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To accelerate the growth of innovative social ventures addressing social and environmental challenges, NUS Enterprise and the Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise (raiSE) have jointly invested SG$ 3.5 million to support tech-driven social enterprise start-ups through the 10-week Technology for Sustainable Social Impact (TS2) accelerator programme.
This funding will support 16 promising start-ups over the next two years, providing essential resources and comprehensive guidance. As part of this initiative, NUS Enterprise also launched the BLOCK71 Social Impact Hub on July 25, 2024—a dedicated space designed to empower purpose-driven ventures and amplify their societal contributions.
The TS2 accelerator focuses on growth-stage start-ups employing social enterprise models, ranging from deep tech to lighter technologies. The programme’s first run, from late April to July 2024, combined a structured curriculum with customised development plans for each start-up.
Participants in the TS2 programme benefit from mentorship, access to investors, and connections with impact professionals to help scale their ventures. They also gain international market access through BLOCK71’s global offices in nine cities.
Associate Professor Benjamin Tee, NUS Vice President (Ecosystem Building), noted that the collaboration with raiSE strengthens support for purpose-driven ventures, contributing to a broader entrepreneurial ecosystem focused on social impact. The TS2 accelerator builds on NUS’s expertise in nurturing tech start-ups and extends it to social innovation, with the BLOCK71 Social Impact Hub representing their commitment to fostering entrepreneurial solutions with meaningful social impact.
At the TS2 accelerator programme’s Demo Day last month, seven start-ups focused on social impact innovations were showcased. Highlights include:
- Active Silvers: A wellness platform offering tailored fitness for seniors
- FingerDance: AI-powered sign language solutions for better accessibility
- MADCash: Microfinance and financial literacy support for underbanked women
- MangaChat: AI-based emotional learning platform for children
- School On Cloud: Personalised education for children using advanced tech
- StratifiCare: AI tool predicting severe dengue cases for targeted healthcare
- Tech Up Advance: Gamified STEM education using digital twin tech
Participants praised the mentorship and resources provided by the TS2 programme for helping them refine and scale their impact solutions.
NUS Enterprise continues its mission to support purpose-driven start-ups with the TS2 accelerator programme, expanding its focus on societal impact ventures. Since 2011, NUS has incubated nearly 400 start-ups, 70% of which focus on human-centred social issues, while 30% tackle environmental challenges.
To further bolster social impact innovation, NUS Enterprise launched the BLOCK71 Social Impact Hub, a space dedicated to nurturing ventures addressing societal well-being and environmental sustainability. The hub offers tailored programmes, mentorship, and global networking opportunities, benefiting both the seven start-ups from the TS2 cohort and others within NUS Enterprise’s ecosystem.
At the hub’s launch, four additional start-ups showcased their work:
- The moonbeam co.: Tackling food waste by repurposing brewer’s spent grains into sustainable food products.
- Boost VitaliTEA: Modernising Traditional Chinese Medicine with beverages that support mental health.
- Cityscape Farms: Offering urban farming solutions that integrate IoT and AI for sustainable food production.
- Works: Promoting local, sustainable manufacturing with eco-friendly materials and 3D printing.
The TS2 programme’s next iteration will launch in Q3 2024, with post-accelerator support including expert peer learning and mentoring to help start-ups scale their impact. Both the TS2 accelerator and BLOCK71 Social Impact Hub exemplify NUS and raiSE’s commitment to creating a community of social entrepreneurs who leverage technology to address critical social and environmental issues.
By providing targeted resources, strategic mentorship, and global market access, these initiatives empower tech-driven start-ups to develop impactful solutions addressing pressing societal and environmental challenges.
As these ventures continue to evolve and scale, they exemplify the potential of innovation and entrepreneurship to create meaningful change in communities locally and globally, reinforcing a sustainable future where technology and social good are intertwined.
