work with their values can hear how Smith has approached these questions throughout his career. Light bites and networking will follow.