New programme calls for 40 innovators to solve the world’s biggest social problems

A new London-based programme is looking for 40 “highly talented” entrepreneurs to come together and build high scalable, commercially successful businesses that will solve the world’s biggest social problems.

Founded by LocalGlobe co-founder Saul Klein, Bethnal Green Ventures director Paul Kirby and NewCo UK co-founder Ella Goldner, the first Zinc Transformer Programme will take place between October 2 2017 and 30 March 2018 and focus on “transforming the mental and emotional health of 650 million women and girls in the developed world”.

Participants will have access to six months of support and mentorship from top entrepreneurs, investors, academics and tech experts and free workspace in central London.

At the end of the programme, the 40 founders – who will each receive a stipend equal to the London Living Wage – will have each created and launched a new tech business, which Zinc expects will have an impact on the lives of hundreds of millions of people.

This will be the first Transformer Programme, with subsequent missions set to target men’s mental and emotional health.

The Zinc website states: “Given that everybody has mental and emotional health, just like everyone has physical health, this means that all 1.3 billion people in the developed world need to actively maintain, improve, protect or recover their mental and emotional health throughout their life.

“At any one time, people are on a spectrum, from the mentally super-fit, through those who have good health, a larger number who are unhealthy, a worrying proportion who are ill and a small percentage who are severely ill. To stay healthy, or to recover their health when they are unhealthy or ill, people often need support in all areas of their lives, including in their education, work, family life, relationships, physical health, finances, recreation, self-regulation and personal effectiveness.”

Offers will be made to suitable candidates on a first-come-first serve basis. The deadline for applications is 30 June.