The growth of ‘Digital Social Innovation’
Digital social initiatives are on the increase but still lack momentum
Technology is increasingly being used for medical care, improving public services and strengthening communities. It is referred to as ‘digital social innovation’ or DSI.
As Matt Stokes and Peter Baeck point out in their article in the Financial Times, it is true that the number of DSI organizations in Europe has nearly doubled since 2015. However, none of these innovative and digital social projects has achieved the desired momentum at a global level.
In fact, the question is no longer how technology can be used for social good but rather why so few of these projects have become as generally widespread as commercial technology.
Without doubt, one of the main problems is the lack of investment in innovation, both on a financial and non-financial level. Even though the amount of funds is minimal, Nominet Trust and the European Commission are providing grants to digital social projects.
Furthermore, many charitable organizations lack technical skills. In fact, a Lloyds Bank study highlights that over three-quarters of them make no investment at all in digital social innovation.