This week we sat down with Yoann Fol, CEO and Founder of Dathappy. Yoann shared his passion and, well, mission. And not a small one, so fasten your seat belt and read on!
So, tell us what Dathappy is about?
Dathappy is a social enterprise incorporated in Singapore. We provide hassle-free solutions to begin or improve Data Analytics journey.
We do two things:
- We offer high-level consulting at CxO level (typically to help them with their Data strategy)
- We run a “Data for Good” project factory. We support several organizations to deliver concrete results on actual projects involving data science
In fact I incorporated the company a year ago. I decided to take the time to really understand the market in Singapore and Southeast Asia and test it with several key projects. The results and traction have been incredible and today we have a very clear strategy and 2019 is about scaling the business.
Why did you want to build this venture?
Good question! Well after a few years and several jobs, including for large companies, I started to wonder how I could have more impact with my work. I saw there was a growing interest from the public for everything “for good” or “impactful”, and as a Data Scientist I also knew the jobs and work around data was more structured. So I had this idea of combining both the Data and the Social Impact aspects.
I was already in Singapore when decided to start Dathappy. I travelled many countries and stayed in local communities. I met a lot of small organizations trying to improve the life of people there. I felt there was something wrong between the huge resources of large companies -sometimes not used in an optimal way- and the immense need of these local organizations.
When I look back on this period, I never made so much progress on the offer and business model of Dathappy than when I was travelling. And this is how I really understood my mission: no one should be left behind in the data economy.
“Tech for good” is very broad, do you have a specific focus?
It’s true, tech for good can be sustainability, diversity, pollution, healthcare, etc.
In principle I don’t filter out any topic when talking to clients, But I need to feel motivated by their problem, the story behind it and their passion. So the filter is really the alignment of values and mission.
Beyond that, from a personal perspective, I really enjoy working on project that have a social impact. Ultimately I want to make sure everybody can really make use of their data and be seen as an data expert.
Very ambitious! How do you do that?
Dathappy really is an enabler, everything is indirect. We help organizations have more impact, and we do it by helping them be more knowledgeable and effective with their data. The goal is to build a community of people
For instance we’re currently working on a programme that enables people to become a Data Analyst in 3 months, with a community centered on Southeast Asia (Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar). We’ll have a batch of 30 people and most things happens online, and a few physical workshops to engage the community. We’re all in the same community, have access to the same curated content (articles, technical tutorials, etc.
In fact what’s missing today is not the technical knowledge -there’s lots of good, free resources. What’s missing is two things: how to find it and navigate through it, and how to apply it on concrete projects that matter to you. We’re fixing these two aspects, which provides people with a unique opportunity to acquire hands-on experience and build a portfolio of projects they’ve done.
If you want to get involved or know more, we host an event on April 17 on this topic. It will have a unique format around ideation sessions so that everybody can get value from their data. Register here!
Your whole business is articulated around a community, right?
Totally. I remember, working as a consultant the period between assignments is never fun because you feel like an interchangeable “resource”.
The community is key to our business: everybody must feel we’re in this together, that we’re on the same boat. There’s no boss or hierarchy of persons, because we want to create a movement: this is how we can have an impact and bring value. The only thing that rallies the members is the shared vision we’ve built. It really is crystal-clear and brings value to the community.
Awesome. A last word to our readers?
If these values resonate, just join us! You can contact me anytime so join the movement!
More resources
Website: https://www.dathappy.com/
Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dathappy/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dathappySG/
