In the world of startups and entrepreneurship, often the conversations centers around profits and growth. However, in a time of climate strikes and ‘wokeness,’ both business and consumers alike are changing, becoming more socially conscious. And startups with a different focus seem to be popping up more and more.
Referred to broadly as social impact businesses, these startups and nonprofits aren’t just focused on numbers and spreadsheets, but also on trying to make the world a better place. In North Texas, these impact-driven entrepreneurs come from a number of different industries, but all look to combine passion and profit to make a difference in people’s lives.
“I believe in a simple, yet strong Japanese concept called ‘ikigai,’ which translates to ‘a reason for being’ in English,” said Mehmet Günal, founder of nonprofit Access My Research. “Ikigai promotes that we should all aspire to live for a greater purpose and that we all can achieve this if we combine what we love, what we are good at, what we can be paid for, and what the world needs. We are all connected in this digital era and our efforts can significantly impact others globally as it was never possible before.”
While launching a socially-focused business comes with its own sets of challenges, investors are starting to look further than the bottom line when it comes to putting money into these types startups. According to a 2018 Forbes article, impact investing is forecasted to grow to more than $300 billion by 2020. Locally, Fort Worth-founded TPG closed on its $1.7 billion “The Rise Fund” this year.
"There is such a huge satisfaction in knowing you can help, even if just a small amount."
“I wouldn't even know how to run a business that didn't take into consideration how our product and our profits were impacting the world around us,” said Brandon Friedman, CEO of Rakkasan Tea.
To give you a look into the local scene, NTX Inno has rounded up five notable North Texas social impact businesses.
Access My Research
Access My Research is a nonprofit social platform dedicated to making academic research available to everyone. Founder Mehmet Günal, a UT-Dallas graduate student, found that most individuals and even some institutions had trouble paying for access to academic research locked behind paywalls by for-profit publishers. However, he found a loophole. By launching as a nonprofit, researchers are able to share their research directly with Access My Research’s platform, where it can be accessed by all, since it is not making money off of the material.
“As a researcher who aspires to improve the well-being of millions of people in my lifetime, I cannot imagine a more worthy cause than making academic research accessible to all, while promoting free dissemination of knowledge,” Günal said.
Access My Research is still in development. However, it hopes to launch within the next two months within the UT System. The nonprofit recently took both The Biggest Idea and the third place, along with a $10,000 prize, at UT-Dallas’ Big Idea Competition, a Shark Tank-style pitch event. Günal said he hopes the platform can help level the academic playing field for disadvantaged communities, as well as potentially help facilitate the new innovative breakthrough.
Rakkasan Tea
Rakkasan Tea was born in Afghanistan. It was founded by Brandon Friedman as a Kickstarter campaign in 2017 as he was looking for a way to help rebuild communities destroyed in the wake of war and conflict. Shortly after launching Friedman was joined fellow Army vet Terrence “TK” Kamauf. The startup sources its tea from around the world, but the constant thread is that it is sourced by farmers in worn-torn and disadvantaged areas. Some of the first tea the company sold came from Vietnam, now the company offers tea from nearly every continent, including Rwanda, Colombia, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
“We knew from our military experience how difficult the path to recovery for communities can be,” Friedman said. “So we figured we could not only promote peace and economic development by helping farmers in those areas reach the U.S. market, but we could also bring American tea enthusiasts flavors and aromas they'd never experienced.”
Friedman said it can be difficult sourcing tea from some of these remote areas, and have faced tragic setbacks before as one of the truck carrying their tea through the mountains of Nepal overturned, killing the driver. However, he said that being able to make an impact in the lives of people who have lost both property and loved ones to the destruction of war makes the business worthwhile. While still in its early days, Rakkasan Tea can be found around DFW. Besides selling directly through its online shop Rakkasan can also be found at 1890 Marketplace, Fair & Square Imports and at the Coppell Farmers Market.
Break Bread, Break Borders
Break Bread, Break Borders (BBBB) is a catering business launched in 2017 that does more than make food – it also serves up hope and community. Founded by Jin-Ya Huang, the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, BBBB is focused on helping other refugees coming to North Texas to build a better life. According to data from the Texas Department of State Health Service and the U.S. High Commission for Refugees, the Lone Star State takes in about 8.5% of all refugees coming to the U.S.; in 2018, more than 1,000 refugees were resettled in Dallas and Fort Worth alone.
“I saw firsthand how these opportunities could completely change and transform lives,” Huang said. “So when my mom passed away from cancer, I thought what better way to honor her legacy than to continue her life-long work. That’s how Break Bread, Break Borders was born.”
In addition to meals, BBBB provides culinary training, certification and professional mentorship to female refugees hailing from countries such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Congo. When the rotating lineup of staff and cooks show up to an event, they don’t just serve a meal, they also share their stories with diners in the hope of creating community and understanding.
“We’re reminded making a decent living and having dreams is inherently human,” Huang said. “We’re reminded it’s important to do the right thing and be a good neighbor. We’re reminded that peace, love and compassion always win. That’s why we do what we do.”
RoboKind
RoboKind is a Dallas-based edtech startup launched in 2011 with the mission of helping students, especially those with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, to develop new interests and realize their full potential. To do this, the startup has developed two products: Robots4Autism and Robots4STEM. Milo, the socially-advanced, life-like robot developed by RoboKind, leads the way for Robots4Autism. Through consistent repetition, patience and friendly demeanor, Milo gives children on the Autism Spectrum the structure they need to learn and grow. Robots4STEM is a visual programming language developed by the company to help spark interest in coding for children of all types.
RoboKind recently hired Valorie Brown Loomer as its first female CEO. According to Crunchbase.com, the company has raised about $19.7 million in total funding, most recently with a $2.8 million investment from TPEG. Last year, RoboKind was named a winner of Red Herring’s 2018 Top 100 North America award, which recognizes innovative private tech companies.
teleCalm
teleCalm was launch in 2016 in Allen, after co-founders Tavis and Jill Schriefer acted as caregivers for Tavis’ mother, who had early signs of dementia, for six years and witnessing the harassment by telemarketers and scammers looking to exploit her vulnerability. To help others living with or caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, teleCalm developed a patented managed phone service. The technology offers enhanced blocking of scam phone calls, as well as helping to filter outgoing calls. All the data can be tracked by caregivers through an app.
“My heart always goes out to the families as I listen to their challenges when they first find out about teleCalm and want to make absolutely sure it will solve their issues before subjecting their loved one to yet another change,” Tavis, who also serves as teleCalm’s CEO, said.
While any business wants to make sure it can profit and grow, Tavis said part of teleCalm’s motivation is hearing customer feedback on how the company’s technology has changed their live and helping to ensure other families don’t have to go through a similar experience to theirs.
“All of teleCalm’s founders share the belief that It is no longer good enough to just make a profit, you need to improve lives as well,” Tavis said. “There is such a huge satisfaction in knowing you can help, even if just a small amount.”
