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Zinc exists to build and scale a brand-new way to solve the most important social problems faced by the developed world. With each program, Zinc focuses on specific 鈥榤issions鈥� to unite, mobilise and gather the best talent, knowledge and capital that are needed to break through a social impact challenge with purpose. Within each of their missions, they run a twelve-month Venture Builder and Academy programmes that help individuals to have a positive impact.

This week sees the beginning of an intensive full-time 12-month program for 70 individuals whose mission is to create ventures that will help every child and young person to maintain good mental and emotional health. According to the *Mental Health Organisation, 75% of children and young people who experience a mental health problem aren鈥檛 getting the help they need.

Zinc VC is committed to investing in the 70 founders and the ventures they will build during the programme, which will create better, more accessible and more effective solutions to ensure that every child and young person can grow to become a healthy adult, living a thriving and fulfilling life.

The fund has carefully selected a highly diverse cohort of global founders who are fully committed to the same mission and who are all-in to build a set of brand new scalable businesses.

The group of founders include senior professors, ex-Premier League footballer, high-flyers from giant tech companies like Facebook and Amazon, doctors, serial entrepreneurs who want to have a social impact, creatives from the performing arts, teachers, psychologists, and many others.

The founders will be supported by more than 100 visiting fellows who are industry leaders in their domains, such as Mustafa Suleymen the co-founder of Google Deepmind, and Professor Peter Fonagy Chief Executive, Anna Freud National Centre for Children & Families.

UK Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi said:

鈥淲e know the past year has brought additional challenges for many children and young people, which is why we鈥檝e prioritised getting them back into the classroom and made their mental health and wellbeing a central part of our pandemic response, alongside levelling-up opportunities for all. Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people has never been more important. I am delighted to see 70 entrepreneurs stepping up to address this challenge at Zinc. As an entrepreneur myself, I know how exciting and challenging it is to create and scale a new business. I am looking forward to seeing the fruits of their hard work.鈥�

Ella Goldner Co-Founder at Zinc VC, commented:

鈥淶inc provides a unique platform for ambitious and driven entrepreneurs who want to build a new business that will solve one of the most pressing issues we鈥檙e facing today, which has exacerbated during the current pandemic. We鈥檙e hugely excited to be backing such an extraordinary cohort of diverse, passionate, skilled and experienced founders.鈥�

Commenting on the 10-year commitment they have made to build a new company to tackle this crisis, Kevin George, former Premier League Footballer said: 鈥淚’m excited about the opportunity to harness my experience and passion for sports and psychology to change kids lives鈥�

Alison Metcalfe, a professor and a former university Pro-Vice-Chancellor commented: 鈥渉aving spent over 20 years in Academia I am looking forward to working in a dynamic, experimental environment to turn my experience and knowledge into new innovative products鈥�.