A Swedish entrepreneur who rose to prominence as a co-founder of Catena Media is turning his business profits into a force for charity. Bergman, who departed Catena in 2017, said he remains passionate about the online gambling sector but now aims to channel the revenue it generates entirely toward causes with tangible impact through his latest venture, Great.com. He emphasizes that he takes zero salary and has no personal financial stake in the company, with all profits earmarked for charitable use.
The philanthropic plan centers on projects with measurable outcomes. While climate initiatives have been a focus, Bergman says water projects offer a clearer, more visible sense of impact. “Carbon dioxide is invisible, but bad water is very visible,” he explained, noting that understanding the importance of clean water is easier for the public to grasp.
Great.com’s founder has a track record of high-profile charitable work. He collaborated with YouTube personalities MrBeast and Mark Rober on the 2021 Team Seas campaign, helping to raise and donate about $1.2 million to remove plastic from oceans. Bergman highlighted the campaign’s broad reach, pointing to hundreds of thousands of donors, including many young supporters contributing their weekly allowances. He framed this as a powerful example of how influential figures can inspire large-scale, positive action.
Beyond Team Seas, Bergman has recently supported urgent needs in other regions. He donated $280,000 to Save the Children in Sudan to help keep rural hospitals open in the wake of the US’s decision to cut foreign aid funding. He stressed that such investments can be critical when communities rely on access to basic services like births and malaria treatment.
Bergman traces his commitment to philanthropy to a long family tradition of giving. He describes wealth as “money that I haven’t given away yet,” underscoring his preference for helping people over personal consumption.
What this signals for philanthropy in the digital economy is notable. By tying profits directly to charitable giving and choosing causes with visible impact, Bergman offers a model for how online businesses—even those tied to the gambling and affiliate marketing space—could support meaningful causes without taking personal compensation. The approach could encourage other entrepreneurs to rethink profit distribution and consider mission-driven business strategies that prioritize long-term social outcomes.
For readers and potential supporters, the core message is clear: sustainable philanthropy can be embedded in the structure of a business, turning ongoing revenue streams into ongoing aid. If Great.com succeeds, it could serve as a blueprint for how profit-generating ventures can contribute to critical needs—water access, healthcare stability, and environmental restoration—while maintaining a clear, transparent commitment to giving back.
Summary: A Swedish entrepreneur behind Great.com pledges 100% of affiliate profits to charity, rejecting personal compensation to fund environmental and health initiatives, including water projects and Save the Children in Sudan, while highlighting the ripple effects of high-profile campaigns like Team Seas. This model points toward a new era of mission-driven business in the digital economy, with a hopeful outlook for scalable, positive impact.