One of my deepest held beliefs is that technology can be a force for good. It can only be “good” though if people actively work to shape it and ensure its positive impact. Technology by itself is neither positive nor negative, the decision lies in the hands of the people of how people create and mold it over time. Recently, there’s been a movement of technology startups that fall under this category called “tech for good”.
From the Tech for Good website.
Tech is neither good, nor bad and definitely not neutral. Which is why we need to be intentional about the use of tech in tackling the world’s pressing social and environmental challenges.
The key word here is intentional. It’s the decision of the type of problems we are looking to solve. I have nothing against enterprise software, it’s a dynamic field but there also needs to be investments in companies looking to solve pressing human issues. What’s exciting about this category is that there are many inspirational examples of companies at scale. There are also many young startups entering the field with a clear and compelling vision.
Pushing the boundaries of work and family
A simple idea of how technology can be a force for good was made clear during the past two years. Remote work enabled many aspects of the economy to continue functioning despite a global pandemic. The second and third order consequences are starting to become clearer. We don’t need to be tethered to a specific geographic region anywhere. For many people, it’s an artificial constraint from an old way of thinking. It doesn’t need to become the new norm, it just gives people more choice & flexibility if they choose to live this way.
With this new reality, can we imagine a new way of working and raising families? What if parents and children can experience living abroad and get high quality education at the same time?
Enter Boundless Life
Mauro Repacci is a serial entrepreneur that is impact driven. He co-founded Boundless Life whose mission is to empower families to have more fulfilling lives. They help families design a lifestyle enabling balance, growth, and deeper connections with each other, our families and nature. They provide a network of thoughtfully designed communities in beautiful destinations around the world where families can develop connections, work remotely, and be culturally immersed while children benefit from a forward-thinking and transformational education system. Simply put, they enable families to live abroad and raise their children at the same time without the constraints of being tied down to one physical location.
It’s an audacious goal. It’s not just about living abroad but also new ways of raising a family. As a business, they have several ways to grow and expand. They’ve already launched their first location in Portugal and are garnering interest from families across the world. There’s a lot of potential to sell directly to businesses that are looking for innovative ways to empower their employees. It’s a non-obvious bet but that’s how many world changing companies are made.
I’m excited for what this team can do and the impact it will have. This is a great example of a company that is pushing the boundaries of what is possible when you combine aspects of community and technology together, ultimately being a force for good.
