This Week in Social Entrepreneurship

On February 15, the Fuqua School of Business is hosting The Duke Net Impact 2012 Conference, Sustainable Business and Social Impact. This year’s theme, Disrupting the Status Quo, will highlight the innovations that have broken the mold by creating innovative business models to tackle some of the world’s toughest social issues. The conference includes 16 panel sessions and keynote addresses by Jill Dumain from Patagonia and Laura Callanan from the Social Sector Practice at McKinsey.  An added bonus for students—your admission is free. Register before tickets sell out!

The School for Social Entrepreneurs is recruiting for its Dartington, UK 2012 Start-Up Fellowship course. The 6 month course brings together a cohort of 15-20 students who have ideas they are looking to launch. It provides students the resources they need to make their ideas a reality. Course trainings include legal structures, marketing and branding, financial management, business planning, pitching, partnerships, and management. The deadline to apply is Monday, February 13. 

If you are in Seattle on the weekend of February 24, you have to check out #SocEnt Weekend. Organized by Hub Seattle and Nsansa, #SocEnt Weekend is a meet-up for aspiring social entrepreneurs looking to put their ideas into action. On Friday night, all participants are welcome to pitch their ideas in 60 seconds  Everyone votes on their favorite ideas, and the most popular ideas make it to the next round where teams are formed. On Saturday, teams work on developing their ideas and on Sunday they all participate in a pitch competition in front of judges who are leaders in the field of social innovation. This is your chance to take the plunge into social entrepreneurship with #SocEnt Weekend. 

Join Ashoka’s Changemakers for a Twitter Date on Valentine’s Day this year. The Changemakers will be hosting a #SocEntChat in conjunction with the 1440 Foundation focused on empathy and its impact and future. Share your thoughts on empathy with other social innovators and connect with others in a meaningful way this Valentine’s Day.

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, are you joining Shopanthropic’s #GlobalLove Campaign? Show you care this Valentine’s Day by shopping ethically—be aware of where the products you purchase are coming from, the conditions they are made in, and consider the environmental impact they are having on the world.  Tweet #GlobalLove on Valentine’s Day and let everyone know what fair-trade, ethically made gift you got for the one you love this year.   

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Social entrepreneurs, have you been inspired to start your own good?  Do you have a social enterprise, a non-profit, or an amazing idea that needs some momentum to take off?  Visit our site to find out how to start your own campaign today.  Still have questions?  We have answers—check out our FAQ section.