10/2/2017 Miranda Holloway, Media Communications Specialist
Johego, a nonprofit tech start up founded by a CEE graduate, won Washington University’s Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition.
Written by Miranda Holloway, Media Communications Specialist
Founded by Michael Kehoe (BS CEE ’10), Johego connects social workers, police officers, and other public servants with services for people in need. Using data science and community organizing, Johego collects, prioritizes, and verifies information for social service workers.
The information is available in a free app, where public officials can see options for shelters, mental health treatment, medical facilities, and other essential services.
Johego won out of a field of 154 entrepreneurs and organizations. The competition aims to help ideas and start-ups further their plans into high impact social enterprises.
“Winning the SEIC was both satisfying and motivating,” Kehoe said. “For Johego, it represents a credible validation of the technology and business model we’ve developed to help social workers, police officers, and other public servants connect people in need with essential services: overnight shelter, medical assistance, mental health treatment, and more.”
Kehoe launched the app initially in the Hannibal, MO, area. He got the idea after seeing a social worker help a homeless man find a hot shower, a meal, and a place to get help with immigration troubles.
“For me, that very vividly demonstrated how information could transform someone’s life within a matter of minutes,” Kehoe said. “I got excited by the possibility of what if not just a select few, but literally everyone with a smart phone had such information at their fingertips.”
Kehoe interviewed different social workers and police officers to understand their needs and where they run into issues finding relevant, up-to-date information.
Since its beginning, Johego has expanded to other counties in northeast Missouri and Kehoe is working to partner with other organizations to expand the services and reach of the app.
“The award is particularly timely, as we’re currently working to scale our operations based on the success of our pilot project in and around Hannibal, MO,” Kehoe said. “I’m excited to see what the next year will bring!”