Silicon Valley technology entrepreneur and Menlo Ventures’ venture capitalist Karl Mehta launched Code For India (CFI), a global community of software engineers who aims to build technology for public service to solve developing world problems.
With India as the test-bed, CFI wants to build tools to allow citizens to actively participate in partnership with local government to give communities the power to help themselves.
The Mountain View, CA and Bangalore, India-based community has support from Indian-origin tech professionals around the world including software engineers from Microsoft, Google, eBay, VISA and Facebook, who are involved in developing social awareness apps. TiE Silicon Valley, TiE Mumbai, TiE New Delhi and The Morpheus Fund have partnered with Code For India to encourage their network of tech community members to get involved.
Apps already available include “Adopt a School“, which has been built in partnership with LiveImpact.org and Pratham to help access student performance data in local public schools; and Garbage & Pothole Reporting: “Spotter.in“, a web application that allows citizens to report civic infrastructure problems and civic action groups to collect data and mobilize action.
The Advisory Board of CFI includes:
– Vijay Pande, Professor of Stanford University,
– Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Manipal Global Education, and
– Vish Mishra, Venture Director at Clearstone and mentor to The Hive and The Fabric.
FinSMEs
15/08/2013