The economy of the future will have to work for both people and the planet, calling for multidisciplinary partnerships that break down traditional barriers across the many sectors of our economy and society.
Our cities face a large set of dynamic issues – from youth unemployment to immigrant inclusion – that are critical to the well-being of our communities.
Fortunately, proven social investment and innovation models exist around the world that address these issues, but often they remain isolated examples that have yet to realize their full potential for making collaborative impact.
Doing so will require bringing together and using all forms of capital – including social, financial, intellectual, human, and natural – to solve economic, social and ecological problems within a holistic framewok.
Finding this vast network of collaborators and their innovative solutions is sometimes difficult, and can be a challenge for those new to social innovation.
To make it easier for all to access opportunities for capital and partnerships, my colleagues and I launched a Google map of Social Innovation Incubators & Accelerators across the United States. We are also working on an international version.
We are well aware this is by no means a full list. Thus we are putting a call out to help us locate more and put them on the map as a resource for the community! Post a link to it in the comments below or contact @Montero with the information.
Don't have a social innovation incubator or accelerator in your town or city? The folks at The Centre For Social Innovation have open sourced their model to help you launch one. Here is their helpful kit!
Colorado State University is home to a venture accelerator called NEVA: the New Energy Venture Accelerator, which focuses on student start-ups that operate on a triple-bottom-line.