Mick Ebeling is changing the world one person at a time.  Blending tech and storytelling, he’s on a mission to make the impossible possible.

In the heart of Los Angeles, an extraordinary journey began with a chance meeting between two individuals, Mick Ebeling and Tony “Tempt One” Quan. At first glance, they might have seemed worlds apart. Mick, a film producer by day, and Tony, an iconic graffiti artist, had vastly different lives. But fate had something incredible in store for them.

Tony was a gifted artist who had been struck by ALS, leaving him paralysed and unable to communicate. His once-vibrant world of colours and creativity had dimmed to darkness. He longed to reconnect with his art, but his condition seemed to have stolen that possibility forever. However, in the spirit of radical collaboration and an unyielding belief in the power of technology and human connection, Mick decided to embark on a mission that would change lives in ways he could never have imagined. Gathering a team of brilliant engineers, Mick set out to achieve the “impossible”. Their shared dream was to create a low-cost eye-tracking device that could give Tony control over a computer. With determination and innovation, they breathed life into the Eyewriter, a ground-breaking invention that allowed Tony to draw using just his eye movements and blinks.

This breakthrough ignited a fire within Mick Ebeling. He realised that if they could transform one life, they could ignite a beacon of hope for many more. Mick took a leap of faith, gave up his day job as a film producer and founded Not Impossible Labs. Its mission was clear: “to change the world through technology and story by addressing societal ‘absurdities’ or problems to improve the lives of everyone”.

The story didn’t end with Tony. It was just the beginning. Mick’s quest for change led him to Sudan, where he met Daniel, a 14-year-old boy whose arms had been amputated as a result of bombs being dropped on his village. The young boy had given up hope, feeling like a burden to his family. Mick, guided by his motto, “commit first and figure it out”, designed and 3D printed a prosthetic arm for Daniel. It was not only a lifeline but a symbol of resilience and hope, allowing Daniel to feed himself for the first time in two years.

Yet, Mick’s mission went beyond individual transformations. He made sure that local communities were equipped to create limbs for others, fostering a ripple effect of change and empowerment.

But the journey of radical collaboration and unwavering determination didn’t stop there. The world was full of challenges, and Mick was ready to tackle them all. One day, he crossed paths with a homeless veteran and the issue of hunger and food insecurity struck a chord. This led to the birth of Bento (Hunger: Not Impossible), a revolutionary platform connecting people in need with nutritious, pre-paid meals from nearby restaurants via stigma-free text messaging. In its first year, Bento provided more than 120,000 meals to those facing hunger across seven cities in the United States.

How Bento (H:NI) works:

• A kid or family signs up for the program.
• Once a day, they text ‘Hungry’ to H:NI.
• H:NI texts back a choice of nearby participating restaurants.
• They place their order for a meal.
• They pick it up. For free.

Mick’s journey exemplifies the power of radical collaboration, where every Not Impossible project starts by solving one problem for one person. It’s an invitation to all of us to consider: What seemingly impossible challenge can you transform today? Who is your ‘one’ waiting for your help? Dare to dream, and together, let’s make the impossible possible.