4 ms·

It's better to start with a problem and understand how to address it. For-profit companies would be an optimal solution for most human problems. Strong funding

It's better to start with a problem and understand how to address it. For-profit companies would be an optimal solution for most human problems. Strong funding and control over business leave you with more resources. If only non-profits work with your problem, then ask them what tech solutions they need. In some cases, they don't need technology at all, but rather funding or government support. I would avoid "feeling good" non-profits that spend grands on noble but futile activities. Most useful solutions are those that people buy, instead of getting for free. I'd be glad to point at non-profits in the area you're interested in.

worldadventurer 11y ago
A non-profit doesn't necessarily mean that they give stuff away for free. A non-profit can (and there are many that do, for example, ours - https://www.engageSPARK.com https://www.engageSPARK.com ) sell stuff to customers to generate revenue and have profits. The difference is that instead of shareholders extracting the profits, all profits are used to have more impact. Hospitals, universities, credit unions, financial companies (e.g,. Vanguard), and insurance companies (e.g,. Blue Cross and Blue Shield) are often revenue-generating non-profits or mutual companies (where all profits are shared by the customers). As @oneJob points out in another comment here - All that "non-profit" means is, from Wikipedia, : "A non-profit organization is an organization that uses its surplus revenues to further achieve its purpose or mission, rather than distributing its surplus income to the organization's shareholders (or equivalents) as profit or dividends."
- nickpsecurity 11y ago
  Good point. Especially on the hospitals. That's as far from free as one can get. :)
- anton_tarasenko 11y ago
  Being a nonprofit cuts you off capital. Investors are reluctant to fund nonprofits, which aren't going to generate value for them. It's okay if a company doesn't need capital, but even tech firms take $50-100M a year to grow. Again, if your sector consists of nonprofits, you may do fine. But IT and finance are for profit industries, with rare exceptions.

worldadventurer 11y ago

A non-profit doesn't necessarily mean that they give stuff away for free. A non-profit can (and there are many that do, for example, ours - https://www.engageSPARK.com https://www.engageSPARK.com ) sell stuff to customers to generate revenue and have profits. The difference is that instead of shareholders extracting the profits, all profits are used to have more impact. Hospitals, universities, credit unions, financial companies (e.g,. Vanguard), and insurance companies (e.g,. Blue Cross and Blue Shield) are often revenue-generating non-profits or mutual companies (where all profits are shared by the customers). As @oneJob points out in another comment here - All that "non-profit" means is, from Wikipedia, : "A non-profit organization is an organization that uses its surplus revenues to further achieve its purpose or mission, rather than distributing its surplus income to the organization's shareholders (or equivalents) as profit or dividends."

nickpsecurity 11y ago
Good point. Especially on the hospitals. That's as far from free as one can get. :)
anton_tarasenko 11y ago
Being a nonprofit cuts you off capital. Investors are reluctant to fund nonprofits, which aren't going to generate value for them. It's okay if a company doesn't need capital, but even tech firms take $50-100M a year to grow. Again, if your sector consists of nonprofits, you may do fine. But IT and finance are for profit industries, with rare exceptions.