James Da Costa all the way from London is passionate about people, technology, and social good. He is Co-Founder of Mandala Group and a Regional Director for Hult Prize Foundation.

With truly global exposure and experience he works across rural sectors in the Social Impact space and is a Startup Community veteran.

The Hult Prize is the world's leading platform for the creation and launch of for-good, for-profit start-ups emerging from universities. Annually we invest over $10 Million USD into a network of 100,000+ students, from 2,000+ Universities in over 100 countries. James is jointly responsible for the regional round of the competition, delivering 16 Regional finals across 16 cities around the world.

Mandala Group creates Impact Apps, connecting low-income communities to essential services such as healthcare, education, and finance. James has worked in the Mobile for Development across China, India, and Kenya - building six different technology products, including a marketplace for coconut farmers in Kenya and helping illiterate mothers read to their children in India through basic mobile phones. As well as daily operations, James is Head of Community at Mandala Group.

James loves travelling to unique locations to challenge his own ideas and perceptions, including spending a week in North Korea.