The PopTech Accelerator

Putting world-changing ideas into action.

The PopTech Accelerator facilitates interdisciplinary, world-changing projects that use new tools and embody new approaches to significant global challenges.

For each project, the Accelerator provides operational and project management and solicits many additional forms of support, including human resources, corporate partnerships, financial contributions, skills training, media coverage and other forms of support required to transform each project into a sustainable enterprise. Special emphasis is given to projects which grow authentically from the PopTech network, and which will benefit from the unique resources of that network.

How the Accelerator Works

While we do not have a topical focus, our interests include social innovation, healthcare, poverty alleviation, education, cultural preservation and the use of disruptive technologies to achieve positive social outcomes.

Criteria for Project Selection

The Accelerator evaluates projects which:

• Embody a highly-differentiated, innovative, multi-disciplinary and potentially world-changing approach to consequential global problems
• Will benefit from the unique skills of the PopTech network
• Have a high multiple of impact
• Amplify the skill-sets of the social innovators involved in doing the work
• Leverage a “bottom up” or extensible community of participants (through open-source licensing, for example)
• Engage the intended community’s participation in the solution
• Have a clear path to becoming a functioning enterprise
• Can be completed in 24-36 months

While we have already supported a number of projects around the world – from Tibet to Tanzania, the first project of the Accelerator is focused on deploying a remarkable piece of software designed for HIV+ patients called Masiluleke in South Africa (and throughout Africa thereafter).