Working with >200 social enterprise, nonprofits and governments to improve health, education and livelihoods in the Americas, Africa and South-East Asia, Turn.io powers life-improving conversations through a chat platform and impact community to scale access to trusted information, empathetic support and vital services.
With more than half the world’s population lacking access to essential health services Turn.io is making it 120x faster and 14x cheaper for organizations to deliver services that improve lives through evidence-based tools, AI chat builders, playbooks and accelerators. In 2024 social impact organizations using the Turn.io platform reached more than 12 million people with life-improving services.
“We are witnessing a fundamental shift in how vital services are delivered across the Global South. Conversational technologies, enhanced through AI, will become a cornerstone of every impact service—from healthcare and education to social protection,” said Simon de Haan, co-founder & CTO of Turn.io.
As a pioneer in the social impact space, Turn.io powered the first ever impact service built on Whatsapp through MomConnect over a decade ago. After spinning out of Reach Digital Health (formerly Praekelt.org), Turn.io’s growth as a global Public Benefit Corporation is being accelerated with $3.5 million in strategic funding from a consortium of investors, including Impact Ventures. Turn.io is set to advance its product development pipeline and integrate responsible AI capabilities to enhance health service delivery for those that need it most.
Through a globally distributed team, partnerships with leading health organizations e.g., United Nations and World Health Organization, alongside their Chat for Impact Community, Turn.io is now at the forefront of shaping how Generative AI may be harnessed for health in LMICs. From launching their inaugural GenAI Accelerator in collaboration with OpenAI and The Agency Fund, to addressing the challenges of health service scalability through their centralized GenAI-powered helpdesk, Turn.io is unlocking the benefit of technology across several high need healthcare areas, including:
Youth Health Support: Chat solutions are providing culturally relevant, relatable health content that empowers young people to make informed decisions about their physical, sexual, and mental well-being.
Maternal & Infant Health: AI-powered maternal health services are offering resources and reminders to pregnant women, improving access to immunisations and early health interventions to directly address maternal and infant mortality in underserved areas.
Mental Health Support: The use of Chatbots that are private and available 24/7 are helping people in underserved communities manage anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts by reducing stigma and connecting them to vital resources.
Efficient Healthcare Access: Automated triage and appointment booking systems have made services more accessible.
“Turn.io’s commitment to close the digital divide and make quality healthcare accessible to more people has long been shared by Impact Ventures team,” says Sarah Mullane, Health Technology Director. “AI chat solutions are not just about efficiency, they’re about empowering healthcare workers, reducing administrative burden and enhancing decision-making so that they can focus on patient lives, not paperwork. We are excited to support Turn.io as they fast-track the development of responsible AI-chat solutions that benefit healthcare workers and patients by connecting people where they are at.”