In this issue: Advancing the UN's SDGs; the nexus between energy poverty & climate change; a spiritual summer No Images? Click here
Implementation in action: one community advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development GoalsOne community made up of 25 social business leaders, 63 executive mentors, and 18 social enterprises is tackling all but four of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals This community formed in January, where it began its journey together through the GSBI In-Residence accelerator program. This August that journey culminated with 10 days at Santa Clara University where Silicon Valley’s best talents and teachings collaborated with the world’s most innovative social change makers to examine how to scale solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Problems these social entrepreneurs have taken on by answering the questions: How might we help the 4 billion people living in poverty get into the middle class? How do we get affordable, clean energy to the 1.6 billion without electricity? How do we provide clean, safe drinking water to the 750 million without? At the end of our 10 days together, the entrepreneurs also had answers to the questions of: how do you create and track social impact, how does the business model work, what is the growth strategy, are the financials credible, and, how effectively are you managing the operations of your business? If you are interested in their answers, I invite you to watch these powerful video presentations, and read these overview profiles. The enterprises presented above carry the courage, brilliance, grit, and visions of the leaders, teams, and beneficiaries they represent. They also encompass the dedicated mentorship and guidance from professionals who accompanied decades of tacit knowledge into 18 audacious, infinitely important missions. I invite you to join our network of 900+ social entrepreneur alumni by applying to our programs, 200+ executive mentors, 100+ student fellows, and growing community of supporters. For those already on the journey with us, I thank you. Cassandra Staff
Solve Energy Poverty, Solve Climate Change?
by Allison Archambault Less than two weeks ago, Global Social Benefit Institute (GSBI®) double alumna Allison Archambault was on campus at Santa Clara University for our annual 10-day In-Residence accelerator. Jam packed with master classes and one-on-one mentor meetings, the entrepreneurs are pushed to hone in on simplified messaging in preparation for the culminating event: the GSBI Investor Showcase. Yet, when asked whether her focus was solving energy poverty or solving climate change, Allison was flummoxed. How could she declare one over the other when the causation and correlation between the two are intricately intertwined? Building energy access is about solving poverty. And, solving energy poverty can also help solve climate change. Allison explores the purpose of her work, why lack of infrastructure makes it easier to build than disrupting the status quo, and why it doesn’t make sense to build 20th century power systems in 2018 in this blog post.→ COME TO CAMPUS FOR A PANEL DISCUSSION & MOVIE SCREENING ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 | Join producer of "HAPPENING: A Clean Energy Revolution" and executive director of The Redford Center, Jill Tidman, along with GSBI alumna Anya Cherneff from Empower Generation / Pollinate Energy and Sister Corinne Florek, OP, Executive Director of Religious Communities Investment Fund to discuss how social entrepreneurship is significantly contributing to energy access globally and how investing in social enterprises can enable high impact social, environmental, and economic returns. Click here to register.→
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS SPIRITUALITY | In his latest blog, Executive Director Thane Kreiner explores the intersection of social entrepreneurship and spirituality as he reviews Miller Center's summer of social entrepreneurship programs. Read more here.→
In the news, announcements & moreCYGNI ENERGY RAISES $6.4 MILLION | Having deployed its products in 20,000 homes and impacting the lives of 100,000 people in India, Cygni Energy, a Solar-DC solutions start-up, has raised $6.4 million through a combination of equity and debt to fuel its expansion. A participant in Energy Access India, a program run by Miller Center and New Ventures, with the support of USAID, Cygni Energy manufactures efficient solar controllers. Read more here.→ FUNDING PATHWAYS TO SCALE | Reporting from the GSBI Investor Showcase, cohort participants, mentors, and impact investors share their thoughts on the role of grants to fund pathways of scale for both nonprofits and for profits. Read the Devex article here.→ AN ALTERNATIVE TO VC FINANCING | A form of capped dividend, the demand dividend investment model addresses a variety of challenges associated with VC funding, including the “exit” problem that keeps entrepreneurs up at night. To read more about this structure pioneered by Miller Center's Executive Fellow & Sr. Director Impact Investing Innovation John Kohler, click here.→ A REGISTRY FOR HUMANITARIAN GIVING | In a recent episode of the PBS television show SciTechNow, Miller Center Social Entrepreneurship at the Margins social enterprise, NeedsList, is recognized as an innovator in humanitarian relief. The platform created by NeedsList matches the wishes of donors to the needs of communities in crisis. Recent NeedsLists include clothing for migrants in Greece and air miles needed to reunite families separated at the US border. Watch the episode here.→ TURN UP THE VOLUME | KCBS Radio met with Miller Center staff and GSBI entrepreneurs at our annual Investor Showcase. Listen in here.→ HELPING THE HELPERS | Miller Center's Social Entrepreneurship at the Margins (SEM) program was featured on The Valley Catholic. Described as unique and pioneering, the program enables social entrepreneurs to make a difference in the lives of refugees, migrants, and human trafficking survivors. Read more here.→ SCU OFFERS NEW CERTIFICATE PROGRAM THIS FALL | The Silicon Valley Executive Center has launched its newly-designed Certificate Program, Pathways to Impact Investing. This Executive Program is designed for asset managers, asset owners, and mission-driven organizations and foundations with an interest in learning about impact criteria as an alternative vehicle to make a social or environmental difference. Emphasizing the Theory of Change, the program will help you understand investment terms, areas of focus for diligence, term sheet construction, how funds are constructed, and impact portfolio modeling. Featured speakers at this 3-day program include John Kohler, Miller Center's Executive Fellow & Sr. Director Impact Investing Innovation, and Bob Webster, Managing Director at Small Enterprise Assistance Funds (SEAF). To enroll, click here.→ NOW HIRING | GSBI alum LifeNet International is searching for a Finance & Administrator Director based in Washington, DC. Apply here.→ FREE ONLINE COURSE: BUSINESS ETHICS FOR THE REAL WORLD | This online course is self-paced and offered by Santa Clara University's world renowned Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. Offered from September 10-October 19, those who complete this course will receive a letter of completion sent by email and digital badge. Click here to enroll.→
Out & about with Miller CenterMiller Center for Social Entrepreneurship is a pioneer when it comes to accelerating social enterprises, so you'll find our team at a variety of events across the globe. We're actively accompanying entrepreneurs on their journeys and sharing our learnings with others in the ecosystem. If our paths may cross, please reach out to us - we'd enjoy connecting! Please note some listed events are not open to the public.
Missed one of our newsletter editions? Click here for Miller Center's newsletter archive. ABOUT US Miller Center's Global Social Benefit Institute (GSBI®) helps social entrepreneurs help more people. Since 2003 we have accelerated over 900 social entrepreneurs, who have raised over $940M, and positively impacted the lives of over 320M people. Unless otherwise indicated, all images and photography are property of Santa Clara University. © 2018. GSBI is a registered trademark of Santa Clara University. All Rights Reserved. |