Babson defines social entrepreneurship as: The process of identifying opportunities, organizing resources, and providing leadership to solve “people and planet” problems while generating societal and economic value.
Leveraging our expertise in entrepreneurship, “people and planet” programming educates mission-driven entrepreneurs to build and grow businesses for a better world.
A few happenings around social entrepreneurship:
In September 2007 at our annual alumni gathering, Back to Babson, more than 50 people came together to discuss our new initiatives in the area of social entrepreneurship. Professors Natalie Taylor, Heidi Neck, and Candida Brush presented plans for curriculum, programs, and research that demonstrate our commitment toward an increased focus on social Entrepreneurship at Babson. Many great ideas came out of that meeting and we are grateful for the support we received. We are working to expand partnerships, mentoring and alumni connections, and involvement in social ventures.
Babson held the first annual Green Collar Venture Competition for socially and environmentally focused businesses on February 28, 2008. The winner of this sustainability-focused business plan competition qualified to attend the First Annual Wal-Mart Sustainability Business Plan Competition hosted by the University of Arkansas, held on April 18, 2008. Babson College is one of eight elite international institutions invited to participate in this inaugural competition.
The winner, Generate Change, founded by student Jennifer Green MBA '08, forges business relationships between nonprofits and retailers. The goal is to make sure nonprofits thrive in a world that needs them most in an environment that can be economically challenging. Her team, including Tim Seamans, MBA'09, will now present their business plan at the 1st annual Wal-Mart Better Living Business Plan Competition in April for the $20,000 first prize.
Runners-up in the business plan competition are Enerflux Agroenergia,a business that focuses on renewable energy (sugarcane to ethanol) in Brazil, Guilherme Sousa, MBA '08; and 1:1 Revolution a venture that uses thin client technology to provide wireless laptops to middle and high school students living below the poverty line, Isaac Van Wesep, MBA '08. For more information see the Babson College Green Collar Press Release.
In 2008, Babson was recognized by the Aspen Institute’s Center for Business Education in their Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey as #31 on their Global 100 List of Business Schools. Beyond Grey Pinstripes ranks business schools based on the innovative ways full-time MBA programs integrate of issues concerning social and environmental stewardship into the curriculum. Schools were ranked based on various criteria including student opportunity, student exposure, course content, and faculty research areas. Feel free to see more at: http://www.beyondgreypinstripes.org.
A team of Babson faculty was named winner of
the USASBE Outstanding Workshop Award following presentation at one of the largest entrepreneurship and small business
conferences in the world held in January, 2008, in San Antonio, Texas. The workshop,
Social Entrepreneurship: Educating, Integrating, and Experiencing, presented by Babson’s
Candida Brush,
Patricia Greene,
Dennis Ceru, and
Steve Schiffman (also on faculty at
Olin College of Engineering), was led by
Heidi Neck.
The winning workshop description states: “The momentum of social entrepreneurship (courses, programs, and research) is growing at an unprecedented rate. What we teach and how we teach social entrepreneurship has the potential to make significant impact by developing the entrepreneurial competency of our students. These skills enhance the likelihood that our students will identify and capture the right opportunity at the right time for the right reason.”
We at Babson strive to be at the forefront of social entrepreneurship and innovation. If you would like additional information, fill out our inquiry form.
