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Ask HN: Ideas for Tech Nonprofit

by rodrigosetti on 12/31/23, 10:28 AM with 3 comments

I’m seriously committed and seed-funded. Still very open to any ideas. Thank you.
  • by idw on 12/31/23, 11:01 AM

    I was part of the team that set up a non-profit, was CEO of that, am CEO of another.

    I suggest testing very carefully the idea that a non-profit is the best way to work on whatever idea or problem you're interested in. For-profits only have to get a successful two-way relationship between the customer and supplier and then when demand goes up, funding goes up. Non-profits have to get a successful three-way relationship between the beneficiary, the supplier, and the funder. Demand going up often doesn't mean funding goes up. There are problems that can best be tackled by non-profits but often a for-profit will have a simpler business model and better chance of financial sustainability.

    There are also plenty of ways to configure a for-profit with some of the qualities of a non-profit, including employee ownership like the co-operative movement, donating a proportion of ownership/profits, having an explicit social purpose like the Body Shop or Patagonia.

  • by pantantrant on 12/31/23, 5:24 PM

    Ways to reach out?