All around the world, entrepreneurs are starting companies to solve some of the world’s biggest environmental and social problems. These are the companies of the 21st Century. So why should these cutting-edge companies use ancient corporate structures? Benefit Corporations, LC3s, Social Purpose Corporations–these are the latest innovations in governing mission-focused businesses for the...
Less than 2 months into beta, Trash Backwards is now being featured on the Data.gov website, a site created by the U.S./Federal Government as part of the Obama Administration to make government more transparent to its citizens. Trash Backwards is one of only two web-based applications featured on the site. In addition, the State of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental...
For news on sustainable, clean, green, conscious companies, visit BloomTimes.com If you are an entrepreneur with a story of such a company, submit a story about your company. Talk about your (potential) impact on the world, the problem you are solving, and how your company is unique. If you are an impact investor, submit a story about your investments. What made you excited about those companies...
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...