Tech for Good

Overview

Their 2022 programme will be remote, with some opportunities for in-person socialising and networking. To find out more about their remote programme, click here.

If you’re a WorkerTech founder, check out the WorkerTech Dispatch – a publication by BGV and the Resolution Foundation offering insights and tools for a fairer future of work.

One reason they may not accept you into the programme is if your idea competes with one of their portfolio companies. Keep up to date with who they have invested in so far here.

The Programme Offer

Twice a year they provide investment of £30k and a 12-week programme for budding tech for good founders.

Investment

£30,000 in cash for 7% equity in your business

They provide follow-on investment to select companies in their portfolio as part of bigger rounds.

Learning

A tailored three-month programme of workshops, talks and 1:1 mentoring

Life-long support

Life-long support and the opportunity for follow-on funding

Peer support

Valuable advice and support from a large community of tech for good founders

Mentoring

Regular connections with our network of 70+ mentors and advisors. Checkout who they are here

Connections

Introductions and 1:1 meetings with investors and industry experts

Investment Themes

They invest in tech for good companies that drive significant positive impact for people and the planet. Their investment thesis is centred around the idea that the companies we invest in contribute to a sustainable planet, a better society and healthy lives.

A Sustainable Planet

It's no secret that we're in a climate emergency, but they believe that visionary businesses committed to protecting the environment can help ensure a sustainable and thriving planet. They want to see innovative, yet affordable systems and solutions in the following areas:

Resource efficiency and circular economy, responsible consumption and production, sustainable agriculture, transportation and infrastructure.

A Better Society

They want to see radical approaches that work towards creating a society in which everybody has equal access and opportunity. There are many challenges for this to become a reality, but to them that means huge scope for truly exciting and impactful ventures, especially in the following areas:

Education and life-long learning, employability and fair work, poverty reduction, integrated and inclusive communities, civic participation and social justice.

As part of their ongoing work with Resolution Ventures, they're looking for WorkerTech ventures, which are businesses creating a fairer future of work.

Healthy Lives

Every person deserves to live a healthy life and new products and services are needed to effectively deliver on this. They also believe that health depends as much on prevention as it does on cure. These are some of the areas they're excited to back solutions in:

Health and social care, preventative care, mental and emotional wellbeing, healthy lifestyles and ageing population.

What they are looking for

Alongside their investment themes, there are five key aspects they look to be inherent in all the businesses they back:

1 Innovative application of technology

The use of tech should either allow for greater potential to scale, or facilitate a new way of approaching the problem.

2 Scalability

The business must have the potential to both positively impact millions of lives and reach a £100m enterprise value within 10 years time.

3 Intentionality and purpose

Products and services must be developed with the specific intention of creating positive social or environmental impact.

4 Direct impact

They look for ventures that have a direct impact on people and the planet. Alternatively if your solution is targeting a broader systemic change then they expect to see a credible hypothesis of how impact will be achieved.

5 Reducing inequality

No matter the sector, ventures should always be working towards narrowing the gap of inequality, this often means focusing on those that are underserved and underrepresented.

Application criteria

Before you submit an application on Typeform, check that you meet their requirements to join the BGV programme:

• You have an innovative idea that uses technology to address a social or environmental challenge
• You're motivated and committed to building a scalable for-profit business that will both radically improve millions of lives and be commercially successful
• You're actively building a team with a strong understanding of the problem you are tackling, the market you'll be operating in and relevant technical experience
• Your team is available to take part in the 12-week programme
• Your venture is at an early-stage and has been trading for less than two years old
• You have the right to work in the UK (though we have a bit of flexibility with our virtual programme)

For advice from founders who have been through the programme themselves, you can view their 10 questions with series on YouTube and their blog.