How did you come up with your solution and what inspired you to form your company?
In 2016, we piloted “OnTrackPH”, a proof-of-concept algorithm for matching millions of infrastructure records across data silos. We were able to link 3 different Philippine government databases—each with identifiable data—and accurately match records in a fraction of the man-hours needed to do so manually. We noticed that record matching was a common problem for many NGOs and government agencies across developing countries. We wondered whether we could build a better version of our tool that can handle different types of records, is more user-friendly, and designed with underserved organizations in mind. The concept for “OnTrackPH 2.0” was born – a web platform that would allow any individual to easily match disparate datasets and download merged files.
How did your team come together? What is your team’s MO and drive towards the problem you’re trying to solve?
We’re a startup whose mission is to build data systems for humans. We care deeply about the community we live in, and want to build a great data science institution in the Philippines. Our team members share a drive to use technology to make a positive impact. As individuals, all of us have had great careers in various sectors, but we’ve chosen to work together because we think it takes a holistic team to shape a future where AI elevates humans. We believe in open data, open source, open AI, and building great technology ecosystems.
What do you plan on doing with UNICEF’s Venture Fund investment and how will you use that to leverage raising follow-on investment?
We will use the support from UNICEF Venture Fund investment to improve our record matching algorithm and build a web tool available for students, NGO analysts, journalists, and citizen users. Additionally, we will be developing impact-focused use cases for the platform, in collaboration with long-standing Thinking Machines partners such as the World Bank, Teach for All, and Save the Children. A successful proof-of-concept will allow us to validate the business model we need to scale the technology globally.
Photo Credits | © Thinking Machines