HONOLULU -- eBay founder Pierre Omidyar drew a crowd at the Shidler School of Business at University of Hawaii on Wednesday.

He's an entrepreneur with a heart and a conscience and a thing for "connectivity."

The audience tweeted away while the entrepreneur shared with them what makes him tick. He said he was out to engage the world, help nonprofits and create new for-profit companies.

He said his new for-profit venture Peer News is a new town square.

"All people are created equally, but we don't have access to equal opportunity. That's what really missing around the world and that's what our organizations are really trying to do," said Omidyar.

One of his nonprofit ventures, The Ulupono Initiative, focuses on sustainability.

It's example is a company called Reuse and Rebuild, which collects unwanted construction material.

"They put it in a warehouse where me and my kids can find building materials to build a tree house," said entrepreneur Eric Togo.

Omidyar called his eBay wealth "ridiculous." He explains his need to do good.

"Immediately, we felt this sense of responsibility to put it to good use," said Omidyar.

His recent $50 million gift to Hawaii is not a handout, but a multiplier, he said.

He said he is passionate about finding new ways to make an impact.

His advice to new upstarts was "do not be so afraid of failing."

One UH graduate is launching a business with a new way of signing up for golf tee times.

"I'm taking a risk, definitely, hearing a lot of keynote speakers like this taught me you have to go for it. You only live once and take that shot," said professor Jennifer Chandler.

Omidyar also reminded people to remember the power of the new technology.

"For me, as an educator, it was nice to bridge what we talking about we are talking about in the classroom and to hear Pierre Omidyar it was a chance of a lifetime," said Chandler.

"It was more than I expected. I didn't expect anything. I just thought I'd come listen to him talk. It was nice that he made the transition from eBay to his future and the community," fan Joan Pan.