Former Google researcher and founder of Stairway Invest, Austin Fowler, deepens commitment of more than 30 years to Opportunity’s mission to end poverty

CHICAGO—July 27, 2026—Opportunity International announced that longtime supporter Austin Fowler has committed $1 million to advance the organization’s work to end extreme poverty through market-based solutions that expand access to financial services, business training, agricultural support, and quality education.

The commitment builds on Fowler’s more than 30 years of involvement with Opportunity International and reflects his conviction that extreme poverty can be ended. Fowler, a leading quantum error-correction researcher known for his work with Google Quantum AI and the founder of Stairway Invest, brings a practical, systems-driven perspective to philanthropy and impact investing.

“People working their way out of poverty are often among the most determined and capable entrepreneurs in the world,” said Austin Fowler. “If you are in a position where you have to decide which of your children can go to school, you are going to do everything possible to succeed. Opportunity International understands the potential of these entrepreneurs — and providing them access to the financial and social tools to achieve economic success is a critical pillar to ending poverty.”

Opportunity International works with local financial institutions, micro-entrepreneurs, school proprietors, smallholder farmers, and community partners to create pathways out of poverty. Its model combines access to capital with training and support, helping families build businesses, improve livelihoods, strengthen resilience, and invest in their children’s futures.

“Austin has been a close partner of Opportunity International for decades, united by a shared belief in the people we serve and a commitment to ending poverty,” said Atul Tandon, CEO of Opportunity International. “He understands that poverty is not a lack of talent, ambition, or determination. Too often, it is a lack of access. This investment will help more families gain training, support, and financial services they need to build resilient, self-sustaining lives.”

Fowler’s professional background has shaped his belief in scalable, practical solutions. His work in quantum computing has focused on making fragile systems reliable at scale, and through Stairway Invest he applies disciplined, long-term thinking to capital allocation.

His support for Opportunity International reflects a similar belief: that the right systems, designed around dignity and opportunity, can help unlock human potential.

Opportunity International’s global model supports both supply- and demand-side partners within the microfinance ecosystem. The organization equips entrepreneurs living in poverty through financial literacy education, savings groups, and market-specific business training, while also working with local financial institutions to design tailored financial services that reduce risk, expand access, and incentivize investment in underserved markets.

“At its heart, this is about dignity,” Fowler said. “Capital can be a tool for dignity when it is deployed through the right model. Opportunity International has shown me that market-based poverty solutions can work — not by doing things for people, but by helping people access the tools they need to succeed for themselves.”

About Opportunity International:

Opportunity International is a global nonprofit that has been equipping people to build sustainable livelihoods and educate their children for 55 years. Opportunity provides nearly 17 million people with innovative financial resources, training, and support to grow their small businesses and send their children to school. In 2025, Opportunity International and its partners released over $1.9 billion in capital, helping fund more than 17,000 schools that reached 5 million children and supporting 887,810 farming households. Discover more at opportunity.org or join the conversation on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.