Sparking Innovation: The Good Deed Education Fund
Entrepreneurs in Estonia establish an educational financial resource to encourage innovation.
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Wave goodbye to status quo in Estonian education, as disruptors are on a mission! Lead by the Good Deed Foundation, the Good Deed Education Fund aims to lavish €1 million on game-changing educational initiatives in Estonia.
At the helm, the Good Deed Foundation boasts a wealth of experience in instigating and nurturing impactful projects in the local landscape [2].
As per Pirkko Valge, the foundation’s managing director, the fund is versatile enough to offer either one-time support or financial backing for the same project over several years [3]. Valge suggests they're seeking ambitious projects that could revolutionize the education system, drawing attention to successful initiatives such as Bully-Free Schools, "Noored Kooli", and those supporting budding educators [3]. Collaboration with the education ministry, key education leaders, entrepreneurs, universities, and interested parties is warmly welcomed [3].
The visionary duo behind the fund, Martin Villig (cofounder of Taxify) and Taavet Hinrikus (cofounder of TransferWise), gravitate towards common concerns in Estonian education, like a shortage of young teachers, an elevated average age of educators, underappreciation of principals' work, and high dropout rates at basic schools [3]. They also highlight the importance of emphasizing STEAM skills in schools, as these competencies are vital for success in today's world [3].
Villig expresses hope that the fund can exploit the same innovation exhibited by successful local startups, with support from local accelerators, business angels, and venture capital funds [3]. "If we aim to have an Estonian tech sector as strong as Silicon Valley, a cultural scene as versatile as Paris, and an industry as hi-tech as Germany, we must cultivate the world's smartest society—one brimming with knowledge, digital literacy, and social intelligence," Villig emphasizes [3].
The founders send a clear message; it's high time for the state and society's contribution to education to scale up [3]. Using the example of the PISA score, they argue that we're a long way from conquering the "peaks" of a world-class education system [3].
An illustrious group of founders including Alari Aho (founder of Toggl), Ahti Heinla (cofounder of Skype and Starship), Norris Koppel (founder of Monese), Kristo Käärmann (cofounder of TransferWise), Rain Lõhmus (cofounder of LHV Bank), Ragnar Sass (cofounder of Pipedrive), and others, have joined the fund's crusade [4].
The contributing companies include Civitta, Contriber, Eften, Helmes, Lingvist, Monese, Pipedrive, Superangel, Taxify, and TransferWise [4].
Sources:
[1] No “Good Deed Education Fund” found in Estonian AI Leap details
[2] Good Deed Foundation's projects in Estonia
[3] Pirkko Valge's statement on Good Deed Education Fund
[4] Founding members of the Good Deed Education Fund
- The Good Deed Education Fund, stimulated by the Good Deed Foundation, aspires to invest €1 million in groundbreaking educational initiatives across Estonia.
- Offering versatile support, the fund can provide both one-time assistance or multi-year financial backing for transformative projects in Estonia's education system.
- Pirkko Valge, the managing director of the foundation, encourages ambitious projects that can potentially revolutionize the education sector and believes success stories like Bully-Free Schools, "Noored Kooli," and initiatives promoting young educators merit attention.
- The fund's visionaries, Martin Villig (cofounder of Taxify) and Taavet Hinrikus (cofounder of TransferWise), are concerned with problems such as a shortage of young teachers, an increase in the average educator's age, underappreciation of principals, and high dropout rates at basic schools in Estonia.
- Villig envisions the fund harnessing the innovation displayed by successful local startups with support from local accelerators, business angels, and venture capital funds for a stronger Estonian tech sector, a culturally diverse scene like Paris, and an advanced industrial landscape like Germany.
- Relying on the example of the PISA score, Villig asserts the importance of cultivating a society that embraces knowledge, digital literacy, and social intelligence for a world-class education system.
- A group of distinguished founders, including Alari Aho (founder of Toggl), Ahti Heinla (cofounder of Skype and Starship), Norris Koppel (founder of Monese), Kristo Käärmann (cofounder of TransferWise), Rain Lõhmus (cofounder of LHV Bank), Ragnar Sass (cofounder of Pipedrive), and others, have joined the Good Deed Education Fund's campaign.
- Civitta, Contriber, Eften, Helmes, Lingvist, Monese, Pipedrive, Superangel, Taxify, and TransferWise are among the contributing companies to the fund's mission.
- To spur economic growth through technology, entrepreneurship, finance, education, and self-development, the Estonian community must prioritize career development, online learning, and skills training for future generations.
