Societal contribution
Removing barriers to education and skills in technology
committed to date
students directly supported
The Hg Foundation’s goal is to make an impact on the development of education and skills, with a view to improving quality employment prospects within the technology sector. The Foundation focuses on individuals from under-served backgrounds who may otherwise experience barriers to access. The Hg Foundation teams up with experienced and proven partners across Europe and the US, providing funding and operational support where they can demonstrate measurable, long-term and scalable impact. They work with leading researchers to qualify and build the most effective themes and access the best partners.
Hg expects to provide funding of £50 million in the next five to ten years, achieved by working alongside world class partners, and experts in the field.
As an example, we have increased the number of trained Mental Health First Aiders and we provide free access for all employees to Headspace, the most science-backed meditation app in the world. Hg has also continued to ensure that our employees have access to medical support through our GP network or apps, giving people round-theclock access to medical professionals, as well as annual medical and eye check-ups.
It is our ambition to increase the population of students, particularly disadvantaged students who are interested in and qualified to enter into a career in software and technology, through education in STEM, and in helping them with their first steps into work. Hg has built a position as the leading software house and tech investor in Europe. That is a unique position to be in. We have access to a fabulous network of knowledge, expertise and jobs.”
Tom Attwood
Chair, Hg Foundation
Hg Foundation Partnerships:
Imperial Further mA*ths Online
In association with Imperial College London, the leading STEM university in England, The Hg Foundation provides funding to combat the attainment gap for disadvantaged students in A-Level Further Maths. The Hg Foundation helps to prepare for quality employment opportunities in the technology sector. For those at an earlier stage who are interested in studying STEM subjects at university but have more of a disadvantaged background, the Foundation helps fund 450 students. In addition, an open access online platform will create a multiplier effect from 150 Further Maths teachers, reaching >2,000 users of all backgrounds.
This partnership, to which funding was committed in April 2021, will support 500 undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds who are looking to secure careers in the technology sector. Anyone who meets the criteria in the UK can apply. They will be offered a comprehensive programme of training, development and career opportunities. Hg’s portfolio companies will be able to participate with this programme through offering mentoring and work experience. The programme will also offer Digital Skills Training to a further 2,500 students.
The Hg Foundation, through SEO Career, sponsors high achieving Black, Latinx and Native American college students to land top careers in tech. Participants can be studying anywhere in the US. A 300-hour immersion programme for sophomores majoring in computer science, engineering and related fields prepares them for entry-level tech industry roles. Seminars, mentoring and internships maintain interaction with industry leaders, educators and recruiters. The programme has received some fantastic feedback from students so far:
“This has been one of the best summers I have had in a long time and one of the best experiences of my life. I learned so much, met so many people, and had so much fun. I am, because of having gone through this program, a much more confident developer/ person now. I learned so many things that I wouldn’t have otherwise like public speaking (I can still improve), collaborating with others, some concepts that I had never heard of, being able to take an idea, plan and bring it to reality and much more.”
Emile C.
“I loved this experience! It’s fantastic that more opportunities are being given to those who are underrepresented in the programming industry, and I hope this continues for a long time.”
Ariana H.
“I am very happy to have been part of this program because I feel more confident in my programming skills and believe I have learned a lot of valuable information I can take with me in the future.”
Demi B.
“I loved my experience with SEO this summer and what I’ve learned here I’ll take with me for the rest of my career. I appreciate the program and I have really gotten a lot of confidence in my programming skills. I really feel like I belong in Computer Science more and that I actually have a chance in the market of internships and work opportunities in the future. I’ve met so many great people and have learned so much I just really want to say thank you!”
Christian S.
The Hg Foundation’s programme with Generation France, started in July 2021, is aimed at bridging the gap between employers struggling to recruit entry-level talent with unemployed young individuals in France. It covers four core dimensions:
- Providing job opportunities within technology businesses.
- Volunteers and mentors from across the Hg network.
- An evaluation of the ROI and impact to assess effectiveness.
- Building out three new specialised training programmes for additional career opportunities.
The Hg Foundation was one of the founding funders of an online tutoring pilot, which laid the ground for the National Tutoring Programme. This is to help narrow the evident gap that the Covid-19 lockdown widened considerably between those children from advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds and runs across the UK.
The Technical University of Munich is a university of excellence in Germany and one of the leading universities in Europe. This new partnership offers girls and young women access to STEM programmes and a protected space to gain experience and knowledge. It is targeted at female students aged 14-16 from rural areas of Bavaria where access to extra-curricular programmes is limited.
The Hg Foundation proudly supports Merit America, a scheme to provide pathways to skilled careers for adults without bachelor’s degrees across America. It offers a comprehensive 26-week training programme via online learning and live support. The Hg Foundation is specifically sponsoring the data analytics and evaluation strategy workstream from this already successful programme.
The Tutor Trust is one of four tutoring charities involved with the pilot of an online tutoring model which supported the launch of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) and is based in the North West of England. As part of this project The Hg Foundation provided reconditioned computer hardware to pupils learning online at home, as well as tutoring services. This made a big difference during lockdown.
“The donation of laptops has enabled us to start the Tutoring Programme whilst the year group were self-isolating, rather than delaying the tutoring to a future date.”
Ruth Baldwin, Headteacher,
Waterloo Primary School
