Danielle Forward: Empowering Indigenous People Through Tech, Entrepreneurship

Mar 29, 2024 Posted by: Anushree Nande CA,  Danielle Forward,  SDG 10,  USA

Danielle: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! Indigenous people have the highest rates of poverty in the US, the lowest college graduation rates, and the highest rates of “deaths of despair”—meaning deaths from suicide, drug use, and alcohol abuse. Without healing the underlying pain in our communities, these statistics will continue. But to heal the suffering, people need self-sufficiency. They need to be able to pay their bills, and they need good jobs to do that. So that’s where we started: jobs. Natives Rising is a 501c3 nonprofit where we help Indigenous people get good jobs in tech, graduate college with tech degrees, and become entrepreneurs. We offer a holistic approach where we provide emotional support and wellbeing coaching to help heal trauma and self-limiting beliefs.

Laura Foti: Enabling Sustainability and Building Safer Products for Everyone

Mar 28, 2024 Posted by: Shikha Tandon CA,  Laura Foti,  SDG 11,  SDG 12,  SDG 13,  SDG 3,  SDG 9,  USA

Laura: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! Many companies want to make sustainable products and packaging, but they don't actually have easy access to all the data it takes to make those things. Typically, this information, commonly known as specifications, is scattered across different teams and companies. We help companies manage this information in one place so they can ensure products and packaging are made right, every time. Having this data also enables them to easily report on sustainability and make more sustainable products.

Emuoghenekohwo Ogilo: Transforming the Rental Process Despite High Volume

Mar 28, 2024 Posted by: Anushree Nande Kohwo Ogilo,  SDG 11,  USA

Kohwo: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! In major cities, the fierce competition for limited housing supply makes renting tedious, with days of back-and-forth communication. HouseForm's conversation automation tech streamlines this process, enabling agents to use AI to offer personalized experiences and reduce the scheduling time for tours from two days to just ten minutes, making renting faster and more efficient.