impactmania is an award-winning global initiative founded in Santa Barbara, California, committed to advancing projects at the intersection of technology and the humanities. We collaborate with academic institutions, government agencies, and leading global brands to research, innovate, and engage with communities, fostering social, cultural, and economic impact.
Our work has been showcased at the United Nations, the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), and featured in international media. We partner with corporations and tech firms, and our community-building and AI projects have received funding from the U.S. State Department and the European Union (EU).
For more on impactmania’s current AI talent tech program for the EU: https://www.impactmania.com/im/ai-hiring-eu/
“Double Bravo for the discussion meeting: I was impressed with the people who have joined up, the ones who showed up, and the ones I personally know whom you introduced at the dais. You obviously have tapped into some special energy system … keep it up … no one can do it better. You are onto something really exciting.”
– Prof. Emeritus Duncan Mellichamp, UCSB Trustee
paksy plackis-cheng, founder
Paksy Plackis-Cheng (American-Dutch) is renowned for her work at the intersection of technology and humanities. An AI expert, she currently contributes to the European Union’s multi-year initiative on Fairness and Intersectional Non-Discrimination in Human Recommendation, where she researches AI systems and the impact on job applicants.
Her original work in community building and AI-driven talent technology has garnered funding from both the U.S. State Department and the EU. In her ongoing EU research, Paksy collaborates with a diverse network of stakeholders, including hundreds of job applicants, global talent tech firms, AI software companies, and talent acquisition leaders from major public corporations. Her insights are shaped by her own extensive work experience spanning more than 20 countries and various sectors, including executive management roles in pioneering technology companies, one of which achieved a $6.9 billion IPO.
As the Founder of impactmania and the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Staex GmbH, Paksy is at the forefront of the machine economy, focusing on the secure and reliable deployment of autonomous mobile machines while maintaining human agency.
For each program, she builds the best and brightest team.
For example, team AI talent tech: https://www.impactmania.com/im/ai-hiring-eu/
news & media
impactmania’s work have been cited by a number of global media outlets, university presses, the United Nations, and the U.S. Consulate. The Women of Impact program was awarded the U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy Grant in 2019. view all impactmania news & media
Harvard Business School
“impactmania interview with Robert Zimmerman, Berlin Philharmonic, was cited as a source for the report: The Berliner Philharmoniker’s Digital Forte.”
Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV)
“impactmania interview with artist Barbara Caveng was cited in the IKSV report: Living Together. Fostering Cultural Pluralism Through The Arts.”
timeline
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2024
impactmania researches bias in AI hiring tools for the EU
The impactmania’s report on AI bias in hiring tools is published on FINDHR and ResearchGate
impactmania speaks at EU AI Fairness Cluster
2023
impactmania mentors half a dozen tech startups, speaks a number of times at German Entrepreneurship GmbH; and is selected as ‘expert’ for a 4 months project on AI Hiring by FINDHR, funded by the European Union.
2022
impactmania collaborates with the CMO of Lamborghini creating an impact program; films at Lamborghini HQ in Sant’Agata and realizes interview w/ Director-General Dr. Gianotti at CERN, Geneva.
2021
impactmania partners with Messaggero Veneto newspaper. Students from California co-create with high school and university students in Italy.
https://www.impactmania.com/im/impactmania-starts-partnership-with-messaggero-veneto-italy/
2019
impactmania and Neuroscience Research Institute (NRI) at UC Santa Barbara to launch collaborative project.
After an overwhelming successful Women of Impact program, impactmania starts second project and internship program with AD&A Museum, UCSB.
2018
Women of Impact book, museum exhibition, and presentation launched with 200+ community members and close to 30 women from the project traveled from 8 U.S. cities and 5 continents for the July 19th launch.
Pat Mitchell, first female President and CEO of PBS and Co-Director of TED Women, writes Women of Impact foreword.
impactmania partners with Art, Design & Architecture (AD&A) Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) to deliver entrepreneurial, design-led, internship program for students.
2017
impactmania featured more than 300 original interviews with impact makers in 30 countries.
Newton Paiva University (Brazil) partners with impactmania to uncover and feature social enterprises.
impactmania’s video story The Future of Business is Responsible is also available on view at the United Nations Foundation’s website as part of the Every Woman Every Child initiative.
impactmania video story The Future of Business is Responsible was featured at the United Nations Global Compact Conference 2017.
2015
Impact X book and community event for 290 people takes place at The New Vic Theatre in Santa Barbara, California.
We matched dozens of people and projects.