We invest in ventures that are driven by social purpose and have an ambition to grow.  They’re led by founders that support our vision of a world where social transformation drives tech.

 

Alice CEO Raphael Mazet previously worked in an online advocacy startup platform. He quickly realised that although people were keen to sign a petition or sign up to a database, they were far less likely to make a donation to the cause. Realising this was in part due to an increasing lack of trust in the charity sector, Raphael co-founded Alice in 2016 in order to overcome this mistrust and rebuild faith in charities. More>

We spoke to Dr Bhavagaya Bakshi, CEO and co-founder of C the Signs, about the impact of the COVID-19 on their users and how our 2021 AI for Social Impact programme helped them to respond. C The Signs is just one of many of our social tech ventures that continue to play a leading role in tackling the social challenges amplified by the pandemic. C the Signs is a clinical platform that uses AI mapped with the latest evidence to identity patients at risk of cancer at the earliest and most survivable stage of the disease. The power of early detection and the impact it has on patients’ lives and communities across the world spurred them to invent a solution and reimagine a future where every patient can survive cancer. More>

The pandemic has put enormous pressure on the NHS with millions of people waiting for hospital appointments. More than 35 NHS organisations use DrDoctor so that patients can manage their healthcare needs, clinicians can see more patients and hospitals can deliver more effective and sustainable care.  Through simple and effective digital transformation, DrDoctor is supporting a sustainable NHS when the demand for care is outstripping supply. As part of our 2021 Impact Report, we caught up with our alumni venture, DrDoctor to find out more about how they’re providing new ways for patients to access the care they need, when they need it. More>

ev.energy is one of 5 ‘AI for Earth’ ventures in our 2019 AI for Good accelerator. The startup enables electric vehicle owners to make savings on the cost of electric vehicle charging and a green motoring experience, delivered from renewable electricity sources. For CEO, Nick Woolley, the impact of the programme was personal - continuously honing his leadership skills, preparing him to scale their impact. More>

During her research in India’s urban slums, co-founder of Feebris, Elina Naydenova saw first-hand how children were suffering from treatable conditions and not getting the help they needed. Created as a result of her experiences, the Feebris mission is to fight these inequalities in global health through the power of technology. Feebris helps vulnerable patients get timely and accurate diagnosis, improving their chances of recovery and also reducing pressures on the health system which result from avoidable hospitalisations. More>

Full Fact fights for the right information to reach the people who need it most, whether that’s individuals making decisions about their health or who to vote for; or politicians debating the future of our country. As part of our 2021 update on our Impact Journey, we caught up with some of our social tech ventures that continue to play a leading role in tackling the social challenges amplified by the pandemic. In this short interview, Louisa Johnson, Head of Fundraising at Full Fact, talked to us about the impact of the pandemic on their users and how our 2019 Techstarter programme helped them prepare. More>

Going to the cinema, watching TV, replying to an email, or reading a notification on a mobile phone are all activities that many of us take for granted. Yet for people who are partially sighted or blind, these simple actions are challenging. GiveVision exists to inspire social inclusion and create equal opportunities for people who are blind and visually impaired, through innovative accessibility solutions. It eradicates the barriers preventing those living with sight loss from living full and independent lives. More>

Towns and cities have historically been developed by the few, not the many with high barriers to engage in community decision making. Hello Lamp Post is one of 11 innovative ventures in our 2020 AI for Good cohort. They help cities better engage with their citizens and have created an accessible community engagement tool that means urban environments can better serve the people that use them. More>

Kelvin Summoogum, founder of 2020 AI for Good venture, miiCare, made a personal commitment to mitigate the risks to elderly people living alone, after the tragic loss of his grandmother, following a fall at home where she lay alone for many hours before being found. Kelvin’s approach is truly person centred. He spent over a year working closely with a group of elderly people to understand their needs, before developing miiCUBE – AI-based assistive technology. More>

For anyone concerned about the amount of time children spend on their mobile devices, Night Zookeeper has provided a solution that transforms the passive viewing of social media channels into deeper, safer and highly educational online engagement with peers, parents and teachers. Through Night Zookeeper, children improve their literacy through self-expression and creativity. They are encouraged to produce their best writing and fall in love with learning. Night Zookeeper is turning passive engagement with devices into deeper interaction with others and helping over 300,000 children to become better writers, readers and creative thinkers. More>

On Our Radar is a specialist group of journalists, technologists, digital storytellers and development practitioners that uses community reporting to amplify the voices and experiences of those on the margins of society. Libby Drew, founder of On Our Radar talks to us about the critical role of voice as a measure of inclusion.  While we recover from the pandemic, we also live with financial austerity, climate instability and deepening social inequality in our lives.  Radar are determined that the challenges ahead are not used as an excuse for the same voices to dominate our narratives, and that a rich tapestry of stories defy stigma and stereotypes. More>

With the future of our planet now well and truly in the public eye, the team at Piclo were ahead of the game almost seven years ago when they founded the start-up - originally known as Open Utility.  Their ultimate goal – to decarbonise the global energy system. The three founders have been on a journey ever since, during which time they have pivoted their model to meet the needs of a rapidly shifting marketplace and regulations. The team subsequently launched Piclo Flex, a platform that allows energy operators to work more flexibly and make electricity grids smart and sustainable. More>

ThermaFY is one of 11 imaginative tech startups selected for our 2019 AI for Good Programme. Through our programme, CEO Amanda realised that her product has the potential for much deeper and more meaningful social and environmental impact. They make it easy to compare and interpret thermal images to alleviate fuel poverty, reducing our carbon footprint and improving the quality of Housing Association properties. More>

In 2021, we reflected on our Impact Journey and caught up with some of our social tech ventures that continue to play a leading role in helping the UK to level up. In this short interview, Callum McCaig, Director of Strategic Communications at Wagestream, talked to us about the change they want to see in the world, the impact of the pandemic on their users and how social investment from the Fair By Design Fund, of which Social Tech Trust is part of, has helped them deliver impact at scale. Wagestream was set up to tackle in-work financial stress - something that affects most of the working population. Much of the problem is caused by outdated processes and attitudes towards the way people get paid, and it compounds social issues like financial exclusion. It’s a problem we now have the power to solve. More>

With over 253 million visually impaired people in the world, a new perspective on inclusion and accessibility was long overdue. The team behind WeWALK is part of an ecosystem of innovations developed in pursuit of an accessible world. Their latest creation, the WeWALK Smart Cane, aims to significantly increase visually impaired people’s mobility, thus allowing them full and equal participation in social and professional activities. More>