Social Tech Trust

We are incredibly grateful to everyone contributing to our #SocialMobility & #AI workshops so far. Your time, expertise, and passion are shaping a #GrandChallenge that could transform the future for young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds! Together with tech ventures, NGOs, government representatives, AI experts, and our partners—EY Foundation and Social Mobility Commission—we are exploring how AI and technology can unlock new opportunities. What’s next? → We’re gearing up for #Workshop3, and we need your input! Join us in Central London on Wednesday, 2nd April, where we’ll test and refine Grand Challenge concepts, narrowing them down to 3-5 bold questions that will drive real-world solutions. Why join? ✅Collaborate with experts across sectors ✅Expand your network & build key relationships ✅Contribute to meaningful change in social mobility Choose your session: 🟣Wednesday, 2nd April | Central London 🟣Morning: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM 🟣Afternoon: 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM We’re building momentum—and this is your chance to be part of it. If you’re passionate about education, employability, skills development, and social mobility, now’s the time to step in. Interested? → Contact our Portfolio Manager Katherine Marcham at kathy.marcham@socialtechtrust.org. Let’s innovate to inspire the next generation! #AIforOpportunity #SocialMobility #TechForGood

The GoodTech Ventures #PowerUpPitch is an exciting opportunity for early-stage impact founders to showcase their ventures, refine their pitch with expert coaching, and compete for a £15,000 grant. This opportunity is specifically for pre-seed, tech-for-good startups who are working in alignment within the following mission areas: 🟣 Making the UK a safe place to grow up 🟣 Good Jobs and Access to training for every person 🟣 Equipping the workforce for the jobs of the future 🟣 Successful rehabilitative alternatives over custody 🟣 Placing victims’ rights at the heart of criminal justice 🟣 Giving care experienced young people the best start in life Check out the eligibility criteria and apply today! 👉 https://lnkd.in/eRJjKtRK

📢 Big news: Our next investment round is officially open! We're now accepting applications from #startups committed to #endinghomelessness that are developing innovative solutions in one or more of these areas: 🏠 Supply of affordable housing Innovations that make housing delivery faster, cheaper, or more #scalable, streamline development, or create models that increase available social or #affordablehomes.    🏠 Access to housing Platforms that match people to social housing or financial products that enable #homeownership or #renting for low-income individuals.    🏠 Tenancy stability and financial security Solutions that help tenants maintain housing #stability or reduce risks for #vulnerable renters.    🏠 Direct impact on Crisis members Demonstrable #impact on those #experiencing or at risk of homelessness. 🤝 Do you know someone who fits the criteria? Please share to help us solve this critical challenge! We actively encourage applications from ventures led by underrepresented founders, including those with #livedexperience of homelessness or housing insecurity. We prioritise teams that #integrate lived experience insights into their solutions and demonstrate a strong #commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in both leadership and impact. Join us in our mission to end homelessness and receive: ➡️ Equity funding.  ➡️ Access to Crisis’ networks and resources.   ➡️ Support through a growth programme tailored to meet your needs.  ➡️ Training to scale your impact.  Applications close 17 April 2025. Don’t miss out! 👉 https://lnkd.in/eTrmGCxf     ❓ Have a question? Please reach out to Kevin Fay or Phelelani M.

Apply now and win £15,000! If your venture is selected to pitch, you will also receive a £500 participation grant. This opportunity is specifically for pre-seed, tech-for-good startups. Applications close Wednesday, March 19th!

👀 Something big is coming… 🚀 We’ve been working behind the scenes on something exciting for #EarlyStage #ImpactFounders who are *new to GoodTech Ventures, and we can’t wait to share it with you! If you're building tech-for-good solutions in #EmploymentAndTraining, #CriminalJustice, #Education, #ChildrensSocialCare, #ChildExploitation, or #HealthAndWellbeing, this one’s for you. 💡 A chance to showcase your vision 💡 A room full of the right people 💡 An opportunity that could change everything More details dropping very soon. Stay tuned. 🔥 *New to GoodTech Ventures means this opportunity is open to those who have not yet been a part of any GoodTech programming, accelerators, or funding opportunities. #ImpactTech #TechForGood #StartupOpportunity #ComingSoon #GoodTechVentures

Technology is shaping the future—but whose future? We have a choice: will AI be a tool for equity and opportunity, or will it deepen the divides that hold #YoungPeople back? At #SocialTechTrust, we believe technology should drive social change. That’s why we’re working with Social Mobility Commission and EY Foundation to explore AI’s role in social mobility and shape an upcoming #GrandChallenge. 📍 Join us on March 6 in Central London for our second cross-industry workshop. We’re bringing together government, NGOs, business leaders, young people, and entrepreneurs to define the key challenge questions and explore how AI can break down barriers to opportunity. 👉 Interested? Contact our Portfolio Manager, Katherine Marcham, at kathy.marcham@socialtechtrust.org. Join us! Let’s innovate to inspire the next generation. #AIforOpportunity #SocialMobility #TechForGood

Last week, our first workshop brought together an incredible group—young people, tech ventures, educators, policymakers, funders, and AI experts—all passionate about ensuring #AI is a force for #SocialMobility, not a barrier to it. This is more than a discussion. We’re laying the groundwork for a #GrandChallenge—a mission to drive real, scalable solutions that make AI work for young people, not against them. Our conversations surfaced three critical themes: 🟣 Ethics, bias & trust in emerging tech & AI → AI is reshaping how we learn, work, and connect. But without ethical safeguards, it risks deepening inequalities. Bias in algorithms, lack of transparency, and regulatory gaps could leave disadvantaged communities further behind. 🟣 Diversity, inclusion, equitable access & affordability → Digital access isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. Yet many young people face barriers due to cost, infrastructure, or lack of exposure. Without proactive inclusion, the tech divide will widen. 🟣 Education, employment & skills development → The world of work is evolving fast, and education systems are struggling to keep pace. Young people need real-world skills, career guidance, and employer connections to thrive in an AI-driven future. Are you interested in shaping our Grand Challenge? Email Katherine Marcham at kathy.marcham@socialtechtrust.org. 📍 Next workshop: March 6th, Central London. Join us! Let’s innovate to inspire the next generation. #AIForSocialMobility #TechForGood #GrandChallenge

The sky should be the limit for young people—but is it? For too many, where they are born still determines where they end up. Education, career progression, and economic mobility remain out of reach for many talented young people because of systemic barriers. The Social Mobility Commission (SMC) is an independent statutory body that exists to create a United Kingdom where circumstances of birth do not determine outcomes in life. SMC is responsible for the annual #StateOfTheNation report, promoting #SocialMobility in England, publishing research, and advising ministers on policies to improve social mobility. To ensure that AI and technology are harnessed as tools for social mobility, SMC is working with the EY Foundation and #SocialTechTrust to lay the groundwork for a #GrandChallenge. We can create solutions that drive meaningful change by combining policy expertise, real-world data, and cross-sector collaboration. A pillar of our work is SMC’s State of the Nation Report 2024, which provides a detailed picture of social mobility across the UK. It highlights: ✅ How location impacts opportunity, with regional disparities shaping young people’s life chances  ✅ The structural barriers that limit access to education, work, and career progression  ✅ Why policy, innovation, and technology must come together to create meaningful change If we want #AI to break barriers instead of reinforcing them, we need to start with a deep understanding of social mobility—and the data to track it. Let’s innovate to inspire the next generation! Read the report and join us in making AI & technology a force for social mobility. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/etCUi5MP #AIforOpportunity #StateOfTheNation2024 #TechForGood 

For too many young people, the path to success is determined by their background, not potential. The EY Foundation has a decade of experience working alongside young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds — supporting them to develop skills, build networks, and access meaningful employment opportunities. Their work highlights a crucial reality: talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. That’s why EY Foundation, Social Mobility Commission, and #SocialTechTrust have partnered to explore AI’s opportunities for social mobility. We are bringing tech innovators, funders, and policymakers together to explore how technology can drive real change. A key resource shaping this work is EY Foundation’s latest #report, AI and Social Mobility: Unlocking Opportunities for Young People, which highlights: ✅ How AI can break systemic barriers in education and employment  ✅ The risks of AI reinforcing bias—and how to prevent it  ✅ Why young people must be at the centre of AI’s development As AI reshapes the future of work, it must be a force for #inclusion, not exclusion. Let’s innovate to inspire the next generation! Read the report and join us in making AI & technology a force for social mobility! 🔗https://lnkd.in/dJfW8WZq #AIforOpportunity #SocialMobility #TechForGood

Let’s innovate to inspire the next generation! Too many young people are held back — not by their talent but by barriers to education, employment, and networks. These barriers don’t just limit individual potential; they prevent entire industries and economies from accessing diverse, untapped talent.     Technology should be a force for progress, not exclusion — but if AI and emerging tech aren’t designed with equity in mind, they risk reinforcing the very inequalities we need to dismantle.     That’s why the EY Foundation, Social Mobility Commission, and #SocialTechTrust are exploring how AI and technology can remove systemic barriers and create new opportunities for young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds to succeed in the workplace.    This lays the groundwork for launching a #GrandChallenge, bringing together innovators, funders, and policymakers to explore how technology can drive real change in social mobility.     Running from February to April 2025, this partnership will:  ✅ Demonstrate how AI can break down the biggest barriers to social mobility  ✅ Engage tech innovators, funders, and policymakers in shaping AI for opportunity  ✅ Highlight key areas where AI and emerging technology can make the biggest impact     Join us in making AI & technology a force for social mobility. Share your insights and explore how AI and tech can unlock opportunities!     #AIforOpportunity #SocialMobility #TechForGood