SENO World Beat

senoblog — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 22:47:56 +0000

Weekly Trends, June 30 – July 8th

Not just for fun

Mayur Patel’s article for the Stanford Social Innovation Review, “Playing Games and Getting Results,” profiles a real life social innovation game created to increase investment in targeted neighborhoods in Macon, Georgia. Participants in “Macon Money” were allotted half of a bond of a game currency. In order to spend it, each player had to find a partner who has the other half of their bond using personal connections, social functions, or the game’s Facebook page (each partner had several possible mates). Once two matching bondholders connected, they were allowed to spend their currency at participating local businesses. Follow this link to learn more about Macon Money.

While the adults are having fun, kids are upping the ante by introducing competition into their social innovation games. Junior Achievement – Young Enterprise designed a Social Innovation Relay in which teams of students ages 15-18 from participating countries race one another to develop social solutions to a specific problem. The top teams are invited to compete in the finals by presenting their solutions virtually in front of an HP jury. Learn more about the program here, or explore student group projects by participating country here.

Reflections and Perspectives

Lara Gallinsky, the vice president of Echoing Green, offers her perspective on the evolution and current trends in social entrepreneurship in an interview with Social Velocity.

Social Innovation Europe magazine reflects on lessons presented in the “This is European Social Innovation” project meant to galvanize and unify the efforts of European social innovation policy makers. Read about it in this article.

Events

India’s National Social Entrepreneurship Forum (NSEF) recently hosted a Student Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Meet in Bangalore on July 9th and 10th. The two day summit offered college chapter participants the opportunity to attend sessions with social entrepreneurs, business magnates, corporate moguls and government authorities in order to to “bridge the talent inequity in the social sector and foster ecosystems where social change catalysts are created and supported.” Learn more about the group and the conference here.

Root Cause opened the application cycle for the ninth annual Social Innovation Forum. Similar to SENO’s Accelerator Fellows program, Social Innovators have the opportunity to pitch their ideas in order to win start-up funding, a consulting package, and assistance with data tracking for the following 18 months. Root Cause “is a nonprofit research and consulting firm that partners with nonprofits, philanthropy, government, and business to advance solutions to today’s toughest social issues.” Have a great idea that involves assisting risk-youth, improving nutrition, aging healthily, impact investing, STEM education, or workforce development in the Massachusetts area? Hurry, the application cycle ends August 3, 2011.

On the west coast? Sign up to participate in or attend Vator Splash in San Francisco. Participants will pitch their idea or start-up company in front of a live audience and judges. The top ten ideas will receive a professional video made of their pitch, a one-hour sit-down meeting with Javelin Venture Partners, a $500 credit at Amazon Web Services, and a magnum of wine to help you celebrate your brilliance.

A SENO shout out to Elizabeth Shephard, Chief Sustainability Officer and founder of LifeCity, on her recent invitation and participation at the Impact Economy Convening at the White House. Elizabeth Shephard is the . Ms. Shephard pitched Life City at last year’s Pitch Nola event at Tulane University. Read about The Aspen Institute’s take on the importance of this event here.

SENO mention in City Business!

senoinnovates — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:39:59 +0000

10 N.O. startups focused on social issues to get big boost from professionals

by Jennifer Larino, Staff Writer

June 29th, 2011 · No Comments · Blog

Social Entrepreneurs of New Orleans will kick off a new accelerator program this week to connect local, socially minded startups focused on improving public education and healthy food access with resources.

Ten high-social entrepreneurs will participate in the New Ventures Accelerator, a 10-month program that provides pro-bono technical assistance in areas such as legal, accounting, website design and marketing.

SENO Executive Director Andrea Chen said the accelerator was developed as social problems in New Orleans shifted from fixing street signs to a lack of parent choice in education. “The problems now are less accessible,” Chen said.

They also require the type of innovation Chen said New Ventures is intended to grow. Chen and other SENO leaders worked with Echoing Green, the social entrepreneurship nonprofit that helped fund Teach for America, to design the program.

Startups will work with an assigned consultant, pro-bono professionals and executives to structure their businesses and establish connection within the New Orleans business community.

Leaders such as Dr. John Elstrott, professor of entrepreneurship at Tulane University and chairman of Whole Foods Markets, and Linda Stone, founder of The Green Project, have worked with SENO to mentor entrepreneurs in the past.

“We’re trying to build a small army of pro-bono professionals,” Chen said.

Chen said the accelerator will expand outside of its public education and healthy foods focus with its 2012 class.

Here is a rundown of this year’s participating startups:

- Take A Shine – An online crowdfunding solution for underprivileged students to raise money for college

– New Orleans Food Co-Op: A food co-op looking to open a community-owned grocery in the Lower Ninth Ward

– Jack and Jake’s: A fresh and local food retail market

– Good Citizen: Consultants dedicated to improving the relationship between schools and the community

– Rural Revolution Co-Op: A support network for female entrepreneurs

– Sheaux Fresh Sustainable Foods: A family-owned healthy gardening firm

– Future Prep: A counseling firm to guide parents and students through school choice in New Orleans

– Youth Rebuilding New Orleans Schools: A nonprofit that purchases and renovates homes for school teachers

– Matter : An industrial design group for social needs initiatives

– Localsource.it: An online directory of digital media professionals

It’s worth mentioning that two of the 2011 participants are registered as L3C firms, a sign that the controversial new incorporation may be gaining traction in the New Orleans business community.

Tags: Andrea Chen·education·L3C·Social Entrepreneurs of New Orleans·startups