附近上门

In a world full of divisiveness and conflict, one organization is working to use technology to accelerate and scale peacebuilding while empowering women founders.

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Washington, D.C.-based is an independent nonprofit organization that brings together engineers, activists, business school graduates, conflict experts, social scientists, data scientists, and other innovators to develop effective peacebuilding solutions in an effort to reduce conflict.

PeaceTechLab was once part of the until it was spun off as an independent group in early 2015, according to , COO of PeaceTech Lab. The founder and CEO of the organization, , has managed peacebuilding programs in areas such as Bosnia, Iraq, Angola, Liberia, Macedonia, and Burundi. Himelfarb also received a Capital Area Peacemaker Award from American University.

Through the, the lab supports startups focused on improving lives around the world through technology that protects and advances global peace and human rights.

The organization鈥檚 fourth cohort includes 10 startups, four which were founded by female entrepreneurs such as founder , whose company aims to help citizen journalists in India produce media that sheds lights on critical issues that impact their communities daily. The organization鈥檚 first three cohorts included 18 companies, also with about 40 percent having female co-founders and founders.

鈥淚t鈥檚 grounded in our core DNA to support entrepreneurs and other innovators to come up with effective solutions to some of world鈥檚 biggest problems,鈥� Payne told 附近上门 News. 鈥淲e鈥檝e found entrepreneurs need to have the right environment for them to thrive. Many of them are based in conflict areas in different countries.鈥�

Other examples of female leaders in the fourth cohort include the following:

• , CEO and co-founder of , an entrepreneur-driven investment fund that allows members to share money, barter, and invest in their businesses through the Sou Sou mobile app.
• is CEO and co-founder of a cybersecurity startup.
• is CEO of , an image annotation outsourcing platform for Artificial Intelligence that derives most of its workforce from refugee populations.

PeaceTechLab鈥檚 program focuses on several core themes such as building a sustained peace, accountability and governance, and refugees. Not all companies set out to address those things as their primary mission; however, the technology at least can be applied to those problems.

For example, SouSou is working to create lending circles to help underserved markets such as people of color and women build strong credit scores and get loans. They鈥檙e borrowing the concept from countries such as Nigeria or others in sub-Saharan Africa. And TaQadam鈥檚 workforce is primarily driven from a refugee population out of Middle Eastern countries such as Syria and Lebanon.

鈥淭hese companies are trying to tackle social challenges while getting a financial return,鈥� Payne said.