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In 2014 Josh Rowley was working in the South Bay in the technology industry—advising start-ups with outside-the-box business strategies. At the same time Don Yang, an aerospace engineer and South Bay resident for 25 years, was operating a small nonprofit that was struggling to complete a skate park for impoverished children in the Philippines. Don sought Josh’s counsel in technology as a means to finish the project. Soon after meeting, they combined their passion for philanthropy and technology by founding Givebox—a technology company dedicated to helping nonprofits.
Josh and Don’s research showed that most nonprofits cannot afford modern technology, so they vowed to give philanthropic organizations access to free premium fundraising and banking tools. To accomplish this, Josh proposed a solution: develop a financial technology (fintech) platform for nonprofits. Today Givebox provides charities with direct access to what they need most: progressive, secure financial and fundraising tools that previously only the largest organizations could afford.
But why headquarter Givebox here? “We chose the South Bay as our home base because of our community’s dedication to philanthropic causes,” shares Josh. “We want to accelerate charitable missions through fintech while showcasing the South Bay as an emerging technology nucleus.”
Indeed, South Bay residents are known for their generosity. It’s been reported that local residents donate a greater percentage of their income to philanthropic causes than do Californians as a whole. And Givebox has removed the middle man, ensuring more donations reach those causes.
Thanks to Givebox, philanthropy now has an ally in the world’s financial ecosystem. As Don says, “Through financial technology, Givebox is helping nonprofits upgrade their fundraising for this new technology age.”
