Social entrepreneurship accelerator Tech For Good lands in Singapore

Photo credit: Leticia Bertin.

Civic-minded tech and social entrepreneurship are slowly but surely attracting attention worldwide – and Singapore is no exception. While the sector is not new, lately it has started enjoying a little more time in the limelight as well as more support from established players.

The National University of Singapore has its own program for startups with the Social Venture Challenge, for example. Singapore’s Center for Social Enterprise, or Raise, is another body that’s, erm, raising awareness and support for social enterprises in the country.

Raise is a member of the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), an organization of over 250 members from over 30 countries that “seeks to increase the flow of financial, human and intellectual capital to the social sector, and to improve the social impact effectiveness of members across the Asia Pacific region.”

Another member of AVPN has just announced it’s coming to Singapore and Southeast Asia. Israel-headquartered Tech For Good is an organization dedicated to supporting social tech and social entrepreneurs. It also operates an accelerator aimed at socially-minded startups, called Tech For Good Rally. Now it aims to turn Singapore into “a regional hub for social tech,” as co-founder Yoav Elgrichi put it during the announcement event.

The Tech For Good Singapore announcement event. Photo credit: Tech For Good.

For a good cause

Tech For Good started out two years ago in Israel, looking to make the most out of the tech innovation the country is known for. While social entrepreneurship wouldn’t necessarily be the first place an entrepreneur would look for their business, the demand for technology to be applied to social problems was there, said Tech For Good co-founder and CEO Nir Shimony.

Tech For Good wants to turn Singapore into a regional hub for social technology.

He pointed to Israeli startup Talkitt as an example of a company that benefited from the program. Talkitt has developed a method for speech-impaired people to speak through an app so that their words can be recognized by you or I.

Yoav and co-founder Kineret Karin will head Tech For Good in Singapore. Both are serial entrepreneurs and were co-founders of Rocket Internet acquisition Singapore Dine. The four-month accelerator will look for early-stage startups that use technology to solve a social problem.

Participating companies can expect all the comforts of an accelerator: mentoring, coaching, access to tools and services, and office space. The accelerator will also connect startups to funding sources through its networks and through coaching on how to prepare for and pitch to investors.

The Tech For Good co-founders. (From L to R:) Yoav Elgrichi, Kineret Karin, Nir Shimony. Photo credit: Tech For Good.