There has been a viral trend going around the internet, ensnaring celebrities and even big shot tech billionaires!
As an effort to raise awareness and funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the lethal neurodegenerative disorder also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, people are given a choice to either donate $100 to ALS or have a bucket of ice water splashed onto their head, and then nominate a few other people to accept the challenge within the next 24 hours.
Celebrities, athletes, and politicians have rose to the occasion and thus videos of them dunking ice water on their head have emerged on YouTube. Even the biggest tech titans have emerged from their daily tasks of transforming the technology scene and played a part for charity, some even with pizzazz! To recognize their efforts, we’ve come up with our Top 5 Favourite list of some big shots in the technology scene who have bravely stepped up to get chilly.
Honourable Mention: Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg was challenged by the New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie on this and he openly accepted it. He then extended the challenge to Bill Gates, his partner in Facebook Sheryl Sander as well as Netflix founder, Reed Hastings.
While his video was short and simple, the pouring of the ice-bucket was underwhelming, especially since his only reaction to the ice was just saying “That was very cold.” However, he gets honourable mention for looking the best in a wet T-shirt. Thumbs Up to that.
5. Elon Musk, Co-Founder of Tesla
One of the most elaborate and well thought out contraption for the ice bucket challenge yet! With the combined team effort of his five sons, five buckets’ worth of water was released on his head simultaneously. Musk took the chill like a pro, as he hardly showing much of a reaction at all! His sons, however, did look amused.
4. Pete Lau, Founder of OnePlus
Claiming to be the first to do the ALS ice bucket challenge in China, Pete Lau joined in the cause and challenged Zhou Hongyi from software firm Qihoo 360, Luo Yonghao of smartphone startup Smartisan, and Huawei VP Liu Jianfeng. We have to give him props to be one of the first big names to do the challenge, though his outburst from his professional demeanor after the dunking made the video all the more satisfying.
3. Zhou Hongyi, Founder of Qihoo
Accepting Pete Lau’s challenge, Zhou Hongyi carried it the challenge in front of a group of his employees and even gave a short speech encouraging the citizens of China to start a similar campaign and donate to a cause. “For now we’ll participate in someone else’s,” he added. Even after being drenched in the cold water, he pushed away a towel offered to him and continued to call out for more people to help in the cause while soaking wet. You go, man!
2. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc.
Interestingly he nominated Bob Iger (CEO of Disney), Dr. Dre (CEO of Beats) and even Michael Franti, a musician and composer who happened to be on the stage as well and accepted the challenge on the spot. The double dunking in front of a live and very enthusiastic audience pushes this guy to second place behind…
1. Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft
Responding to Mark Zuckerberg’s dare on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, Bill Gates sportingly accepts the challenge. Gates even took the challenge to a next level by designing a framework (and seemed to have built it himself) that holds and drops the bucket filled with ice water. The bucket of icy cold water falls on him elegantly with a simple gesture of pulling a rope. What style!
He then keeps the cycle rolling and nominated Elon Musk, Ryan Seacrest and Chris Anderson from TED to participate in the challenge.
Were all those ice buckets really worth it?enablejsapi=1&html5=1&
The answer is a resounding yes! As of August 17, 2014, the ALS association has received $13.3 million in donations since the challenge started. This amount is a huge difference as compared to $1.7 million during the same period last year (July 29 to August 17). These donations have come from existing donors and 259,505 new donors.
What a fun and exciting way in reaching to people for a good cause. I dare you to take up this challenge too! (Challenge accepted?)