Using technology to create a better world, social enterprises are leveraging digital tools to tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues. From healthcare to education, technology is revolutionizing the way social enterprises operate and deliver impact. With the power of technology, social enterprises can now reach more people, improve efficiency, and drive meaningful change.

What is a Social Enterprise?

A social enterprise is an organization that uses business principles to achieve a social or environmental mission. Social enterprises can take many forms, from non-profits to for-profits, and can operate in a variety of sectors. The key characteristic of a social enterprise is its commitment to creating positive impact alongside financial returns.

Types of Social Enterprises

There are many types of social enterprises, each with its own unique approach to creating social impact. Some common types of social enterprises include non-profit organizations, social businesses, and hybrid models. Non-profit organizations rely on donations and grants to fund their activities, while social businesses generate revenue through sales and services. Hybrid models combine elements of both, using business principles to drive social impact.

The Role of Technology in Social Enterprise

Technology is playing an increasingly important role in the social enterprise sector, enabling organizations to reach more people, improve efficiency, and drive meaningful change. From digital platforms to mobile apps, technology is helping social enterprises to scale their impact and achieve their missions. With the power of technology, social enterprises can now collect and analyze data, communicate with stakeholders, and deliver services more effectively.

Digital Platforms for Social Impact

Digital platforms are being used by social enterprises to connect people, resources, and organizations. These platforms can take many forms, from online marketplaces to social networks, and can be used to address a wide range of social issues. For example, online platforms can be used to connect volunteers with non-profits, or to provide access to education and job training programs.

Mobile Technology for Social Change

Mobile technology is also being used by social enterprises to drive social change. Mobile apps can be used to provide access to healthcare services, financial inclusion, and education. Mobile technology can also be used to collect data, track progress, and evaluate impact. With the widespread adoption of mobile devices, social enterprises can now reach people in even the most remote and underserved communities.

Examples of Social Enterprises Using Technology

There are many examples of social enterprises using technology to drive social change. One example is the non-profit organization, Medic Mobile, which uses mobile technology to improve healthcare outcomes in developing countries. Another example is the social business, Warby Parker, which uses e-commerce and digital marketing to sell affordable eyeglasses and support social causes.

Medic Mobile: Using Mobile Technology to Improve Healthcare

Medic Mobile is a non-profit organization that uses mobile technology to improve healthcare outcomes in developing countries. The organization has developed a range of mobile apps and digital tools that enable healthcare workers to collect and analyze data, communicate with patients, and deliver services more effectively. With the support of Medic Mobile, healthcare workers can now provide better care to more people, and improve health outcomes in some of the world’s most underserved communities.

Warby Parker: Using E-commerce to Drive Social Impact

Warby Parker is a social business that uses e-commerce and digital marketing to sell affordable eyeglasses and support social causes. The company has developed a range of digital platforms and tools that enable customers to purchase eyeglasses online, and to support social causes through the “buy one, give one” model. With the support of Warby Parker, people in need can now access affordable eyeglasses, and the company can drive social impact alongside financial returns.

Challenges and Opportunities for Social Enterprises

While technology is creating many opportunities for social enterprises, there are also challenges to be addressed. One of the main challenges is the digital divide, which can limit access to technology and digital platforms. Another challenge is the need for digital literacy, which can enable social enterprises to effectively use technology to drive social change.

Addressing the Digital Divide

The digital divide is a significant challenge for social enterprises, as it can limit access to technology and digital platforms. To address this challenge, social enterprises can work to provide access to digital devices, internet connectivity, and digital literacy training. This can enable more people to access digital platforms and services, and to participate in the digital economy.

Developing Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is also essential for social enterprises, as it enables them to effectively use technology to drive social change. To develop digital literacy, social enterprises can provide training and capacity-building programs for staff and stakeholders. This can enable social enterprises to effectively use digital platforms and tools, and to drive meaningful social impact.

Conclusion

In conclusion, technology is playing an increasingly important role in the social enterprise sector, enabling organizations to reach more people, improve efficiency, and drive meaningful change. From digital platforms to mobile apps, technology is helping social enterprises to scale their impact and achieve their missions. While there are challenges to be addressed, the opportunities for social enterprises to use technology to drive social change are vast and exciting.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a social enterprise?

A social enterprise is an organization that uses business principles to achieve a social or environmental mission.

How can technology be used to drive social change?

Technology can be used to drive social change by providing access to digital platforms, mobile apps, and other digital tools that enable social enterprises to reach more people, improve efficiency, and drive meaningful impact.

What are some examples of social enterprises using technology?

Examples of social enterprises using technology include Medic Mobile, which uses mobile technology to improve healthcare outcomes, and Warby Parker, which uses e-commerce and digital marketing to sell affordable eyeglasses and support social causes.

What are some challenges facing social enterprises in using technology?

Challenges facing social enterprises in using technology include the digital divide, which can limit access to technology and digital platforms, and the need for digital literacy, which can enable social enterprises to effectively use technology to drive social change.

How can social enterprises address the digital divide?

Social enterprises can address the digital divide by providing access to digital devices, internet connectivity, and digital literacy training, and by working to develop digital platforms and tools that are accessible and inclusive.

What is the future of technology in social enterprise?

The future of technology in social enterprise is exciting and rapidly evolving, with new digital platforms, tools, and innovations emerging all the time. As technology continues to advance and improve, social enterprises will have even more opportunities to drive social change and achieve their missions.

Introduction to Volatility

Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world in many ways feels even more tumultuous and unpredictable. And unlike five years ago, when the source of the disruption was a single, unknown pathogen, today’s volatility comes from myriad forces: global outages, AI, cyberthreats, new tariffs, trade wars, and, of course, economic concerns. For business leaders, the impulse may be to hit pause on planned initiatives and spending and wait to see how things play out. But here’s the thing: There’s no end in sight to this volatility.

Opportunity in Disruption

Yet there is opportunity in disruption — even in times as tumultuous as what we’re experiencing. Companies that thrive through volatility and come out ahead will master three critical domains: spending and resource optimization, change leadership, and risk management.

Key Areas to Master

To thrive amidst volatility, companies must focus on three key areas:

Ruthlessly Optimize Spend And Focus Resources

This is not the same as ruthless cost cutting, since reactive, brute-force budget cuts typically hurt more than they help. Instead, it’s about finding opportunities to streamline — by clearing out duplicative software, for instance, and renegotiating contracts when doing so would enable greater efficiency and savings. It’s also about reprioritizing (not pausing) modernization plans to help you be more nimble, secure, and prepared to make best use of AI and other game-changing technologies.

Take the same laser focus to understanding and serving your customers. Reevaluate your customer segments to determine who to prioritize, then double down on customer insights (leaning on zero-party data) to deliver stellar customer service.

Master Change Leadership

Adapting to perpetual change and volatility is exhausting. To be effective, leaders must act as stabilizing forces, providing confidence and clarity despite navigating terrain that most have never experienced. Recognize that leading in this climate takes balance — between keeping a steady hand on the future while meeting change at a moment’s notice and between people and processes. Employees may also be struggling with the effects of change, so develop bidirectional listening strategies and communicate transparently to maintain cohesion and engagement. Cultivate a culture of continuous learning and upskilling to foster adaptability and agility.

Embrace Risk Management

While you can’t control volatility from happening, you can manage it by taking a continuous, holistic approach to risk. Risks fall into three categories: 1) enterprise risks, or those connected to your strategy, business model, and other factors fully within your control; 2) ecosystem risks, or those arising from third-party relationships; and 3) external risks, which today encompass everything from tariffs and technology bans to pandemics and wars. During times of volatility, all business leaders must fully understand their specific risks, create scenario plans for addressing them, and have the best courses of action ready to ignite for whatever comes their way.

Conclusion

Mastering these three areas will equip you to not only thrive through volatility but also, potentially, to tap innovation and profit. By optimizing spend and resources, mastering change leadership, and embracing risk management, companies can turn challenges into opportunities for growth.

FAQs

Q: What are the three critical domains that companies must master to thrive through volatility?
A: The three critical domains are spending and resource optimization, change leadership, and risk management.
Q: How can companies optimize their spend and resources?
A: Companies can optimize their spend and resources by streamlining processes, renegotiating contracts, and reprioritizing modernization plans.
Q: What is the importance of change leadership in times of volatility?
A: Change leadership is crucial in times of volatility as it provides confidence and clarity to employees and helps companies adapt to perpetual change.
Q: How can companies manage risk in times of volatility?
A: Companies can manage risk by taking a continuous, holistic approach to risk, understanding their specific risks, creating scenario plans, and having the best courses of action ready to ignite for whatever comes their way.

Most chips today are built from a combination of customized logic blocks that deliver some special sauce, and off-the-shelf blocks for commonplace technologies such as I/O, memory controllers, etc. But there is one needed function that has been missing; an AI co-processor.

In AI, the special sauce has been the circuits that do the heavy-lifting of parallel matrix operations. However, other types of operations used in AI do not lend themselves well to such matrix and tensor operators and silicon. These scalar and vector operators for computing activations and averages are typically calculated on a CPU or a digital signal processor (DSP) to speed vector operations.

Designers of custom AI chips often use a network processor unit coupled with a DSP block from companies like Cadence or Synopsys to accelerate scalar and vector calculations. However, these DSPs also include many features that are irrelevant to AI. Consequently, designers are spending money and power on unneeded features.

Enter AI Co-Processors

Large companies that design custom chips address this by building in their own AI Co-Processor. Nvidia Orin Jetson uses a vector engine called PVA, Intel Gaudi uses its own vector processor within its TPCs, Qualcomm Snapdragon has its vector engine within the Hexagon accelerator, as does the Google TPU.

AI co-processors work alongside AI matrix engines in many accelerators today. But what if you are an automotive, TV, or edge infrastructure company designing your own AI ASIC for a specific application? Until now, you had to either design your own co-processor, or license a DSP block and only use part of it for your AI needs.

The New AI Co-Processor Building Block

Cadence Design has now introduced an AI co-processor, called the Tensilica NeuroEdge, which can deliver roughly the same performance of a DSP but consumes 30% less die area (cost) on an SoC. Since NeuroEdge was derived from the Cadence Vision DSP platform, it is fully supported by an existing robust software stack and development environment.

An AI SoC can have CPUs, AI block like GPUs, Vision processors, NPUs, and now AI co-processors to accelerate the entire AI workload. The new co-processor can be used with any NPU, is scalable, and helps circuit design teams get to market faster with a fully tested and configurable block. Designers will combine CPUs from Arm or RISC-V, NPUs from EDA firms like Synopsys and Cadence, and now the “AICP” from Cadence, all off-the-shelf designs and chiplets.

The AICP was born from the Vision DSP, and is configurable to meet a wide-range of compute needs. The NeuroEdge supports up to 512 8×8 MACs with FP16, 32, and BD16 support. It connects with the rest of the SoC using AXI, or using Cadence’s HBDO (High-Bandwidth Interface). Cadence has high hopes for NeuroEdge in the Automotive market, and is ready for ISO 26262 Fusa certification.

NeuroEdge fully supports the NeuroWeave AI compiler toolchain for fast development with a TVM-based front-end.

My Takeaway

With the rapid proliferation of AI processing in physical AI applications such as autonomous vehicles, robotics, drones, industrial automation and healthcare, NPUs are assuming a more critical role. Today, NPUs handle the bulk of the computationally intensive AI/ML workloads, but a large number of non-MAC layers include pre- and post-processing tasks that are better offloaded. Current CPU, GPU and DSP solutions required tradeoffs, and the industry needs a low-power, high-performance solution that is optimized for co-processing and allows future proofing for rapidly evolving AI processing needs. Cadence is the first to take that step.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the introduction of the Tensilica NeuroEdge AI co-processor by Cadence Design is a significant development in the field of AI processing. It addresses the need for a low-power, high-performance solution that is optimized for co-processing and allows future proofing for rapidly evolving AI processing needs. With its configurable design and support for a wide range of compute needs, NeuroEdge is poised to play a critical role in the development of AI applications in various industries.

FAQs

Q: What is an AI co-processor?
A: An AI co-processor is a specialized processor designed to work alongside AI matrix engines to accelerate scalar and vector calculations in AI applications.
Q: What is the Tensilica NeuroEdge AI co-processor?
A: The Tensilica NeuroEdge AI co-processor is a new AI co-processor introduced by Cadence Design, which delivers roughly the same performance as a DSP but consumes 30% less die area (cost) on an SoC.
Q: What are the benefits of using the NeuroEdge AI co-processor?
A: The benefits of using the NeuroEdge AI co-processor include low power consumption, high performance, and configurability to meet a wide range of compute needs.
Q: What industries can benefit from the NeuroEdge AI co-processor?
A: Various industries such as automotive, TV, edge infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, robotics, drones, industrial automation, and healthcare can benefit from the NeuroEdge AI co-processor.
Q: Is the NeuroEdge AI co-processor supported by a software stack and development environment?
A: Yes, the NeuroEdge AI co-processor is fully supported by an existing robust software stack and development environment, including the NeuroWeave AI compiler toolchain.