Bethnal Green Ventures Application (Winter 2026)
Target: Tech For Good Programme (£60k investment) Status: DRAFT Based on: KB Analysis
1. What problem are you solving? (200 words)
The "Hidden" Epidemic. Official statistics state that 13,231 people slept rough in London last year (CHAIN 2025). This is a record high, but it is just the tip of the iceberg. Crisis research indicates that for every visible rough sleeper, there are ~15 "hidden homeless"—people sofa-surfing, sleeping in cars, or in temporary accommodation.
These "Inbetweeners" (63% of whom are new to the streets) are digitally excluded from support. They possess smartphones but avoid traditional, stigmatised "homeless services." As a result, they remain invisible to the system until they reach a crisis point, costing the state £20k+ per person/year in emergency interventions.
The current system relies on "word of mouth" in an era of rapid churn. Users travel miles to find a shelter that is full or closed. Providers operate with zero real-time data on demand, leading to massive inefficiencies. We are solving the "Information Gap" that keeps people on the streets.
2. What is your solution? (200 words)
HelpmApp: The Waze for Social Services. HelpmApp is a Progressive Web App (PWA) that connects people in crisis to 3,527+ real-time verified services (food, shelter, health, legal).
Unlike static directories, HelpmApp is:
- Real-Time & Offline: Our "Zero-Cost" infrastructure (Vercel/Supabase) ensures the map works even without data signal—critical for users with pay-as-you-go voids.
- Gamified: We use behavioural nudges (the "Star System") to encourage engagement. Users check in to services to earn trust points, which unlocks rewards (phone credit, travel cards).
- Predictive: By digitising this user journey, we build the first-ever real-time dataset of "Hidden Homelessness" demand. Recent studies (LA Policy Lab) prove that predictive targeting using such data can reduce homelessness by 71%.
3. Why are you the right team? (150 words)
Lived Experience meets Tech Scalability. We are a Community Interest Company (CIC) with an "Asset Lock" to ensure mission integrity.
- Tech: Built by senior engineers using modern, scalable tech (Next.js 16, PostgreSQL). We have already shipped v3.1 to production with zero ongoing infrastructure costs.
- Insight: Our governance includes people with lived experience of homelessness, ensuring our UX avoids the "digital barriers" common in government apps.
- traction: We have 260+ active services mapped and a growing user base. We are not an idea; we are live infrastructure ready to scale.
4. How will you use the £60k? (100 words)
We will use the BGV investment to transition from "Product" to "Platform":
- Data Engine (£30k): Finish building the "Provider Analytics" dashboard. This turns our usage data into actionable insights for Borough Councils, validating our B2B SaaS revenue model.
- Growth (£20k): Launch the "Digital Peer Advocate" program—hiring people with lived experience to onboard users.
- Ops (£10k): Legal/Admin to secure ISO27001 compliance for NHS data integration.