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Photo Essay: Santa Clara University Hosts Magis 2014 – Celebrating Global Social Entrepreneurship

On a beautiful Sunday evening in mid May 2014, hundreds of social entrepreneurs, mentors, funders, leaders, professors, and faculty members gathered for a gala to honor two individuals in the social enterprise space as well as to further the global dialogue about mission-driven ventures.The inaugural dinner named Magis—the Latin term for “more” (i.e. as in more strategic, or better) highlighted the work of the Center for Science, Technology, and Society (CSTS) and its long-running Global Social Benefit Institute which has over 200 alumni social enterprises that have positively impacted nearly 100 million lives since the program launched over a decade ago. It also recognized and honored the work of Graham Macmillan, former Sr. Director of VisionSpring ( social enterprise dedicated to ensuring the distribution of affordable eyewear) and Sally Osberg, President and CEO of the Skoll Foundation (one of the institutions that support GSBI).Santa Clara University is no newcomer to social enterprise. As learned through an Innov8Social audio interview the Center of Science, Technology, and Society Director Thane Kreiner—-the Global Social Benefit Institute (GSBI) has a rich history in the space, and Thane’s own experience as a serial entrepreneur in the health sciences arena informs and inspires his work at CSTS. The department also hosts an annual GSBI Accelerator Showcase, which features pitches from current participants. (Coverage of the 2013 GSBI Showcase here.)

Though the Magis showcase & dinner evening was seated in elegance and dressed to the nines, one of its most glimmering accessories was the humility of its participants. From Master of Ceremonies Thane, to featured speakers, and award recipients, to the esteemed guests, there was an honesty and authenticity in engaging in value-driven work, understanding the reason behind the work, and the long and often challenging road in launching ventures that seek to improve lives in addition to employing an entrepreneurial mindset. In this space, just as with any niche, there can be a tendency to gild individual contributions or the sector itself, or brush past known challenges and failures. But the tone of Magis, perhaps due to its firm roots in the Jesuit tradition or because the presence of so many active social entrepreneurs in the evening’s program, was one of engaging in dialogue, of furthering conversations, and of finding ways to help each other better understand and support the space.

Photo Essay: Santa Clara University Hosts MAGIS — Celebrating Global Social Entrepreneurship

Sunday, May 18, 2014

A pre-event slideshow featured various GSBI and social enterprise projects and initiatives.

Final touches before attendees are seated.

One of the social enterprises featured at the tables was WE CARE Solar— a portable solar-powered off-grid electric system to power electricity in hospitals that do not have steady electricity. Co-founder Dr. Laura Stachel spoke about her experience in starting this organization on a panel at Kiva in 2013.

Mexico-based social enterprise Prospera, a 2014 GSBI participant, empowers female-led micro businesses with consulting and training and connects them to conscious citizens and consumers looking to create a more equal and engaged society. See the beautiful video they created to explain their work.

Solar Ear, a Brazil-based social enterprise, tackles the daunting World Health Organization statistic that over 6000 million people worldwide have some form of hearing impairment. It develops high quality and affordable solar-powered hearing aids, produced by deaf people to hearing impaired ones in deprived areas.

GSBI mentor Amanda North has turned social entrepreneur, with Artisan Connect— an online marketplace for quality home goods made by artisans in developing countries. Read about how witnessing the 2013 Boston Marathon explosion shifted Amanda’s focus from her corporate work to starting this social venture.

Gemma Bulos, Director of Global Women’s Water Initiative, a nonprofit and GSBI alumnus, explains the organization’s work in training and building a movement of local women water experts to address water issues, that affect them the most. GWWI focuses on Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania and has trained over 200 women to build over 30 rainwater harvesting systems, that provide over 300K liters of clean water to their communities. (see their impact infographic)

Sankara Eye Care Institutions, a 2014 GSBI participant, aims to eradicate preventable and curable blindness in India by providing free high quality eye care to millions of rural poor. Over the span of 35 years, Sankara’s network has grown to 11 eye hospitals, 120+ doctors, 600 paramedical professionals, and over 250 support staff–that have collectively impacted an estimated 40 million people.

Launched in 2010 and a GSBI alum of 2013, Ilumexico is a social enterprise comprised of a for-profit and nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting development in rural areas through solar-powered electricity systems, with a focus on last-mile distribution.

The Magis showcase evening program started with statistics outlining some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Statistics and initiatives from organizations such as the World Wide Hearing, based in Jordan, were featured in the slideshow. WWH, a current GSBI participant, provides provides access to affordable, high quality hearing aids to children and youth with hearing loss in developing countries.

Thane Kreiner, Executive Director of Santa Clara University Center of Science, Technology, and Society served as Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

A brief video outlining innovation and social impact was shared.

Jim Koch, the founding Director of CSTS introduced the first Magis award.

Thane and Jim presented the award to Graham Macmillan.

2006 GSBI participant and former VisionSpring Sr. Director Graham McMillan accepted the inaugural Magis Award for his work in field and his continuing work within the social enterprise sector, now in a funding role. To date, 2 million people have access to affordable eyewear as a result of VisionSpring’s work. He related the near-death experience he faced in the wake of 9/11 and how it changed his view on everything and inspired his work in social impact. “We are aspirationalists” said Graham of his fellow social entrepreneurs. You can see a NextBillion video interview with Graham here.

Kirk Hanson, Executive Director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics introduced second Magis Award recipient, Sally Osberg.

Sally Osberg, President and CEO of the Skoll Foundation, spoke about her experience and pragmatism in supporting the social enterprise space and the honor and “shame” associated with the term “social enterprise”. You can watch a Skoll video featuring Sally here.

The dialogue continues! Catching up with social enterprise attorney Barbara Krause after the event.

May 27, 2014/0 Comments/by neetal

Event

Do the Most Important Thing – Paul Graham, VC and Founder of Y Combinator

“Do the most important thing.” – Paul GrahamSimple, elegant, and something that has likely been said over millennia—this has been the phrase that has echoed over and again in my mind since I saw Paul Graham speak at the 2014 Launch Festival in San Francisco.

Paul Graham, at Launch Festival 2014

In his afternoon keynote on the first full-day of the conference (Monday, February 24, 2014), Paul shared what he has learned at the helm of Y Combinator (YC)—arguably the accelerator that catalyzed the launch of hundreds of other accelerator and incubator programs designed to spur innovation and provide an alternative pathway for thinkers and founders to become companies. He reflected on the past decade, the kinds of founders YC has selected in the past, his changing role in the organization, and his announcement that he will be stepping back from day-to-day operations at YC.

He said that when he meets with founders he often prods them to identify their most important next task—-and to focus on doing exactly that thing.

It is apt advice for the entrepreneur and especially so for a mission-minded social entrepreneur serving multiple stakeholders.

All too often founders can get distracted, sidetracked and perhaps overwhelmed, causing them to spread ourselves thin and focus on multiple targets simultaneously. But, in practicing Paul’s advice, much of the surrounding noise dissipates and is replaced with focused attention and follow-through.

I hadn’t heard Paul speak before, and was struck by his easygoing, open style. After hearing him, I imagine this as a typical, garden-variety talk between Paul and a founder:

Paul: “Hey [Founder], so what’s the most important thing right now?”

Founder: “X”

Paul: “Yeah, go do that.”

March 24, 2014/0 Comments/by neetal

Event, social innovation

San Jose Hosts Social Innovation Leadership Forum 4/5/13 [PHOTOS]

The City of San Jose, San Jose State University, and host of other organizations hosted the second annual Social Innovation Leadership Forum at the Santa Clara County Office on Friday, April 5th 2013. While the event had an opening speaker and closing session, it was on the whole set up unconference style.

SJ Social Innovation Leadership Forum (4/5/13)

Do government + social innovation mix?

It was fascinating to see a city government as the primary host of a conference on impact-oriented innovation. Innovation–by nature–involves doses of failure. Governments, as entities, generally tend to be risk-averse in policy-making—opting for tried and tested solutions over highly-experimental ones. It was hopeful to see that governments realize that if we want the most innovative, most impactful solutions requires an ecosystem of innovation. With that comes the best of innovation (i.e. viable solutions) and its worst (i.e. huge failures). That this event implicitly acknowledged that pendulum swing was a telling sign about the reach and increasing maturity of those who embrace social innovation.

Unconferencing

After opening remarks, attendees entered a room with plenty of butcher paper, markers, and tape to suggest new topic ideas. After making the 20 second pitch of their unconference session idea, participants voted on their favorite ideas.

Hosting an unconference session

Having recently co-hosted a social innovation unconference of our own recently, I was excited to try the similar problem + solution brainstorming we utilized there in this setting. I proposed a session on identifying problems we see in our local areas and identifying solutions available and how those solutions could be improved upon. About a half-dozen folks participated in the session and after introductions about our areas of interest and expertise, we dove into identifying issues we see that are ripe for innovation. The exercise was eye-opening because individuals were approaching it from very different vantage points and perspectives. Students viewed the issues of San Jose from a completely different lens than the City Councilmember who also participated.

Since the session was brief, we didn’t have a chance to dive very deep into brainstorming solutions, but it was empowering to connect on the topic with a small group of people focused on identifying local issues with specificity, and creative solutions they have seen or considered.

Here are a few resources on the SJ Social Innovation Leadership Forum.

June 20, 2013/0 Comments/by neetal

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