Using psychometric tools to detect bias in strategic investment decision-making processes

The Skoll Foundation, started by eBay’s first president Jeff Skoll, aims to identify organizations that have a strong potential for equilibrium change. To date, Skoll has dispensed more than $800 million to people and organizations worldwide, including through their Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship (SASE).

Each year, Skoll must sort through hundreds of applications, necessitating extremely complex decisions about who is deserving of funding and who is likely to have the largest impact. As such, it is crucial that the selection process be as objective and unbiased as possible.

Skoll approached TDL to identify possible roadblocks to effective, deliberative decision-making, and develop tools to prevent bias in their selection process.

Check out an extended write-up of the case study here.