DataKind is a nonprofit organisation, founded in 2012, that designs and builds data science and AI-powered tools aimed at addressing social challenges. Its work spans four main areas: frontline health, humanitarian action, climate resilience, and economic opportunity. The organisation places human-centered design at the centre of its product development and emphasises scalability in the tools it produces.
DataKind traces its origins to a 2010 blog post that called for data scientists to apply their skills for social good. Within a week, more than 300 people had responded. That initial signal grew into a global community now numbering over 30,000 volunteers and supporters, organised through chapters in Bengaluru, San Francisco, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Washington DC. Fast Company has named it one of the top 10 innovative nonprofits.
The organisation combines technical work in data science and AI with community organising and movement building. Its approach brings together product innovation, human-centered design, and a distributed volunteer base to develop tools intended for use at scale in the social sector. DataKind works with nonprofits and other social-sector organisations as its primary partners and end users.
