Kuaishou Technology Launches ‘Social Impact Institute’

On Apr. 16, Kuaishou Technology, developer of leading short video applications with the same name, announced the launch of the Kuaishou Social Impact Institute.

The institute is a new research arm in partnership with world-leading academic institutions to assess the impact of Internet technology on the alleviation of poverty and overall social impact.

Participants of the Kuaishou Social Impact Institute include Oxford University, the University of Birmingham, Peking University, Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Renmin University of China and Tsinghua University.

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Following 16 million users earning incomes through Kuaishou, many use the platform for a living. The institute aims to empower users to create their own sustainable e-commerce businesses, with an emphasis on impoverished households.

According to Kuaishou, it has helped users from impoverished rural backgrounds in China generate $2.8 billion USD in revenue in 2018.

The “Kuaishou Rural Entrepreneurship Incubation Program” has been an ongoing pilot program that began by educating 20 participants on how to set up and run business operations.

The company has also helped farmers and rural households raise sales of locally-produced products in 2018.

Kuaishou reportedly offers new users an equal opportunity for their content to be seen by viewers and turn their content into a viable social e-commerce business.

“Kuaishou is on a mission to use our technology ethically, to both solve major societal issues and create real social value,” said Su Hua, founder and CEO of Kuaishou Technology.

Featured photo credit to Reuters