Make a Difference Institute

What Make a Difference Institute does

Make a Difference Institute (MaD) is a Hong Kong-registered non-profit organization (Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance) operating a regional platform for youth-led social innovation and creativity across Asia. Founded in 2009 as an anchor project of the Hong Kong Institute of Contemporary Culture and established as an independent entity in 2014 under the chairmanship of Ada Wong, JP, MaD delivers four core programmes: MaD School (cross-disciplinary secondary education since 2012, funded primarily by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust); MaD Social Lab (community co-creation methodology applied to local issues, including the Social Prescribing Lab focused on elderly loneliness); MaD Festival (annual gathering attracting 1,300+ young people from 100+ Asian cities); and MaD Good Lab (a year-round initiative co-presented with Henderson Land since 2011). Supporting sub-programmes include Ceramics for Care, SATA Satellite, Creative Prescribing Lab, Minna no Tsukemono, and Studio in-Situ/Studio in School, producing Creative Commons-licensed Source Books and toolkits.

Name

Make a Difference Institute

Legal name

Make A Difference Institute Limited

Website

https://mad.asia

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Make a Difference Institute (MaD) is a Hong Kong non-profit platform running cross-disciplinary education (MaD School), community co-creation experiments (MaD Social Lab), and an annual youth changemaker festival, serving young people, secondary students, and vulnerable groups across Hong Kong and 160 Asian cities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hong Kong

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered non-profit under Section 88 of the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Ordinance, MaD relies primarily on donations and grants. Donations can be made via direct bank transfer to Make a Difference Institute Limited (Shanghai Commercial Bank) or by crossed cheque.
2. Foundation and Trust Grants: Major multi-year grants from foundations including The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (primary funder of MaD School since 2012), Swire Trust (Creative Prescribing Lab), ZeShan Foundation, Philip K.H. Wong Foundation (Social Prescribing Lab 2.0), and others for specific programmes.
3. Programme Fees (Nominal/Self-determined): Some MaD School programmes have open or self-determined fee structures where participants decide what the programme is worth to them, creating a sense of ownership and commitment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Make a Difference Institute (MaD) is a Hong Kong-registered non-profit that runs community-based social innovation programs for youth, students, and elderly populations. Its core offerings are MaD School (cross-disciplinary education for secondary students), MaD Social Lab (community co-creation experiments using a proprietary methodology combining anthropology and design thinking), the annual MaD Festival (a regional gathering of Asian changemakers), and MaD Good Lab (a year-round initiative co-presented with Henderson Land). Specialized programs address elderly loneliness through social prescribing, ceramics-based community wellness, and art-tech exploration.

Product overview

Make a Difference Institute (MaD) is a Hong Kong-based social innovation platform offering a diverse portfolio of programs and resources. The core offerings include MaD School (cross-disciplinary education), MaD Social Lab (community-based experimentation and co-creation), MaD Festival (annual creative gathering), and MaD Good Lab (collaborative innovation with partners). These are supported by specific programs like Creative Prescribing Lab and Social Prescribing Lab for community health, SATA Satellite for art-tech exploration, and Ceramics for Care for community wellbeing. Educational resources include Source Books, MaD Reel videos, MaD Library, and MaD Talks. The platform operates under Creative Commons licensing for educational content and focuses on fostering creative civil society through participatory programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jockey Club Make a Difference School: Cross-disciplinary, socially relevant, innovative and action-oriented education programme funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust
• Jockey Club Make a Difference Social Lab
• MaD Good Lab
• MaD Festival

Products and services

• MaD School (Jockey Club Make a Difference School) A cross-disciplinary education platform funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, offering socially relevant, innovative and action-oriented learning experiences for secondary school students in Hong Kong, including thematic seasons, trips, and student programmes.
• MaD Social Lab A community experiment field where youth, kaifongs (community members) and stakeholders co-create, research and prototype solutions for healthier community life using MaD's unique Social Lab co-creation methodology that combines anthropology, design thinking, and rapid prototyping.
• MaD Festival
• MaD Good Lab A year-round initiative co-presented with Henderson Land, inspiring and supporting young people to do good with creativity through innovative programmes.
• Social Prescribing Lab 2.0 Community-based project mobilizing community resources to localize social prescribing in New Territories West (Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai), training link workers to connect seniors with community resources to address loneliness and enhance wellbeing.
• Creative Prescribing Lab Social prescribing project in Taikoo and Quarry Bay using stories, co-creation, and Social Prescribing to transform unheard voices into creative community actions addressing loneliness and intergenerational connection.
• Ceramics for Care Handbuilding ceramics programme providing creative respite and community bonding for mothers, cleaning workers, elders, wheelchair users and their carers through collaborative ceramics practice.
• SATA Satellite: Exhibition & Workshops
• Minna no Tsukemono Community-based project at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field 2026 exploring preserved food traditions and sharing joy through 'fuku wo wake' (sharing blessings) via eating and takeaway experiences.
• Social Prescribing Toolkit
• Tseung Kwan O in Our Own Words (Guidebook)
• A Date with Plants Source Book

Quantifiable outcome

• 138,000+ people have taken part in MaD-led programmes since 2009
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• QuarrysidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organiser of Creative Prescribing Lab with MaD Social Lab, working in the Quarry Bay and Taikoo community to transform unheard voices into creative community actions.
• Caritas Hung Shui Kiu Community Development ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in Social Prescribing Lab 2.0, providing local reach and infrastructure for connecting senior buddies to community resources in New Territories West.
• Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service – Hong KongcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in Social Prescribing Lab 2.0, contributing to the link worker training and elderly community connection network.
• Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council (NAAC) – Tuen Mun/Yuen Long Rural Village CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in Social Prescribing Lab 2.0, supporting the expansion of social prescribing services into rural New Territories West communities.
• Health In ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner in Social Prescribing Lab 2.0, providing health sector expertise and connections for the community health prescribing initiative.
• Our Hong Kong FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic evaluation partner for Social Prescribing Lab 2.0, providing assessment and impact measurement for the social prescribing initiative.
• Art Promotion Office (Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong SAR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organiser of Hong Kong House at Echigo-Tsumari Art Field 2026, presenting the Minna no Tsukemono community-based project as part of the internationally renowned biennial art festival in Niigata, Japan.
• Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Executive CommitteemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on the 2026 Echigo-Tsumari Art Field, where MaD and Art in Hospital jointly present the Hong Kong House with the Minna no Tsukemono project showcasing preserved food traditions and cross-cultural community connection.
• The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (Department of Art and Design)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternship programme collaborator for Hong Kong House at Echigo-Tsumari Art Field 2026, providing student intern support for the project.
• Take a Break Studio (Jockey Club Peoples' Art Connective)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative under Jockey Club Peoples' Art Connective that opened doors for stressed mothers to ceramics in 2020, which evolved into Ceramics for Care with MaD's partnership.
• Caritas Residents Mutual Help Centre – Kwai ChungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in Ceramics for Care, hosting ceramic sessions and providing participant access for the care and wellbeing programme.
• Caritas Labour-Friendly Communities ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation in Ceramics for Care, bringing cleaning workers and labour-friendly community members into the programme.
• Hong Kong Lutheran Social ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Ceramics for Care, supporting elder and carer participation in the programme.
• LC-HKS Rhythm Garden Lutheran Centre for the ElderlycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Ceramics for Care, enabling elderly residents to participate in ceramics-based community wellness activities.
• 1st Step AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in Ceramics for Care, supporting wheelchair users and their carers in the inclusive ceramics programme.
• SATA (Society Art Technology Asia)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist-led platform exploring the intersection of art, technology, and society. MaD collaborates on SATA Satellite exhibition and workshops, showcasing artistic reinterpretations of traditional Hong Kong shops through Bio Art, Sonic Art, Graphic Art, and Electronic Art.
• PMQ (Pseudomonas Design Centre)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for SATA Satellite exhibition and workshops at Hub@PMQ (S710-711, Block A, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central), providing the physical space for the public art-tech programming.
• Henderson Land GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of MaD Good Lab with MaD since 2011, supporting round-the-year initiatives that inspire and support young people to do good with creativity.
• Art Promotion Office (Leisure and Cultural Services Department)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner listed in MaD's core network, collaborating on arts and community programmes including the Hong Kong House at Echigo-Tsumari.
• Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment department collaborating with MaD Social Lab on park experiments and public space initiatives. LCSD deputy director Dr Louis Ng noted the value of the lab approach in bringing new thinking to public service improvement.
• Public Lab for Open Technology and Science (New York)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational social innovation organisation. Liz Barry (Director of Community Development) participated in MaD Forum, and MaD helped build collaboration between Public Lab and Greenovation Hub in Guangzhou, enabling knowledge transfer across Asian communities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ashoka: Global social entrepreneurship network identifying and supporting leading changemakers. Ashoka Hong Kong runs comparable programmes for youth changemakers and fellow networks, sharing MaD's foundation-funded model and pan-Asian ambition.
• Impact Hub: Global network of social innovation hubs providing co-working space, programmes and community for changemakers. Impact Hub Hong Kong operates a similar model of community-driven social innovation, cross-sector convening and youth engagement as MaD.
• Junior Achievement Hong Kong: Youth-focused education non-profit offering entrepreneurship, work-readiness and financial literacy programmes to Hong Kong secondary school students. Directly comparable to MaD School's secondary school programming in target audience and education-oriented mission.

Broad incumbents

• The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS): Umbrella organization for Hong Kong's social services sector representing 500+ agency members. Operates a much broader portfolio than MaD but shares the social welfare mission and convenes many of the same NGO, government and foundation stakeholders.
• Heifer International Hong Kong: Hong Kong operations of a global poverty alleviation non-profit focused on community empowerment and sustainable development. Comparable foundation-funded, community-based programme delivery model with similar Hong Kong donor audience.
• Caritas Hong Kong: One of Hong Kong's largest social services NGOs providing community, elderly, youth and family services. Operates in many of the same communities as MaD, including Tuen Mun and Yuen Long, and is a community partner on Social Prescribing Lab 2.0.
• St James' Settlement: Major Hong Kong social services organization offering elderly, youth, family and community programmes. Operates across multiple service areas similar to MaD Social Lab's community focus, but at a substantially larger scale.
• Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong: Hong Kong chapter of global housing non-profit focused on community development and volunteer engagement. Shares MaD's community-driven, foundation-funded model but specializes in housing rather than creativity and social innovation.

Others

• Our Hong Kong Foundation: Hong Kong public policy think tank active in elderly welfare and community health research. Serves as a strategic evaluation partner for MaD's Social Prescribing Lab 2.0 and shares overlapping interest in population ageing policy.
• Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale: Internationally renowned Japanese contemporary art festival held in Niigata Prefecture every three years. MaD is co-presenting Hong Kong House at the 2026 edition, reflecting shared interest in community-engaged art, rural revitalization and cross-cultural exchange.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCiFwxfq53o1t9GwEMTcoHww
• Facebookfacebook.com/hkiccMaDasia
• Instagraminstagram.com/mad_asia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/make-a-difference-institute

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Make a Difference Institute