In the world of Venture Philanthropy, charity begins globally and, more often than not, online. As Salvatore LaSpada, chief executive of the UK-based Institute for Philanthropy, told the FT last month, young people who have created significant amounts of wealth very rapidly are taking the same "boundary-crossing drive into their philanthropy". This is at the base of the "new philanthropy", which is perceived to be more ambitious and more business-like.

In 2000, Jeffrey Skoll , the first president of eBay, reportedly earned $2bn when he sold his share of the company. Four years later, he set up Participant Productions to increase awareness of social issues. Participation films have included Good Night and Good Luck , Syriana and North Country and, more recently, An Inconvenient Truth , Fast Food Nation , and Charlie Wilson's War . "It's not set up as non-profit . . . because it's very difficult to do these kinds of projects under a non-profit rubric. But for me, it's philanthropy," he explains.