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Hi <<First Name>>, 

I hope you are all safe, well and coping in this challenging time. Weeks of lockdowns across the globe, have only shown that tech for good has never been more relevant. Many are rising to today’s challenges and will continue to be integral in tomorrow’s rebuilding. To discuss how the tech for good community is stepping up to meet the challenge, join our next virtual meetup (April 30th).

From my quarantine to yours,

Will (Tech for Good Global Team)

What’s happened in the world of tech for good since our last newsletter:

1. HealthTech: the scramble to beat the pandemic ⚕️

The coronavirus is, first and foremost, a health crisis. The health-tech sector is seeing decades of change squeezed into a few weeks, especially those working closely with health care providers. Consequently, innovators are going into overdrive. Here’s how they’re helping: 

These are a handful of examples from a worldwide scramble to meet the challenges posed by the pandemic. The immediate priorities are finding solutions to fight the virus itself, but once the dust settles, we will probably see an increased acceptance of digital health solutions, as well as an emergence of tech for good initiatives to tackle the long-term physical and psychological fallout. 
Source: Giphy

2. Ten Interesting Things 💡

There’s a lot to take in at the moment. If you’re looking for an avenue for distraction, development or direction, here is a round-up of ten interesting things going on in the world of tech for good. 

  1. Abolish Silicon Valley by Wendy Liu offers a galvanising argument for why and how we must reclaim technology's potential for the public good. 

  2. Here’s a map outlining the different ways data can be used in the fight against COVID-19. 

  3. The internet is busier, and perhaps better, than ever. Life in lockdown might be restoring the web to its decentralised and creative roots. 

  4. Remote hackathons are taking aim at the pandemic (with mixed results).

  5. The case for ‘interpretable machines’ - i.e. building AI in a way that it can be generally understood, interpreted and critiqued.  

  6. A report on how South Korea effectively used civic and health tech to flatten the curve. 

  7. Give more data, awareness and control to individual citizens, and they will help COVID-19 containment. 

  8. The pivots and partnerships that are making tech for good thrive during the crisis. 

  9. WITNESS created a resource hub for information on the Coronavirus and Human Rights. 

  10. How you can support your local community during this time. 
     

3. Updates from last week 🗞️

In the last edition of this newsletter, we explored the emergent debates surrounding contact tracing and the problems associated with videoconferencing tools such as Zoom. These are both live stories, and here are a few additions that have emerged over the past week:

📣 Opportunities 📣
  1. To keep track of coronavirus-related funding opportunities, here is a live spreadsheet. 
  2. If you feel that now is the time to start your tech for good project, here is a collection of online entrepreneurship courses. 
  3. IsDB group opened $500m for digital solutions to curb the spread of COVID-19 (Jun 1st). 
  4. IBM opened a ‘call for code’ - they are seeking open-source technology to build solutions that can provide crisis communication, remote education, and community cooperation (Apr 27).
  5. Mozilla Foundation announced the COVID-19 Solutions Fund. It awards up to $50,000 each to open source technology projects which are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  6. Irancubator 2.0 is looking for teams creating digital products and services to promote social good and civil liberties in Iran.
  7. Up to £50,000 in grant funding is available for tech for good startups via the Skoll Venture Fund (May 3). 
  8. Civitates opened proposals for core grants to strengthen public interest journalism organisations across Europe (Apr 30).
  9. London and Partners & Impact Hub are looking for businesses accelerating progress towards the Global Goals for their Impact Cohort for sustainable businesses. 
  10. Solve MIT opened a series of challenges addressing global problems, up to $1m available in prize funding. Include a challenge on how to beat pandemics (Jun 18). They have also opened applications for their $5m Elevate Prize (Jun 29). 
  11. Digital Leaders are looking for UK Tech for Good Champions to organise events between October 12-16th as part of ‘Digital Transformation Week’.

What’s going on? 📅

Check out the tech for good near you map. 

Reply here to let us know what’s going on in your corner of the tech for good community. We’ll make sure to add your tech for good events onto the list.

Working in tech for good 💼
Want to know who is still hiring in tech despite the pandemic? Check out Still Hiring. On a similar note, Sifted created a list of European and UK startups that are still hiring.
If you have an opening or know of a job opportunity to do with tech for good, please get in touch.
.. and for something completely different 
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