Last Wednesday InSight visited Hub Ventures, a new startup accelerator for social entrepreneurs located in downtown San Francisco. There we joined a packed house to watch as seven companies presented their “pitch” to potential investors at Hub Venture’s Demo Day. Each of the seven companies had eight minutes to sell their businesses in hopes of securing funding. Most companies leveraged technology to create more efficient methods and tools for tackling social problems. The seven companies included:
Acopio – offers tools and services to help collect, manage, and share data along the agricultural value chain for coffee producers in Nicaragua
Africa’s Talking – provides an API that allows developers to connect more easily to mobile phone networks across Africa and deploy basic mobile applications
CheckInOn.Me – a proactive, automated personal safety system designed for mobile devices – a “virtual buddy system”
DIIME – dedicated to combating disparities in maternal and infant health through the design of appropriate medical devices for low-resource settings
Givkwik – makes charitable giving easy, fun and social by allowing users to donate small amounts to non-profits in an online social forum
Project Repat – “upcycles” excess textiles into fashionable clothing accessories while creating fair wage employment opportunities in the U.S.
RefuelMe – a service for teens and parents that lets teens earn money and rewards just by driving safely
We had a great time watching these real-life social entrepreneurs in action pitching their companies to prospective investors. The entrepreneurs were passionate, engaging, and inspiring; we’re hoping some of their social enterprises will receive funding.
Congratulations and good luck to all of the companies that presented at Demo Day!
Be sure to check out more on these social enterprises and Hub Venture’s Demo Day HERE.
Also, stay tuned for research from InSight on supportive public policies for U.S. social enterprise.