Braving the Pandemic
iSTEM, an EdTech Company

May 6, 2021 / ESG Matters
We are already about halfway through 2021; it’s been more than a year (and change) since the start of the global health crisis. Despite the situation, there have also been many positive developments, amongst which is the spotlight shining on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Current events have prompted the conversation to shift towards what we need to do to achieve a sustainable future and address the global challenges we face. 

As a result of the pandemic, the most prevalent SDG in the public eye may be “Good health and well-being” (SDG3) but there are other SDGs whose progresses have impacted and have attracted attention. In the Sustainable Development Report 2020, a report compiled through the joint effort of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Bertelsmann Stiftung teams, education and technology are among the six major transformations that society needs to recover and build back from Covid-19. Specifically, the report emphasises the need for ‘further investments in education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects’ (SDG 4: Quality Education).
Back in December last year, we had the pleasure of meeting Eva Chu and Eagle Chan at an Impact Alignment Workshop organised by ESG Matters for the Cyberport startup community. Coming from a technology and education background, Eva and Eagle are the founders of iSTEM AI Lab, a local EdTech startup.
After speaking to them a bit more, we discovered that Eva and Eagle’s goal is to promote STEM literacy in Hong Kong through creating learning courses that are both interesting and affordable. Their aim is to equip young people with the skills and knowledge needed to promote sustainable development, working towards achieving
SDG 4. 

Watch the interview to learn more about iSTEM AI Lab and the social impacts created.

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It’s undeniable that Covid-19 has resulted in changes to education dynamics, with a necessary adoption of eLearning. However, this transition has not been without its difficulties. They explained that a common problem with eLearning is the lack of interaction between teachers and students. Actually, it seems to hold true for all forms of virtual interaction—at some point, we’ve all experienced how easy it is to get distracted during remote meetings during the pandemic. How do they address this? To keep their students engaged, iSTEM AI Lab utilises artificial intelligence, virtual reality technology, and gamification to assist with virtual learning and teaching. Hands-on experiments and DIY science projects give the students an even more compelling sense of interaction. 

It is encouraging to see companies like iSTEM AI Lab being so passionate and working towards the SDGs, and we are optimistic that there will be many others in the future. Whether it be contributions to SDG3 or SDG4, it is important to emphasise that achieving the SDGs is essential to working towards a sustainable future. 
Further reading:
ESG Matters is a Green FinTech company offering digital tools and ESG-as-a-Service. Headquartered in Hong Kong and Copenhagen, ESG Matters was founded by Dr Glenn Frommer in 2014 and aims to address the global market through providing ESG BPO services. The enabling solutions help to achieve relevant SDGs and build resilience to climate change. Our flagship data management system, ESG Dashboard, makes easier data collection and conversion, emissions calculation and carbon audit.