Here's my first crack at the Micro-Funds concept. It's related to the Social Venture Commons and Social Capital work I've been developing. They are all based on the new mode of organizing I see emerging.
*** I've also added an illustration of 3 alternative models that have emerged in recent conversations. They are all interesting in their own right and it may be more about using them in according to specific situations. All comments/suggestions/alternatives welcome. ***
Ping me directly if you are interested in learning more - and if you have comments on the presentation below please add them to this post.
*** SESSION WIKI NOW LIVE ***
Those who know me know that this is a persistent theme with me - and now provoked by @josephdee - maybe it's time to take this into a more focused conversation with a few more folks.
Premise:
The way of the world is borked.
The web (among other things) is shifting the way we organize resources, ourselves and create new things (W)
From that (in part) is emerging a new mode of organizing where the organization itself (not just the product) is peer produced (PP0).
Design is the essential process of intentionally creating things (D)
'Un-borking' our world means creating our ...
I'd heard of TechStars before and never thought too much about it - 'another incubator' is how I filed it. Well one of my highlights from StartupEmpire was hearing David Cohen of TechStars. Half-way through it struck me... why don't we do a TechStars for Social Ventures at Hollyhock.
The TechStars model is about an intense 3-month period for 10 ventures to gather, develop and launch their concepts, and gain support from venture veterans and each other. Hollyhock is a place for 'non-virtual social networking' and has hosted the social change and venture communities for over a decade. It's a magical ...
Building on my previous posts about the Social Venture Commons here's a draft overview of what's been brewing. This venture is one part of my trio to support the ventures working from the new mode of organizing I see emerging. The two other pieces are the micro-funds (presentation coming soon) which is a modified version of early-stage venture/angel investing and a social capital learning project (in development for a trio of venture networks) based in part on the thinking here.
Ping me directly if you are interested in learning more - and if you have comments on the presentation below please ...
I recently received an update from Renewal on the development of their Renewal2 Investment Fund. In addition to hearing that the fundraising is going well in-spite of the financial crisis, I'm glad to learn that they have created an investment structure that makes it easier for foundations and others to invest across North America.
It's an interesting time for foundations, and some like the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Gates Foundation are making bold moves by setting up their own venture funds or indicating that they are moving toward spending down (vs. preserving endowments). I hope that some more foundations take these ...
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A major moment in history last night - a shift in the trajectory of our civilization.
This is not because of the firsts, the stats, or the policies. It's where this comes from and how it came about.
It's about a shift in mindset in the most dominant society in our civilization. A shift from fear to hope. From divisiveness to inclusion. From independent to interdependent.
911, Katrina, and the Financial Crisis successively destabilized this society's attachment to the mindset of independence. The election and yesterday's results give us our most concrete example of a ...
Igniter "We are no longer in a universe of messaging and marketing. It’s a universe of doing." - Doug Rushkoff Quote... http://tumblr.com/xyj7c39xe [igniter].