Redes

Our initiative works with the first ever hackerspace in Beirut. Finnish students will work together with the existing community and come up with product service systems that can be developed in social business models to be pitched to investors. This could for example be a new tool to regulate energy consumption in the household, one of the major urban challenges that is surrounded by a lot of exploiting activities. We will collaborate with local entrepreneurs and other activists to form a strong proposal and receive investments. Around the first proposals that emerge from the student exchange we will base a network for future social venture incubation. This platform will be developed with the digital community and Arab entrepreneurs so that it is relevant for the Arab markets and takes into consideration the various cultural contexts. It will allow the shaping of training and workshop groups for self-teaching, impact investments through various partners, collaboration on design pitches, testing sessions organised at local labs or with local and remote volunteers etc.
In the local Beirut entrepreneurial hub we will kickstart a regular event that links the digital spaces with the existing Entrepreneurs' Brunch so that contemporary social ventures gain the visibility they deserve.
The first proposals will be exhibited both in Beirut and Helsinki and serve as marketing material for the future activities on the platform.

Desde 2012 participamos do Business Call for Action (ONG) por impactar positivamentos 2 objetivos do Milenium: equidade de genero (fomentando a inclusão econômica de pessoas com baixa escolaridade em especial mulheres) e melhor distribuição de riquezas (aumento de ganhos conforme crescimento em carreira e acesso a conteúdos educacionais a baixo ou nenhum custo). Nos desafiamos a incluir nossa Rede digitalmente. O modelo foi desenhado em uma plataforma web 2.0 que permite interação, colaboração e consultas de indicadores para gestão de negócios. Os WKs são oferecidos presencial e virtual. Temos um menu de vivencias de desenvolvimento sustentável para conscietização, entendimento e protagonismo de nossa Rede em iniciativas socioambientais. Melhor que ler o que eu tenho a dizer é ler uma líder da RRS:
«Para mi el hablar de sustentabilidad desde mi papel como líder es como dar el primer paso hacia un mundo mejor, sobre todo porque somos un ejemplo y el parteaguas de las acciones futuras de nuestra red, es gratificante haber sembrado la semilla de "bien estar" en el ambito sustentable ya que sé que será el inicio de proyectos y acciones que llegarán tan lejos como la voluntad de quien los ejecute y siempre estando de la mano con Natura y dando el seguimiento que se necesita, Estaremos comenzando con el gran cambio de paradigmas que requiere nuestro planeta y nuestra sociedad, actualmente tan ensimismada egocentrismos. Espero haber contribuido por lo menos en el inicio de grandes obras socioambientales por parte de mis lideres y sus redes y/o comunidades.»
Araceli Galina

Ever since this project was established from our little professional skills, at least three bigger projects have participated in the pilot and have been presented on an existing online platform(Facebook) and have been monitored real time online. Online communities have been founded around these three projects that are made up by people/organisations/companies directly supporting or funding the projects and by people/organisations/companies that are directly being supported by the projects. The project data of these online projects is tagged and searchable so it can be used for learning by others. Also, a final lessons learnt document is developed, describing the challenges encountered by the organisations that have piloted their projects on the online platform, describing the requirements of an online platform that can deliver on the goals listed above, and recommending ways forwards.

Juana Pérez hasa micro entreprise that develops plans to develop capacity in disadvantaged communities.
One is before the challenge to identify suppliers and organizations who support to him in their strategy of expansion. Through his colleagues and the social networks one found out that a conversation encounter would be realised and networking on subjects related to the social undertaking. In this space, organized by the Mapeo, one found out this initiative collectively to feed a useful information system all the entrepreneurs like him. Juana entered the information on her undertaking and the organizations of support that has known; The information system of the Mapeo suggested a group to him of allied potentials with which to solve its needs of networking, linking and of relation with institutions of support. Through the actual spaces of encounter that it promotes the Mapeo, entered direct relation with these allies and managed to generate alliances with two suppliers and an investor.
From its information and the collected one with other undertakings, the Map had opportunity to work with governmental organisms and public NGOs in the elaboration of programs and policies for the promotion of the social undertaking. By these services it obtained income that, by their character without profit spirit, invested in the support and improvement of the operation of their platform and the benefits that generate for the registered undertakings and organizations in the map.

collecting the data of people who are unemployed and providing them to work for a specific area according to their desire and at a designation suitable to them after a short training session and try to gather funds for the company or the needed talent.

Funds collected would be for a service or a product(s) but it would be including a profit or advance as the case may be and after about, say 3 months the investor will be getting the funds given by them back in the form say maybe coupons or gift vouchers or special offers or money back into the bank account (if working with us(full time or part time) doesn't matters)

The funds collected will be used in such a manner that it is seen the minimum fixed obligation is achieved with a surety and the balance would be invested in establishing new business which could be small in size but would be providing the best output and results.
it is a type of both investment and/or partnership as the case maybe.

Women entrepreneurs remain an under-served community within the high-growth arena. Financial aspects of their company is a key component of our offering.

Astia's offering for women-led start-ups is three-fold:
1. Astia Access - broad offering for exceptional start-ups that aspire to high-growth & who seek expert-level feedback. Members receive timely, targeted & unfiltered feedback, as well as access to online tools and community
2. Global Entrepreneur Program - premier offering for exceptional entrepreneurs leading emerging companies who are poised to take advantage of our global community. Chosen by the community via in-person screening, companies experience the Global Entrepreneur Program that includes a week-long boot-camp followed by three months with a team of Astia Advisors. Advisor teams drive to mission-critical business milestones and are comprised of an investor, a c-level entrepreneur, and two other experts. Financial aspects of the company are a key component to the program and advisory period, with financial experts and CFOs involved
3. Astia Portfolio - premier offering for companies on the fast track to success. By invitation-only, companies from around the world will present to & be selected by industry leaders to join this elite cohort

For each level of engagement companies will receive:
* Unparalleled access to the global community of entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders - including financial experts
* Unfiltered feedback, guidance & high-level introductions
* Opportunity to engage with & learn from exceptional global entrepreneur peers

A mother of two is trying to thrive in her “quesadillas” business. She has tried to sell them to the local markets but they have refused due to her low production capacity. She has also tried to raise funds through a small loan but has been declined by local financial institutions due to her inability to produce collateral. Her husband sends a small monthly remittance that she must collect in town, which is 20km away from her community, which supposes a security threat from carrying cash on public transportation where assaults frequently occur. After attending an awareness generation community workshop, this woman finds more clients willing to buy her products, including local small stores. She has also found support to upgrade her business through the coaching for regeneration sessions, pre-selling "quesadillas" tickets to her neighbours, who pay in advance and collect their product on the weekends. Her father has agreed to lend her one cow to diversify her business and start salling also cheese, having one of her teenage daughters help her on the weekend. Also, her husband now pays directly to local stores from the US a monthly fixed amount to provide groceries, thus, she has to travel to collect the remittance less often, and carries less cash with her.

This Program is not only significant for the restaurant industry but for local Asian businesses in general that are looking for strategies to gain a competitive advantage - this will be the spark that will create a demand from local consumers for green business.

Each of the PB’s GIs will be rolled out individually to collect data independent of the other Initiatives. Consumer data will be conducted to gauge demand, support and awareness.

Timeline as follows:

Pre-change/ adoption of Initiative
- Work with partners and PB to secure suppliers needed to implement the change
- Measurement of pre-change data

Implementation of GIs

For three months post-transition:
- Survey consumer demand, support, and awareness
- Measurement of post-change data to assess PB's triple bottom line
- Assessment of change in relation to goals and ff needed, make further changes to meet goals

Fourth month post-transition:
- Writing, designing, and publishing of this Initiative’s Case Study; highlighting challenges, Asian restaurant specific changes, and consumer, business, and environmental impact data

Throughout the implementation of the PBs GIs, we will be:

1. Publicizing their business leadership to illustrate to the public a new market niche;
2. Demonstrate value by organizing events where we will leverage our and our partner organizations' social networks to support the PB’s business leadership by “voting with their dollars” and creating positive reinforcement;
3. Coordinating meetings to encourage and consult interested restaurants in implementing similar GIs

Crowdfunding is a reverse market. No Angel Investors or VC's to take your project or idea to the public. The public comes first and the funds come second. Crowdfunding on FundWeaver allows the project creator to set the amount of funds they seek to raise, the 'Personalized Thank Yous" they offer and lets them create a video to explain their project idea.

A crowdfunding campaign on FundWeaver is live 24/7 for a set period of time. As the project creator, you determine the timeline you wish to keep your campaign live up to a maximum of 88 days. Throughout that time, anybody can hit the ‘contribute' button and get behind your project financially.

This is where the real work begins! You have to use those social media plugs, word of mouth, F&F (friends and family) and your communities around you to share in and build momentum around the professional goals you're setting for yourself.

Keeping with the altruistic sentiment, project creators must give back a token of appreciation. Contribution thresholds and their ‘Personalized Thank Yous’ are a big part of the campaign. Get creative, say thank you in your own unique way by offering back anything from expressions of gratitude for smaller contributions up to tangible sentimental gifts for larger contributions.

Once the campaign expires, all funds raised are transferred to the project creator’s account via PayPal using safe and secure, built-in online payment processing capabilities.

The impressive results of the pilot offering of Defining Diversity: Creating Community in 2011 motivated a unique group of partners to work collaboratively for community change. The project brings together Vancouver Island University with PR Model Community Project for Persons with Disabilities, Tla'Amin Community Health, PR and District United Way, First Credit Union, Community Living BC, PR Regional Economic Development Society, the PR Diversity Initiative, PR Association for Community Living, PR Education Services Society, the PR Community Foundation, PR Employment Services Society, School District 47, Friends of Film Society of PR, CJMP Community Radio Society, and Skookum Food Provisioners' Co-op. The door remains open for new community supporters. These organizations are committed to: marketing the innovation and the opportunity with their respective constituents; sponsoring participation in the course deliveries to ensure diverse representation; assistance with the refinement, implementation and analysis of the community engaged action research phases; support to new social and economic ideas and activities that flow from the process; and promotion of the lessons learned and recommendations in our own and other communities.

Activities include four rounds of participant recruitment and program delivery followed by four cycles of community engaged research; a focus group and a survey. The project concludes with a learning circle. Photo documentation and use of social media will be included. An interim and final report will be written, presented and distributed.