Delegates participated in workshops collaborating and sharing on their transformation journeys, sector challenges and opportunities for innovative tech, such as AI, to advance their impact. And explored how to weave impact stories around solutions to communicate or pitch to potential donors or investors.
In the first week of June at Google HQ in Singapore, we hosted the Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Summit with support from Google.org and the Asian Development Bank. Over 60 not-for-profits delegates were flown from across the region to collaborate, share and be inspired.
The summit involved an incredible line-up of speakers gathering together to discuss the most critical topics in technology for impact. We were joined by Scott Beaumont, President, Asia-Pacific, Google who spoke to harnessing technology for social impact in APAC region. Additionally, we saw Ms Hanyon Goh, Director of the National AI Group and Smart Nation Strategy Office, Ministry of Communications and Information lead a keynote on digital transformation in Singapore, and Dr Ming Tan, Founding Executive Director, Tech for Good Institute shared how to harness tech to be efficient, resilient and future ready.
We heard from expert panelists including Kate Brandt, Chief Sustainability Officer, Google, joined a panel with Naina Subberwal Batra, Chief Executive Officer, AVPN and Stephanie King-chung Hung, Director General of the Information Technology Department, Asian Development Bank to discuss how to leverage AI for the climate. And Jeanette Lai, Associate Program Director, COMO Foundation, Gaurav Mehta, Founder and CEO, Dharma Life also joined to discuss leveraging philanthropy, partnerships and digital tech on a panel moderated by Infoxchange’s own David Spriggs.
We saw many new relationships being formed and strengthened, with organisations learning about similarities in their missions, causes and technologies. Additionally, many funders in the room built their understanding as to why not-for-profits need technology funding to advance their impact, and when funding is available the impact NFPs can create for their communities.
At the Summit, Maggie Johnson, Global Head and Vice President at Google.org announced that Google.org, will provide an additional USD$1.5 million to support Infoxchange, enabling social and environmental-focused nonprofits across the Asia-Pacific region to upscale their impact. This second round of funding will further support organisations who benefited from the first iteration of the program. The funding will help these organisations harness AI and other innovative digital solutions to amplify their impact.