Alex Honnold, Rock Climber & Founder, Honnold Foundation

Alex Honnold is the founder of the Honnold Foundation and one of the most accomplished climbers in the world, best known as the first person to free solo El Capitan. In this conversation, Alex walks through the path that shaped him, from growing up as a shy kid in Sacramento and discovering climbing, to living out of a van while building his career. As his travels took him to places without access to electricity, he came to a realization about what felt fair and made a decision that would define his next chapter. He went on to start the Honnold Foundation, which supports community-led solar projects around the world, and committed to giving away a third of his income each year. Today, the foundation has supported more than 100 organizations across 30 countries and is approaching $20 million in grants given, focused on expanding access to clean energy. The conversation also gets into the more personal side, including how Alex has navigated becoming a public figure, and how his perspective has shifted as a partner and a father.