Building with Carnelian

In this episode of Building with Carnelian, host Lauren Chuhta sits down with Dr. Jenny Aker, Professor of Development Economics at Cornell University and co-chair of MIT's Poverty Action Lab, whose 25 years of fieldwork across 21 countries in Africa and Latin America has taken her deep into the question of what it actually means to measure impact.

Dr. Aker breaks down what development economics really is, what impact evaluation requires in practice, and why drawing a true causal relationship between a policy and its outcomes is harder and more important than most people realize.

Creators and Guests

LC
Host
Lauren Chuhta

What is Building with Carnelian?

Join the Carnelian Ventures team for candid conversations about what it actually takes to scale ventures that generate returns and create meaningful change. From early-stage operations and capital strategy to impact measurement that goes beyond metrics, each episode breaks down how founders navigate the critical decisions shaping sustainable businesses.

Building with Carnelian is produced by Carnelian Ventures, a venture studio supporting mission-driven founders through operational advisory, technology development, and impact analytics. Have feedback or want to suggest a guest? Reach out at podcast@carnelianventures.com.