Australian startup Agents for Humanity will represent Australia on the world stage after winning the national final of the United Nations AI for Good competition.
The philanthropy-focused AI platform created by Enterprise Monkey helps under-resourced NGOs and charities access AI-powered expertise for free.
The startup, founded by Geelong entrepreneur Aamir Qutb, will travel to Switzerland in July to compete with innovators from around the world at the United Nations’ AI for Good Global Summit.
AI for a better world
AI doesn’t always have the best reputation, with critics warning of everything from job loss to existential apocalypse. But the AI for Good competition reminds us that technology can also be used to make a meaningful positive impact.
Led by the International Telecommunications Union and in collaboration with more than 50 United Nations agencies, the initiative supports AI solutions to global challenges such as poverty, education, healthcare, and climate change.
Our annual summit and innovation factory competition showcases startups leveraging AI to positively impact society.
For Qutub, Enterprise Monkey’s selection as the Australian winner of AI for Good Australia 2026 reflects a deep desire to make artificial intelligence more accessible and useful to the organizations that need it most.
“AI was supposed to do good in the world. Somewhere along the line, AI lost that promise. Agent for Humanity is my attempt to bring it back,” Qutb says.
give strength to those in need
And he is the one who brings it home.
Agents for Humanity is a free platform that supports organizations and social enterprises to solve complex problems.
Qutb explains: “There are about 10 million organizations on the planet trying to do good, but almost all of them run into the same three walls: no funding for research, no handbook of best practices, and no connection to people doing the same thing elsewhere.”
Agent for Humanity works to remove these barriers by not charging for access to a team of AI agents who can investigate problems, challenge assumptions, and turn ideas into actionable, usable plans.
How it is done using the platform is very simple.
After submitting a real-world challenge, teams of AI agents are assigned expert roles such as researcher, critic, verifier, and synthesizer.
“Rather than spouting off one confident answer, have a thorough discussion (there’s far less fabricated and biased content when multiple models discuss an issue),” Qutb says.
“What comes back is not just advice, but living solutions.”
The “quiet magic,” he says, lies in the platform’s shared memory, tapping into an ever-growing knowledge base.
“If someone in Kenya has already solved your problem, or there is a U.S. curriculum model that fits, the agent will grab that instead of starting from scratch.”
Unlike many AI startups focused on commercial gain, Agents for Humanity aims to help its supporters.
“These organizations are full of enthusiasm but lack resources,” says Qutb. “Agents for Humanity provides free research, global best practices, and implementation packs that leading agencies take for granted.”
From family to global platform
For Qutub, the motivation for building the platform was deeply personal.
Growing up in an impoverished region of India, he saw firsthand how community and social change initiatives can change lives.
His late mother started an educational program for girls to learn tailoring and embroidery skills so they could earn an income and support their families. When she died, his father continued her work.
Mr Qutb himself received formal education, graduating as a mechanical engineer and MBA student, but faced employment challenges when he arrived in Australia.
“I applied for 300 jobs and got rejected for 300,” he says.
Eventually, he worked as a cleaner at Avalon Airport while continuing to pursue opportunities in the technology field.
That period was a turning point. He founded a software company, Enterprise Monkey, and later launched Agents for Humanity.
“Our titles have changed a lot, from engineer to janitor to founder, but the one thing has always been the same: using technology to solve real, important problems,” he says.
beyond geneva
As Geneva approaches, Qutb says he’s focused on the big picture.
“The real goal is bigger than any event: a world where good deeds are not limited by who has the budget, strategy, or connections.”
When Enterprise Monkey won the AI for Good award in Perth, Qutub says the moment was heartening.
“When our names were announced, I closed my eyes and I saw my mom smiling at me, like she was really proud of what I had done.”
He also remembered the words she would say…
“When you feed someone, you feed a family. But when you empower someone to take action, you lift up an entire community.”
It seems that AI can definitely be a force for good if used correctly.
