Here are the 8 startups going into the Social Impact Hub’s new scaling accelerator

Sydney-based Social Impact Hub has selected eight startups to be part of the first cohort in its new Scaling Impact accelerator program. 

Social Impact Hub founder and director Jessica Roth said the focused on selecting those enterprises that have strong business models, operating in resilient sectors and we chosen from more than 70 applications.

“They also needed to have an unambiguous social or environmental intention that is aligned with one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.

“It was a highly competitive selection process and we’re looking forward to working with the eight selected over the coming months.”

Social Impact Hub founder Jessica Roth

Scaling Impact will focus on assisting social startups at a crucial point in their development – the inflexion point between building on a proven track record and preparing to take on impact investment. 

Like nearly all accelerators in the pandemic era, the accelerator program will be conducted entirely virtually, culminating with a Demo Day on November 10.

Scaling Impact includes a series of masterclasses, tailored advisory support and mentoring, with a focus on future impact investment. Some of the masterclasses will be open to the public to join, and announced on the Scaling Impact website. 

The eight startups involved are:

• Dismantle (ReNew Property Maintenance): a high quality, reliable property maintenance service employing disadvantaged youth and creating vocational pathways for them. 
• Farmwall: an agrifood-tech startup that designs urban farming technology and experiences to enhance fresh produce accessibility in the city. 
• Food Connect: a community supported agriculture enterprise that aims to create a fairer food system by connecting local farmers with local buyers. 
• MyCareSpace: a national online platform that helps people with a disability and their families, all around Australia, find the disability services and supports they need and information about the NDIS. 
• Seljak Brand: sells recycled wool blankets that are made from textiles waste off the factory floor at Australia’s oldest wool mill and a 92-year-old wool mill in Lithuania. 
• Umbo: matches a clinician across Australia with a family in the bush to provide allied health services, thereby cutting wait times of up to 18 months down to a week. 
• Y Waste: an app that facilitates the discounted sale of end-of-day food from quick-service restaurants to consumers, preventing the food going to landfill. 
• Young Change Agents: a design-thinking based social entrepreneurship program for 10-18 years old that helps our youth see problems as opportunities. 

The program is funded through Australian Government’s Entrepreneurs’ Programme and the Sidney Myer Fund, together with support from Ernst & Young and the English Family Foundation.