It pays to be socially responsible: introducing Zendesk’s new startup initiative
Last updated April 18, 2016
Zendesk was founded in Copenhagen as a new way to do customer service. So, it’s only fitting that the three founders returned to Copenhagen to announce another new beginning: Zendesk’s initiative to offer funding and mentorship to socially responsible startups.
As a company, partnering with social responsible non-profits around the world is baked into our culture. It’s part of our pledge to be a better community member and a responsible business. But, there’s more we can do. By working with socially conscious startups, Zendesk hopes to empower more companies to act conscientiously within the global community. This new initiative exists within the umbrella of our Zendesk Loves Startups program—a plan that gives qualifying startups free software for a year.
Through this new initiative, socially responsible startups not only get free Zendesk software for a year, they also get office hours with Zendesk’s executive team and other key personnel, and are eligible for a financial contribution ($25,000) to help build their socially minded business.
Our first partnership, announced by our founders last week at our Copenhagen office, is with Be My Eyes, a Danish startup with a fantastic mission. Be My Eyes is an app that connects blind people to a network of sighted volunteers for help through live video chat. Through this partnership, we will provide resources, mentorship, and financial support to the Be My Eyes team. Startups like Be My Eyes represent the next generation of tech thinkers—businesses that are socially aware and that embed this mindset throughout their business models.
Zendesk and Be My Eyes is only one of many partnerships we hope to have with socially responsible startups. There are brilliant and caring businesses around the world, and we’re excited to team up with as many as possible.
If you’re a startup, check out the Zendesk Loves Startups program—a place where unicorns might not be real, but magic growth is all but guaranteed.
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