Impossible is an innovation group and
incubator. It started as a gift economy platform created by
in 2013, and since then has expanded to other areas, mainly design and technology. Impossible claim to be working on client projects with potentially far-reaching impacts.
Impossible People
Impossible People (previously Impossible.com) is an altruism-based
mobile app
A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on d ...
which invites people to give their services and skills away to help others. Created by
, the app allows users to post something they would like to do or need so that others can grant their wish. In May 2013, Cole presented the app's beta in conjunction and with the support of
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a multilingual free online encyclopedia written and maintained by a community of volunteers, known as Wikipedians, through open collaboration and using a wiki-based editing system. Wikipedia is the largest and most-read refer ...
co-founder
Jimmy Wales
Jimmy Donal Wales (born August 7, 1966), also known on Wikipedia by the pseudonym Jimbo, is an American-British Internet entrepreneur, webmaster, and former financial trader. He is a co-founder of the online non-profit encyclopedia Wikipedi ...
at a special event at
Cambridge University
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
. It is the first
Yunus social business in the UK. The project became open source in March 2017.
Funding and support
In the past, the Impossible.com gift economy project received a grant of £200,000 from the
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for supporting the prime minister and Cabinet. It is composed of various units that support Cabinet committees and which co-ordinate the delivery of government objecti ...
’s Innovation in Giving fund. Other investors include Lily Cole herself and boyfriend and Impossible's co-founder, Kwame Ferreira. Donations of services from
Muhammad Yunus
Muhammad Yunus (born 28 June 1940) is a Bangladeshi social entrepreneur, banker, economist and civil society leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance ...
, Brian Boylan, chairman of
Wolff Olins
Wolff Olins is a British advertising agency and corporate identity consultancy. It was started in 1965 and has offices in London, New York City and San Francisco. It now employs some 150 designers, strategists, technologists, programme managers ...
, Tea Uglow, creative director for Google’s Creative Lab, office space and "angel investor" role from
Jimmy Wales
Jimmy Donal Wales (born August 7, 1966), also known on Wikipedia by the pseudonym Jimbo, is an American-British Internet entrepreneur, webmaster, and former financial trader. He is a co-founder of the online non-profit encyclopedia Wikipedi ...
, and legal services from
Herbert Smith Freehills
Herbert Smith Freehills is an international law firm with headquarters in London, United Kingdom and Sydney, Australia. It was formed on 1 October 2012 by a merger between the United Kingdom-based Herbert Smith, then a member of the "Silver Circl ...
bolstered the social network.
Mission Impossible: Lily Cole's new social network
" ''The Telegraph'', 23 Nov 2013.
References
External links
*{{Official, http://impossible.com
Industrial design