2008 Symposium on Social Entrepreneurship
Supporting Profitable Ideals
Saturday, April 19, 2008
UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center
San Francisco, California
Get Funded: A Discussion on Social Venture Financing
Session One (10:45-12:15 PM)
Robertson Auditorium 1
There are so many great ideas out there and a great deal of funding too. Nevertheless, entrepreneurs are struggling to secure funding, and VCs are struggling to identify viable ventures. What causes such a divide? How can we make sense of the problem? What cost-effective solution(s) can be rolled out quickly and broadly to mitigate this issue? Leading venture capitalists focused on social venture and social entrepreneurs themselves will address these issues in detail, in order to highlight some of the failures they've experienced, but more importantly, the many successes they've had and new pursuits they're undertaking in the financing arena.
Panelists:
Mark A. Finser, Board Chair, RSF Social Finance
Sam Moss, President, Gray Matters Capital
Kristin Richmond, Co-Founder and President, Revolution Foods
Steve Hardgrave, Program Director, Gray Matters Capital [Moderator]
Measuring the Impact of Adopting Social Change Strategies
Session One (10:45-12:15 PM)
Robertson Auditorium 2
More and more organizations are taking notice of the impact their business has on the environment, their employees, their local communities and society at large. Whether organizations are changing their methods of operation in order to reduce their carbon footprint or to take advantage of the double-digit growth trends in some industries - like organics, for example - companies are acting in ways that are more sustainable, create greater social good, and produce less waste. But how is the impact of such strategies being measured? Is it measurable? Panelists will explore the yardsticks being used to track the impact of socially responsible corporate behavior and what such measurements indicate for the different types of bottom lines.
Panelists:
Reade Frank, COO, AngelPoints
Erin Ganju, COO, Room to Read
Don Shaffer, President and CEO, RSF Social Finance
Beth Sirull, Director of Research, Consulting and External Relations, Pacific Community Ventures [Moderator]
Maximizing the Competitive Advantages of Socially Responsible Initiatives
Session One (10:45-12:15 PM)
Robertson Auditorium 3
The roots of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives have originated in small business ventures, but today, more and more Fortune 500 companies, such as Genentech and Google are also incorporating CSR dimensions into their business models in areas such as diversity, education, community development and patient care. What lessons can be found in the CSR programs of large companies that start-up companies can leverage and gain insights to remain both visible in the CSR spotlight and competitive?
This panel will review the differential impact of CSR in both large and small companies in various industries and discuss what are the additional steps small ventures can take to (1) ensure that their initiatives are tightly integrated with the company's mission and financial success, (2) make strategic decisions that help align their CSR with their corporate values, culture and products, (3) create a unified strategic vision for their enterprise, and (4) ultimately create a long-lasting/sustainable competitive advantage through various avenues such as branding, co-marketing and alliance formation.
Panelists:
Kirsten Tobey, Co-Founder and COO, Revolution Foods
Ted Witt, Director of Operations, Clif Bar
Steve Wright, Director of Innovation, Salesforce.com Foundation
Jo Mackness,
CSR Integration Leader, Ernst & Young, LLP [Moderator]
From Brilliant Idea to Viable Business: Launching Your Social Enterprise
Session Two (1:30-3:30 PM)
Robertson Auditorium 1
You want to apply your business skills to doing good for the world. If you have a great idea that just needs to be launched into a viable business, or if you are interested in setting up a social venture soon, then you need to attend this panel. Is now the time to do so, particularly because social ventures have increasingly greater support from financiers, consumers and society. But how do launch your venture when barriers for social enterprises still exist? How do you compete with companies not bound to a positive social component? How do you convince investors that your business has great potential for both financial and social returns? Come hear our panelists discuss best practices employed over the years and the lessons of successful social ventures.
Panelists:
Mathias Craig, Executive Director and Chairman of the Board, blueEnergy
Jenna Raby, Founder and CEO, Laborfair
Tiffany von Ammel, Founder, Dreamfish
Gregory Theyel, Founder and President, Greenvisions [Moderator]
Morrison & Foerster LLP Legal Workshop: Overview of
Legal Issues and Strategies for Social Enterprises
Session Two (1:30-3:30 PM)
Robertson Auditorium 2
In this interactive workshop moderated by Professor Eric Talley, UC Berkeley (Boalt Hall)
School of Law, partners from Morrison & Foerster’s Cleantech Group will comment on select
legal issues in the areas of corporate, intellectual property and employment law that every
social enterprise should understand. For example, what does a company need to consider
in terms of corporate and capital structure to position for success? What about the use of
“new” corporate forms in light of fiduciary duties to shareholders? What does it mean to have
an intellectual property strategy? How and when should you file for patent, trademark and
other IP protection? What agreements should you execute with employees and consultants?
Following initial questions from Professor Talley, these experts will also field general questions
from the audience as time permits.
Panelists:
Susan H. Mac Cormac, Partner, Corporate Group, Morrison & Foerster LLP
Tessa J. Schwartz, Partner, Technology Transactions Group, Morrison and Foerster LLP
Eric A. Tate, Partner, Employment Group, Morrison and Foerster LLP
Michael Ward, Partner, IP/Patent Group, Morrison & Foerster LLP
Eric L. Talley, Professor of Law, UC Berkeley (Boalt Hall) School of Law; Senior Economist, RAND Corp. [Moderator]
Money for Your Inspiration: Financing and Resources for Socially Responsible and Sustainable Entrepreneurs
Session Two (1:30-3:30 PM)
Robertson Auditorium 3
The tide is turning toward green and with it a new wave of green entrepreneurs. What are the critical things you need to know to start a green and sustainable business? Who has the answers? What type of financing should you seek, debt or equity? Who should you go to for financing and what are appropriate terms? What is the importance of mission, credibility and networking in building a green business? What kind of supportive programs are available for sustainable businesses? How is success measured? Beyond the socially conscious aspects of building a mission-based business that promotes and practices sustainability, this panel will discuss the key ingredients for success and the resources to help you get there.
Panelists:
Raj George,
CEO, Mughal Ventures
Scott Smith,
Partner, Hanson Bridgett
Tamara Pulsts, Director of Operations and Research, Mindful Capital
Scott Son, Senior Vice President, New Resource Bank [Moderator]
How do Social Ventures Grow? Tips, Lessons and Best Practices
Session Three (3:15-4:45 PM)
Robertson Auditorium 1
Once an entrepreneur has launched a business that has double or triple bottom line goals, what does it take to scale such a business to achieve profitability for founders and investors while sustaining the underlying social mission? How do the strategies and operations of such businesses differ from those of purely nonprofit entities or traditional for-profit ventures? This panel will explore new approaches for growing businesses in diverse business sectors that sustain positive financial and social performance. Social entrepreneurs who have grown such businesses will share their experiences, including their challenges, their actions to overcome challenges, and their strategies for scaling their businesses for wider social impact and greater financial value.
Panelists:
F. Xavier Helgesen, Founder, Better World Books
Pete May, President and Founder, Greener World Media
Reem Rahim, Co-Founder, Numi Teas
Kevin Jones, Principal, Good Capital [Moderator]
Technology Initiatives, Opportunities, and Challenges in Social Entrepreneurship
Session Three (3:15-4:45 PM)
Robertson Auditorium 2
More than ever before, technology has the power to connect people and enrich the lives of populations that have been historically difficult to reach. Entrepreneurs in this space have the ability to put their ventures to work in creating both financial sustainability and positive social change. Speakers with expertise in technology and social responsibility strategies will address technology's role in advancing social and business agendas, particularly in targeting bottom of the pyramid and rural populations.
Panelists:
Larry Nelson, Director of Global Citizenship, Sun Microsystems
Mark Bent, Founder, SunNight Solar
Joni Podolsky, Director of Community Programs, Bay Area, Entrepreneurs Foundation
Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa, Vice President for Global Affairs, Pangaea Global AIDS Foundation [Moderator]
Branding & Marketing Strategies for Socially-Conscious Businesses
Session Three (3:15-4:45 PM)
Robertson Auditorium 3
In today's business practice, achieving both a financial as well as a social return is an important part of the strategic planning process for many organizations. Although having a social component has become a key differentiator for building more sustainable and long-term brand value, corporate social responsibility initiatives are also often questioned for their motives. Are these initiatives based on genuine interest or do they have underlying ulterior motives? How important and relevant are these motives to the success of CSR in a branding strategy? Moreover, how do social entrepreneurs fit into this space? How can companies successfully integrate a socially conscious focus into their brands and long-term business strategy? Are CSR branding strategies sustainable? Panelists will address the challenges that companies social venture start-ups face when building a brand and discuss the ongoing challenges and opportunities to make an impact with how their brands are perceived.
Panelists:
Sarah Endline, Founder and CEO, sweetriot
Yvonne Lin Roth, Marketing Director, Method Products
Jim Schorr, Lecturer, Haas School of Business and former Executive Director, Juma Ventures
Kara Hartnett Hurst, Managing Director, Advisory Services, Business for Social Responsibility [Moderator]
