We’ve seen a platform designed to outsource tasks specifically to students before and now we’ve come across something similar, but targeting a very different social group. CloudFactory aims to create an assembly line of digital workers in developing countries that can help get jobs completed more quickly while boosting employment and providing training opportunities.

Founded by Mark Sears, who worked with tech startups in the US and Canada before moving to Nepal, CloudFactory has access to a team of one million workers from around the world, currently sourced from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Companies with digital jobs requiring human input — such as audio transcribing, content editing, handwriting digitization and photo tagging — can upload their data as a .CSV file onto the site and break the work down into its essential components, called ‘stations’, much like a factory assembly line. Companies can choose the skill level required of each worker, have multiple laborers compete for future task or set up stations so that each worker reviews and improves the work done by the preceding station. As the site’s cloudworkers are located at different points around the world, the work can be completed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, meaning that businesses can get jobs started instantly and wrap them up more quickly than they would using in-house staff. CloudFactory also provides the option of uploading a one-time project or ongoing work, offers analytics and feedback on the work being done and allows companies to tweak their task forms and remuneration levels.

With a focus on “unlocking the human potential” in areas struck by poverty, the company is also hoping to invest its funds back into its contractors, providing training through a non-profit arm as well as offering ‘Cloud Worker Kits’ — a netbook or tablet, headphone with microphone and a wireless internet dongle — to help workers to do their job. The kits will be funded partly by donations and partly by microloans allowing workers to pay a portion of the costs back over time, although this aspect of CloudFactory is yet to be set up. On top of this, CloudFactory give ten percent of their gross income to Nepalese charities.

The startup has lofty social ambitions, looking to create work for those who have skills to offer and train those in developing countries. It is also looking to avoid the potential for exploitation that can come with outsourcing projects. Businesses around the world – one to get involved in?

Website: www.cloudfactory.com
Contact: info@cloudfactory.com

Spotted by: Hermanth Chandrasekar

The eco-tourism trend continues to sprout new and innovative ideas that satisfy both the adventurous tourist while also benefiting the local environment. Taking the concept further, OneSeed Expeditions in the US organize trekking holidays in South Asia, with 10 percent of revenue going to a microfinance partner to invest in local female entrepreneurs.

Social start up OneSeed Expeditions was founded by US public school teacher Chris Baker, along with trekking guide Bishnu Thapa, and researcher Tek Bahadur Dong in Nepal, with the aim of empowering travelers to make a real positive impact in the places they explore. The OneSeed Fund invests 10 percent of revenue in local microfinance banks — such as BWP Nepal — to help women with low interest capital to start or better their small business. Why women specifically? The premise of The Girl Effect is that empowering women with professional, skill and literacy training, will have a positive impact on their families and consequently the wider-community. Explaining the concept Baker says, “We take an existing revenue stream — in this case adventure travel — and utilize it to extend financial services to entrepreneurs in need of capital. You trek to base camp. A local woman launches or expands her business.”

Starting at USD 1,500, the expeditions are planned from February 2012 in the Khumbu, Annapurna and Langtang regions of Nepal, with options for group or individual travel. OneSeed Expeditions stresses its commitment to sustainability, with policies on waste, eco-system preservation, culture and supply chain management, and partnering with the local communities so that tourism revenue goes directly to guides and porters and local entrepreneurs.

With defined and measurable goals, targets and actions, OneSeed Expeditions hope to monitor the impact the initiative has. Consumers have long been able to get involved in microfinance initiatives, but the opportunity to fund these efforts through adventure tours will offer a new incentive to those who want to make a sustainable contribution to development efforts.

Website: www.oneseedexpeditions.com
Contact: www.oneseedexpeditions.com/contact

Spotted by: Alice Revel

Similar to eco-minded Comet Skateboards, which we wrote about back in 2007, Arniko Skateboards offers a line of slalomboards that combine sustainable craftsmanship with local production.

Whereas Comet uses a solar-powered factory in downtown San Francisco to produce its boards, however, Swiss Arniko taps small, local enterprises in Nepal, where artisans practice the traditional Nepalese art of woodcarving. Aiming to give such artists a global market, Arniko offers a line of 9 hand-carved skateboards crafted from varying timbers with unique hues. Available both online and in Arniko stores in St. Gallen and Kathmandu, the company’s skateboards are priced beginning at CHF 169. Based on the classical slalomboard form, the compact boards are designed for urban transportation and can be used without much practice. A range of accompanying fashion articles and accessories—also produced exclusively in Nepal—are available as well. The Arniko website explains: “Our vision is to bring the Himalayan spirit to you, so that when you hold an Arniko Skateboard in your hands, you know that there are proud carving-artists in Nepal who believe their own capabilities can bring about change.”

The majority of products today may still be mass-produced in nameless factories around the globe, but there’s no doubt honey, sweaters, wind power and skateboards—to name just a few—can benefit from some (still) made here appeal. Add to that a solid product and a focus on social change, and you may just have a winner!

Website: www.arnikoskateboards.com
Contact: info@arnikoskateboards.com — nepal@arnikoskateboards.com

Spotted by: Gitte Meeussen