Famine, disease, poverty, and war are global challenges that cannot be overcome without large-scale cooperation. And though many of us wish to help fight these challenges, the demands of daily life — however trivial they may seem in comparison — can often keep us from contributing.
That is why these five startups are so important. Not only are they out to do social good, they make it easy for even the busiest of us to get involved. Whether it’s donating food by tapping a button or using clean energy by flipping a switch, these startups are putting the power to do good in the hands of the many.
Sparrow
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No doubt inspired by TOMS Shoes, Sparrow is taking the “buy one, give one” business model into the mobile service sector. When you sign up for Sparrow mobile service, the startup donates one smartphone or wireless service to someone in need.
Sparrow’s philanthropic reach is worldwide. A smartphone may be given to a homeless person in the United States, a child in Kenya or a small business owner in Malaysia.
The organization believes that increased access to smartphone technology will provide the less fortunate with more opportunities to find work, connect with their community and advance their education. A smartphone in every hand also helps bridge the digital divide between industrialized and developing countries, rural and urban communities and disparate economic classes.
WattTime
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Are you reading this article on your computer? Is your computer plugged into an outlet? If so, then here’s a question: Where is that electricity coming from?
WattTime is a brand new startup that not only answers that question, but makes it easy for environmentally-conscious customers to use the cleanest energy available.
Before building the company, WattTime cofounder Gavin McCormick helped developed a technique that can identify the source of your electricity. With the help of fellow cofounder Anna Schnieder, they turned the procedure into an automatic tool that even a layman can operate.
WattTime is currently partnering up with other companies, such as Building Clouds and Smart Cubed, to create “WattTime-enabled products,” which will provide real-time data about the environmental impact of your electricity, and allow connected devices to automatically switch to the cleanest energy available.
Soon you will be able to decide where your electricity comes from, and ensure that it’s clean.
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