Two moms have taken on a global problem, trash. Rebecca Rockefeller and Liesl Clark developed and launched a simple-to-use, colorful web app to help us reuse the stuff that is no longer needed around our homes and offices. The site includes a huge directory of reuse and upcycle tutorials, reliable articles and infographics, sustainable alternatives to common single-use plastics, local recycling...
The Washington Global Health Fund awarded two grants to two Washington-based companies making an impact across the “bottom billion” around the world. $120,000 was granted to BURN Design Lab, the non-profit sibling of BURN Manufacturing, one of the Fledge “fledglings” from this summer. According to Peter Scott, founder of BURN, this funding will permit BURN Design Lab to...
A big THANK YOU to all the applicants for the Winter 2013 program. It is amazing the breadth of “conscious” ideas that exist around the world. That breadth was augmented by applications from over a dozen countries worldwide, plus a similar number of US states and Canadian provinces. In fact, what is quite nice to see in this latest round of applications are the number of applicants...
It takes far more than a business incubator to create a thriving ecosystem…
More money than ever is flowing into impact investing, yet many entrepreneurs creating companies that serve the poor still find it difficult to raise capital, particularly at the early stages of their company’s growth. (Originally posted on the Stanford Social Innovation Review) Husk Power Systems, a growing social business, burns rice husks to generate power and provide electricity to low...
What other city has a Mayor who can tell a story in just five minutes?
Listen below to Mayor Mike McGinn at Ignite Seattle talk about Seattle, the city of the future. A talk not too much different from his opening remarks at #SocEnt Weekend: Next 50, and at the opening of the Center for Impact and Innovation.
UPDATE: The workshop is over. If you are interested in future workshops, contact us and let us know of your interest. Working on a startup idea but don’t know the first step? Or the next step? Did you just complete a Startup Weekend, #SocEnt Weekend or other hackathon and wondering what comes next? Have you thought of a must-have product or service, but have no idea how to get from idea to...
The past month in Seattle has seen an incredible surge of efforts around sustainable, conscious, impactful business. Showcased across four events, more than four dozen emerging, impactful, social enterprises have shared their stories with the city and with the world. The tsunami of activity began on September 23rd at the Fledge “Demo Day”, where seven “fledgling” companies shared their visions...
Fledge is exceedingly happy to announce today that it has received certification as a B Corporation. What exactly is a B Corporation? These are companies which realize that capitalism can be a force of good in the world. Companies that can be a benefit to the world. The “B” in B Corporation stands for “benefit”. These are companies which believe that shareholder values...
What can be done to improve the world in a single weekend? A whole lot more than you probably think. The world is full of big, important problems. Issues of sustainability, pollution, community, unemployment, etc. The 50 attendees of #SocEnt Weekend: Next 50 spent last weakened with the goal of solving some of these problems, while learning about social enterprise and having fun doing it...