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While social entrepreneurs have emerged in every sector and nearly every market, they often lack the high-level business, management, and strategy skills that have propelled the private sector to its remarkable growth. We aim to leverage our expertise in management education and training to develop and deliver the world's best executive training for social entrepreneurs. Our pioneer ISEP program, launched in 2005 and running annually in both our Fontainebleau and Singapore campus, has established itself as the most valuable for program for leading social entrepreneurs and the entry ticket into a valuable life-long network of support and knowledge sharing. More fundamentally, we aim to organize our faculty and bring our academic expertise to bear upon the unique challenges faced by social entrepreneurs. Our research agenda aims to foster a two way dialogue: advanced management thinking is applied to the challenges of social entrepreneurs while the innovative approach of social entrepreneurs is leveraged back into business research and corporate practice. The social entrepreneurship initiative is housed under both INSEAD's Social Innovation Centre and the Rudolf and Valeria Maag International Centre for Entrepreneurship. The Social Innovation Centre is a premier hub for research and learning on the connection between business and society. The Maag Centre is the catalyst at INSEAD for innovations in entrepreneurship research, teaching and outreach.

"Entrepreneur Commons is a platform to support entrepreneurs through self-help groups and loans. The fund is managed by a not-for-profit social network of entrepreneurs - a support platform that can scale, and that also provides a way to screen deals, based on inclusion of every entrepreneur into the process rather than exclusion through a competitive process. It is especially useful to social entrepreneurs, for whom the regular funding processes do not really work. And it simplifies the investment decision for social investors because success can easily be measured - when the beneficiary businesses are social businesses and loans (with rates that can be benchmarked against market returns) are paid off, then the social investor can be satisfied that he has done his part."

"about equilibrium capital group we are helping to build the leading companies that are defining sustainable commerce. our strategy is to invest in growth equity stage companies in the areas of green building, food shed, & resource management (in particular, waste and water management). sustainability trends are impacting both the cost structures and the product needs in each of these three sectors. the companies we target are not technology centric companies & are often overlooked. they have three common attributes: 1. brands that have created loyalty and reputation in their markets, but where their eventual value has yet to be harvested. what money can't buy is the authenticity of these brands and the degree that these entrepreneurs have build business models that execute sustainability throughout their product and business processes. 2. team/entrepreneurs that have a passion for these businesses. these are not in general people that have entered these sectors yesterday after reading about it in the Economist or the WSJ. these are pioneers and business people that are building lasting enterprises that serve these emerging market needs. these entrepreneurs see our work in the public policy of sustainability and in public service as value statements of our ability to understand them and their businesses. 3. operating in large & high growth market segment. our strategy is to partner with these entrepreneurs to unlock these levers, fuel enterprise value growth in these fast growing markets and create the leading companies in their sectors…while holding true to the values behind the brand. our goal is to build the leader in sustainability rooted investing. at the end of the day, it is about access and scope of opportunity. via our earned access in these sectors, we have surfaced and are gaining access to a significant number of these unique deals that fit this profile. "

The School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) exists to provide training and opportunities to enable people to use their creative and entrepreneurial abilities more fully for social benefit. SSE supports individuals to set up new charities, social enterprises and social businesses across the UK. The SSE runs practical learning programmes aimed at helping develop the individual entrepreneur and their organisation simultaneously: our approach, and belief, is that social change is people-powered, and that the most valuable assets and resources we have are human ones. Each programme combines specific elements designed to provide an intensive, complete package of support that meets the needs of social entrepreneurs. This person-centred approach has been independently proven to create sustainable, thriving organisations that provide significant, lasting social and economic impact. The school was founded in 1997 by Michael Young (Lord Young of Dartington), a social innovator who'd previously launched the Consumers' Association, the Open University and around 40 other organisations. Following successful Millennium Awards programmes around the UK, the SSE expanded outside its base in Bethnal Green, London, and the network of SSEs around the UK continues to grow. Over 500 SSE Fellows have completed programmes around the country. SSE is a registered charity (1085465) and a company limited by guarantee (3900741).

Our mission is to ignite a national movement of young social entrepreneurs who align people, planet and profit. We are a community hub for young social entrepreneurs, and a grower of their social enterprises. Now two years in the making, YSEC was founded by a group of 20-somethings whose experiences as community organizers made it crystal clear that something needed to change. We saw young people in the social sector squeezed by huge expectations but sparse resources: no professional guidance, business education, access to funding, lack of credibility, and the list goes on. YSEC is our response. It is a front-door to the social sector - a hub for connections, education and support of young people in social enterprise.

"The Ultimate Guide to Social Entrepreneur Funding"

"Entrepreneur CommonsCM is a not-for-profit for and by entrepreneurs, dedicated to helping them through peer-support groups. "

About SOCAP10 Today a new form of capitalism is arising that recognizes both the power and efficiency of market systems and the ability to direct them toward social and environmental issues leading to a more balanced set of "returns." Early efforts by social entrepreneurs and enlightened investors have given rise to "Social Capital Markets" that include affordable housing, clean technology, microfinance, fair trade and many other socially focused enterprises. SOCAP10 convenes the major players and emerging thought leaders in the field to discuss innovative ways to expand those markets and bring socially responsible investing and the channeling of capital to SMEs and grassroots business organizations into the mainstream. We want to talk about where private sector dollars can work at venture start up speed without being encumbered by laborious engagement with government structures who have complex theories of change. We'd like to bring funders to the table to talk about how they can co-invest and what restraints there are around the capital, including expectations and desired impacts. We'd like to bring NGO's and entrepreneurs to the table to talk to the ways they are working with government to make their programs more effective. We want to bring government to the table to talk about the channels they are opening for private and public partnerships. We need to change the way we do business, as individuals, organizations and government institutions. We want to prove that it is possible to do well by doing good.

"Green and Social Venture Capital One potential source of funding for green and social entrepreneurs is venture capital (VC). Venture capital firms generally make equity investments in enterprises beyond the seed stage of development. In addition to financial resources venture capital firms can provide business guidance and other resources to entrepreneurs. Many traditional venture capital firms now have dedicated funds and staff that focus on one or more aspects of environmental or social responsibility. In addition, some VC firms (sometimes known as "social venture capital firms") explicitly incorporate additional investment criteria, such as social or environmental benefits, in their mission and investing activities. This page also includes links to some relevant "angel investors." Angel investors generally provide capital at an early stage of an enterprise's development, prior to the period of investment by traditional venture capital firms."

"Green and Social Venture Credit and Lending One potential source of funding for green and social entrepreneurs is through loans and credit. Some banks and other institutions that include a focus on supporting green and social entrepreneurs are listed below."

"Ashoka is the global association of the world's leading social entrepreneurs-men and women with system changing solutions for the world's most urgent social problems. Since 1981, we have elected over 2,000 leading social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows, providing them with living stipends, professional support, and access to a global network of peers in more than 60 countries. With our global community, we develop models for collaboration and design infrastructure needed to advance the field of social entrepreneurship and the citizen sector. Our Fellows inspire others to adopt and spread their innovations - demonstrating to all citizens that they too have the potential to be powerful changemakers."

ELC Clients - Social Entrepreneurs & Non-Profits Individuals or groups who wish to build a non-profit business or charitable services organization, as well as those pursuing social entrepreneurship objectives, fit into this category. Most of these ventures will be generally eligible for ELC services. Well established non-profits with substantial endowments, as well as private foundations, will likely not be eligible for ELC services. Because of the emerging trend in social entrepreneurship for new ventures to demonstrate both low cost access strategies and profitable market strategies, ELC will consider providing services to founders who are not exclusively committed to forming a non-profit. In fact, ELC can help such founders think through the pros and cons of establishing non-profit vs. for profit organizations. Accepted clients will be assigned a team tailored to the needs of the proposed venture. In some cases this will be a full team consisting of different students and attorneys for review of: business planning, structure, and governance; intellectual property, particularly trademarks, trade secrets, copyright, and, if applicable, patents; employment law; business licensing; and tax planning and compliance. In other cases, a non-profit or social entrepreneurship venture will be assigned a team with a single student and supervising attorney. For example, a small co-op that needs to focus solely on governance and co-op organization law, or obtaining tax exempt status can benefit from the efficiencies of a single business and tax law trained student and supervising attorney team. The initial confidential legal and business audit report will assess the following areas, as applicable; additional legal services in these areas may also be offered upon mutual written agreement of the venture and ELC: * Business planning * Entity selection and registration * Differences between non-profit governance (including co-ops) and for profit governanc

"NedSpace Co-Working in Portland, Oregon NedSpace offers co-working for startups, tech companies, designers, programmers, nonprofits, remote workers, telecommuters and social entrepreneurs. Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret Mead"

"The current African social entrepreneurship market is growing rapidly but it is still fragmented and opaque. Complication: Players active in the African social entrepreneurship space cannot find, learn and collaborate with each other. There are information asymmetries in the market. Solution: An online "living" platform created for members - by members. ASEN aims to provide Social Entrepreneurs with an opportunity to collaborate and access resources. "

"UnLtdWorld helps social entrepreneurs to connect and to share information in a more efficient way. * The members of our community share their insight, experiences and interests and tell us what they need to succeed. * We sort, match and connect, in real-time, the people, tools and information on our platform to the members to whom they are most relevant * Once connected, members can collaborate and trade services online, working together to grow their businesses and increase the impact they have in the real world."

"The launch of the Social Entrepreneurs' Network (SeNet) on the 6th of September was a roaring success with more than 200 professionals attending the function. Amongst the guests were Dato' Seri S. Samy Vellu, Minister of Works, Dato' S. Subramaniam, Dato' S. Veerasingam, and Dato' G. Palanivel. Also present, were a group of invited guests which includes Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, Dato' Cyrus Dass, Prof. C.P. Ramachandran, Dato Dr. Thambirajah, Dato' Dr. Veeraramany, Mr. P.O. Thomas and Mr. Pardeep Kumar."

"The community formed during the 2 weeks is sustained virtually through an MBA Course and innovation partners who provide legal, systems, management, and other development services. Social entrepreneurs represent a powerful force for addressing some of the most daunting challenges of our time. They work for a more just and equitable world for all. With this shared vision the GSBI™ is a journey of mutual discovery and transformation for everyone involved."

"Ned.com is a global online co-working space for early stage social entrepreneurs and collaborative social ventures. We believe every individual has the power to make a difference. We exist for one single purpose: So that more and more people discover their own power to make good things happen. "

"cosi10 is a transformative event for social innovators, social entrepreneurs and their social ventures that's happening all over the world in the second half of 2010. * A simple, self-organizing face to face unconference event. cosi10 participants come together under the guidance of a local host who follows the cosi10 unconference event guide. Through that process, participants network and learn from each other in dynamic collaborative conversation (in their local languages) about impact strategies, sharing resources for developing our skills, and planning what it takes to build thrivable social innovations and revenue models. The participants co-create the story of what happened offline in the online event space at ned.com, where other cosi10 participants from around the world can respond, interact and connect around common purpose. Learn more about the cosi10 Unconference Format"

"Steve Graves has been coaching senior leaders, business owners and entrepreneurs for over two decades. He is known for his wisdom, wit and ability to see through the complex to a simple path of progress. Graves is the founder of Coaching By Cornerstone, co-founder of the Life@Work Company and Giant Leaders, and has co-authored nearly a dozen books on leadership and business. He and his wife have three children and live in Fayetteville, AR. "