Covid Innovations or How 20 Companies are making Social Impact Great (Again)

Many thoughts, ideas and stories are being shared about the impact of Covid-19. The self-isolation is pushing human limits. Some are discovering their smarts, while others are going off their limits.

Characteristics like human intelligence and resilience always find a way to unleash their potential. Just as I mentioned about the revelations and discoveries of Isaac Newton and the call by Voltaire during a natural disaster, I am writing this article without any logical explanation. I have been thinking about Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn who spent almost a decade of his life in labor camps deprived from basic human rights, Nelson Mandela who was deprived of freedom for 27 years, George Martorano, who spent 32 years in the prison, Nick Vujich who has proven the world that this is not what happens to you, but your reaction that matters, the Holocaust and genocide survivors throughout history that found the way to live again and love again, the more I thought, the more I discovered that human beings were able to endure for a greater purpose.

It makes me think that we become either prisoner of our minds or liberators of ourselves. Yet, we should all have hope that we will overcome this pandemic and contribute in our own ways.

This pandemic is an opportunity to look at people as part of the problem or as part the solution. Although I shared 10 business models, 10 companies and 10 ways to work during the pandemic, I spared some time to research and explore more about what was happening and learned about the amazing platform Covid Innovations, powered by Reinier Evers and his team, allowing those who are delivering social impact to showcase the differences they are making.

Those who are making changes are not all coming from Fortune 500 companies or multi-million dollar donors, but those who are doing their best to utilize their existing resources to be useful and helpful to their communities.

These changemakers span from Tokyo to Canada, from New Zealand to the United States, and from Australia to Brazil. They may not know one another, yet the desire to make changes seem to be universally connecting them all.

Many breathtaking stories and inspiring projects are being undertaken by ordinary people delivering extraordinary results, even mentioned by Elon below. They had the chance to self-isolate and complain like some others we’ve seen, but they chose to follow Voltaire`s example that human intelligence and willpower have no limits except the ones that we impose on ourselves.

I spent last week, for three hours every day, checking every link included in the platform, which led me to my selection that some are truly empowering, encouraging and inspiring.

It made me feel that anyone can make a difference, despite location, social status and income level. It all boils down to a simple choice to make things happen. The following are 20 innovative, resourceful and impressive projects by changemakers that have resulted from the coronavirus crisis:

1.   Kindness of Strangers

The project was incentivized by a native New Yorker, Blake Ross, where the pandemic is hitting hard. After witnessing people trapped in solitude and in need of simple human-to-human conversation, Kindness of Strangers was born. The project allows anyone to donate 30 minutes of their time to chat, share good vibes, provide support, and give hope for a better tomorrow.

2.   Bridgeforbillions 

Led by Pablo Santaeufemia and his team members, this project allows entrepreneurs to develop solutions that will improve people’s lives during the COVID-19 outbreak, and get funded or supported in some way. This platform is for those who have experience or represent organizations that are ready to go the extra mile to join forces and make an impact. Joining the Bridgeforbillions seems to be a great return on your time.

3.   Milk bar studios  

Simon Hume and his team developed Home Learning School platform  that offers remote learning resources for parents and kids.

4. AR Animals

In the piece covered by Stacey Leasca, Google helps keep parents and children happy and healthy during lockdown with a new virtual tool. AR Animals enables smartphone users to bring select animals into their home for a virtual safari. You can read the article here.

5. Activemos

This organization, formed in partnership with leaders from four organizations (Mural, Hatchhub, Uvitech and Lavoz), connects volunteers and organizations for COVID-related innovation challenges. The Argentinian platform coordinates teams of volunteers who, during a two-day virtual workshop and without the need for prior knowledge, generate innovative solutions to increase the capacity of organizations that are directly confronted to meeting the challenge of COVID-19.

6. DJI

The Chinese Silicon Valley-based company DJI`s management has activated a Disaster Relief Program to equip public safety agencies across the U.S. with drone hardware and software to help fight COVID. With 100 drones deployed so far, these ‘pandemic drones’ can detect sneezing and coughing, and measure temperature, indicating possible medical concerns. Check out the detailed article here.

7. Hi Technologies

Marcus Figueredo and his team developed Hilab, which is a portable, connected laboratory capable of instantly detecting infectious diseases through non-invasive blood tests. The COVID testing setup includes the mini-lab and test kits. Check out this detailed article about their advancements, research, and achievements in regards to COVID here.

8. KYD (keep your distance) 

Zino Hofmann and Eusta?iu Dima have developed a free KYD (keep your distance) social distancing app to help you and your loved ones keep the minimum distance advised by the health authorities to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. It’s free and can be downloaded here.

9. Meiuca 

Thiago Hassu and his team developed a strategy to allow companies to exchange employees temporarily to avoid layoffs. The online platform connects companies in need of support with other businesses that lost projects and/or clients interested in sharing their employees’ costs and skills with another company on a temporary basis. This reduces layoffs and helps companies in need of support. 

10. LineTweet 

Miro Bogdanovic and his team developed a free solution for providing secure digital waiting rooms for clinics and doctor offices. Digital rooms enable doctor offices to reduce the spread of COVID in waiting rooms. Patients call the reception from their home and get a personal waiting number and a link via SMS to check the status online. They enter the medical practice after being called when their turn comes.

11. Wanderble 

Kris Herbert and her team have developed a mindfulness app that is completely free to help people to keep the company during the pandemic. It can be downloaded here. 

12. Issinova

Thanks to Decathlon's drawing of its snorkeling Easybreath mask, Cristian Fracassi and his team were able to 3D-print a valve adapter that successfully turns masks into emergency ventilators. The company shared the blueprint of the design online for free. 

13. Coronavirus Chronicles

Conor Donnan and his team developed a project in which anyone who has a story that needs to be heard can be heard. Coronavirus Chronicles provides a unique opportunity for inviting people from a variety of walks of life to pen “diaries” of their day-to-day, as well as to share their thoughts on public health strategies. 

14. Too Good To Go

Mette Lykke and her team developed a free smartphone app that restaurants, bakeries, supermarkets and hotels can use to quickly and easily sell their leftover portions and perishable products. It is one of the first to launch. The team launched a non-profit campaign called ‘We Care’ making their platform available to all food businesses looking to provide takeaway services during the COVID-19 lockdown. It has already been launched in France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal and Denmark, with hundreds of restaurants adding their products for sale. It will now be rolled out in the Netherlands, Norway, the UK and Switzerland. Check out more details here.

15. Covid-19 Health Literacy

Pooja Chandrashekar is one of the youngest changemakers taking on Covid-19 to communicate the latest news and “must-know” information in 35 languages, including prevention and possible treatment options. Check out her detailed story here. 

16. All Together 

Four change-makers -- Matt Tanaka (CEO of Stout), John Kelley (CEO of Craftpeak), Andrew Boyd (President of Blue Label), and Sam Richardson (CEO of Otherhalfbrewing) -- got together to form a partnership with a universal mission to develop open-ended beer collaboration to raise support for the industry. The project is in the form of a marketplace for industry professionals. Those who purchase commit to share a portion of the income to supporting hospitality professionals in their community. Check out the well-detailed article and story here.

17. FruPro

The CEO of the company William Hill offered a non-profit version of its communication and trading platform, which reduces waste by connecting food growers directly with retailers. FruPro says this could potentially help feed half a million people in just two days with food previously destined for the landfill. Check out his story here. 

18. Docked Living

Kate Berlin along with her team is providing free space for health workers who need to quarantine themselves away from loved ones. The temporary housing includes all offerings in Docked Living's normal co-living spaces. 

19. Roodkappje

The team of Roodkappje met during the innovation hackathon “Hack the Crisis” with the goal to come up with a creative for how volunteers can help local businesses in times of crisis. Within 48 hours, Roodkappje was born. The solution they delivered is a community-driven delivery platform to help small restaurants and markets reopen for deliveries. Volunteers that go out for a jog or to walk their dog are turned into deliverymen who pick up parcels and deliver them around their neighborhood.

20. Tech to the rescue 

Powered by Devinta and it works as a marketplace connecting NGOs with tech companies that are willing to give a hand to help NGOs with their digital and tech challenges. 

There is one more thing

While there are many more, I will just add one more from an article written by Farrah Storr, Alice Wignall, Hannah Nathanson, Lena De Casparis, and Olivia McCrea-Hedley at ELLE. Titled The Other Front Line, it talks about heroic acts of ordinary women on the frontline doing the extraordinary. It is hard to overlook the great role models that deserve respect, admiration and recognition during this time.

As I think about these extraordinary innovations and efforts during this crisis, I am reminded of the quote by Victor E Frankl, who was a psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor. Surviving Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, Kaufering and Türkheim, it is a quote that summarizes my article perfectly:

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Hope you have enjoyed reading this piece. Your comments, ideas, insights, and other projects that I may not have included on COVID innovations are welcome to be shared and spread the word, in the meantime to help ourselves, the best thing is to practice social distancing and adjust ourselves to new realities.

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