The inspiration: The “Free Rice” website is both an educational tool and a way to help end world hunger. The website is sponsored by advertisements and the concept is easy; you’re given a word and need to find the synonym. For each answer you get correct, 20 grains of rice are donated to end hunger. There is also a digital bowl that gets filled with rice so you can see the impact you are making.

The idea: I discovered this website when conducting research for Wokai and started thinking. Imagine if there were more educational websites that also have a social benefit. Rather than browsing entertainment gossip or playing online games, everyone could achieve great benefits. For instance, there could be an SAT review website that provides sample questions and for each answer you get right, an ounce of water could be donated to children. That way, you answer eight correct questions and provide a child a cup of clean water. Review companies such as Kaplan and Princeton Review and colleges and universities would pay to advertise on this website because they could easily reach their target market.

The idea: A website the allows people to upload or find fotos of their clothes and post them online to their online closet. Then they can invite other users to help them find an outfit for a certain occasion. Example: “Jenny has a blind date with Joe, at a casual sushi place downtown, what should she wear?!” then other users can recommend and vote on the best outfit based on the clothes jenny already has….a sort of community fashion policing.