Babson junior James Daniel Catalano, President of Babson Microfunds, received one of 20 Collaboration Fellowships to participate in Opportunity Collaboration, which begins on World Poverty Day (October 17, 2009) in Mexico with an agenda empowered by the simple premise: communication and collaboration create change.

Babson Microfunds is an initiative of Babson’s Net Impact chapter, a global network of leaders who are changing the world through business. Catalano’s team offers opportunities for lending money to small businesses in struggling economies. Hosted by Kiva, the Babson team of 42 members has made loans to 67 start-up businesses around the world.

“I am excited by the opportunity to convene on World Poverty Day and connect with leaders of social change to help create applicable solutions for global concerns. The tradition of innovation at Babson has inspired me and I look forward to sharing my enthusiasm while learning from others in the field of social entrepreneurship. I thank those who have supported me thus far,” said Catalano.

Opportunity Collaboration is an intensive four-day series of working business meetings where social entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, social financiers, grant-makers and agents of change will explore unprecedented levels of collaboration, identify opportunities for leveraging resources across organizations, and accelerate proven models for reducing poverty.

Co-conveners for Opportunity Collaboration are:

• Ashoka
• Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)
• Calvert Social Investment Foundation
• Global Philanthropy Forum
• Social Venture Network
• Stanford Social Innovation Review (Stanford Center for Social Innovation)
• Women Donors Network
• Worldways Social Marketing
• Jonathan C. Lewis, CEO, MicroCredit Enterprises