Avi Oster, the noted real estate developer and principal at Oster Properties, has taken the world of philanthropy by storm this year. Oster has gone beyond the usual charity galas to orchestrate high-level events that combine culture, networking, and bright young minds from the New York scene. This was the thinking behind 360 Induced, a special cultural event Avi Oster hosted in January of this year, scene watchers are saying.
360 Induced featured performances by Grammy Award winning musical artists Estelle and Ne-Yo. To all appearances, the private concert could have been a VIP club for the fashion-savvy. A look at the guest list, however, tells a different story: the 150 invitees who attended represented a cross-section of the rising elite in the finance, arts, culture, philanthropy, music, and real estate circles. This was no accident, insiders report, as 360 Induced was an occasion for a number of very big announcements.
The first was the intention of Ne-Yo and Oster to work together in the music industry, representing a significant branching out for Oster. The second may have been the true purpose of the event: following her performance, Estelle spoke of her fledgling youth development org, the All of Me Foundation, dedicated to expanding the horizons of inner city youth. Oster, who sits on the board of the foundation, made a savvy decision by showcasing it at 360 Induced – it would be hard to find a stronger base of donors.
Oster comes from a long family tradition of philanthropy, and 360 was not his first foray into charitable awareness-raising events, but it is his most spectacular to date. He has put together a powerful circle of young philanthropists. It remains to be seen what he intends to do with them next.