What do a heating filter firm, a robotics startup and an structure startup have in frequent? Often, nothing. However proper now, as COVID-19 sweeps the world and jeopardizes the lives of hundreds of thousands, corporations are shifting operations to make N95 masks and ventilators for healthcare employees.
The innovation popping out of the startup world has been breathtaking, and, fairly actually, arduous to maintain up with. It seems like everybody in Silicon Valley and past is rising to the problem, even when they don’t have pockets as deep as Amazon and Google.
So, for a drop of excellent information and hope at the very least as soon as a week, we’re rounding up a few of the startup efforts we’re seeing to fight the influence of COVID-19. This isn’t a place the place we’ll be analyzing startups engaged on proposed cures (you may take a look at Darrell’s tireless work for that). As a substitute, we’ll have a look at the distinctive ways in which corporations are attempting to make us really feel much less lonely and unpack how tech is answering the questions we’re beginning to ask ourselves.
Stopcovid.co
The founding father of Managed by Q, Dan Teran, has teamed up with coaching providers startup ESLWorks to textual content message the most recent coronavirus updates to front-line employees in actual time. The Stopcovid.co initiative targets employees who might not have the help of a huge group however nonetheless must observe the well being suggestions of the CDC. The messages are despatched through WhatsApp and textual content message so customers who usually are not digitally apt can entry the knowledge with ease. After I caught up with Teran, he mentioned that, “I don’t need to characterize the inhabitants we’re making an attempt to succeed in, but when I had been a supply driver for 12 to 14 hours a day making an attempt to place meals on the desk, I’m in all probability not updated on the virus and the way it spreads.”
Cornell Tech Clinic
Cornell Tech Clinic helps home violence survivors get help throughout a time when people are compelled to remain inside and depend on digital communities. The clinic launched a distant program to present recommendation to abuse survivors who’re anxious that their companions are utilizing expertise to abuse them, whether or not that’s cyberstalking or monitoring each name or chat. The brand new program will embrace greatest get in contact with a case employee remotely, how-to guides for self assist and a analysis research on support these experiencing tech abuse.
S’More and Hopeline
Relationship app S’More, which helps customers join past bodily look, is teaming up with a psychological well being crisis prevention hotline Hopeline to boost cash. The marketing campaign, known as “social distancing is just not emotional distancing,” will make a $1 donation to Hopeline for each one who begins a dialog on S’More.
Procore development administration
Procore, a development administration software program developer, is giving clients free entry to its software program for tasks being constructed for COVID-19-related emergency aid merchandise. The hope is to help the development business in flipping accommodations, conference facilities and more into emergency medical amenities, sans the additional cash for software program.
Wize tutoring platform
Wize, piggybacking off of a slew of edtech corporations providing freebies, is making its tutoring platform for free till the tip of the college yr. College students who’ve felt the influence of their faculty or college shutting down can entry a library of examination or take a look at preparation supplies.
Springboard profession teaching
Edtech startup Springboard is providing a weekly profession teaching seminar for free to assist job seekers put together for a “post-pandemic economic system.” The AMA shall be held each Wednesday, beginning April 1 from 12:30 to 1:30pm PST.
Voxel51
Voxel51 is utilizing reside, pre-existing cameras to trace how preventative measures are being adopted around the globe. It makes use of synthetic intelligence to present a window into social exercise in well-liked public areas, and “scores” areas based mostly on social behaviors. It’s a method to monitor how a lot persons are listening to public well being suggestions.
Tech Manitoba and Computer systems for Faculties
When Tech Manitoba, a native nonprofit in Canada, had solely eight refurbished computer systems for the 150 households in want, it knew it wanted a greater answer. Tech Manitoba teamed up with Computer systems for Faculties and is now gifting 200 refurbished, sanitized computer systems to these in want.
One Planet prayer chain
One Planet, a enterprise agency, began a world prayer chain. The positioning, LightUpTheWorld.org, lets individuals from all around the world publish prayers and reflections centered on well being and optimism. While you go to the location, the prayer you see is being written and posted in actual time by the writer.
Stilt low-interest mortgage
Stilt is a tech startup that claims it provides low-interest loans to immigrants to assist them construct credit score based mostly on necessities past Social Safety quantity and credit score historical past. It’s providing its clients who’re hourly employees, and make lower than $45,000 a yr, a direct freeze on curiosity for funds and a forbearance — which is a delay on foreclosures — for two months.
