Runa is Winner of Brown Entrepreneurship Program

Brown Entrepreneurship Program in partnership with the Swearer Center’s Social Innovation Initiative awarded first prize to Runa LLC / Fundacion Runa at its business plan competition on April 26.  The company was founded by Tyler Gage, Dan MacCombie, Charlie Harding, Aden Van Noppen, and Laura Thompson based on a business plan written in Entrepreneurship and New Ventures taught by Professor Danny Warshay in the fall of 2008.  Runa will receive a cash prize of $5,000 from EP and $5,000 from the Social Innovation Initiative plus over $15,000 in inkind services to help them launch their company.

Runa seeks  to diversify incomes strategies for indigenous Amazonian communities and create economic incentives for sustainable management of natural resources, Fundación Runa and Runa LLC (jointly referred to as “Runa”) are building a vertically integrated supply chain to commercialize a culturally, ecologically, and nationally important plan called guayusa.  To accomplish this mission, Runa helps build the productivity and profitability of agroforestry systems for small farmers, implementing an innovative model we call “Market Driven Restoration.”   This model generates income for the conservation of threatened Amazonian ecosystems and the sustainable development of local indigenous communities through the sale of non-traditional rainforest products.  Our blended model is comprised of a Rhode Island-based LLC company in the United States and a not-for-profit Foundation in Ecuador, currently being registered through the Ministry of Agriculture.  Runa LLC and Fundación Runa work collaboratively as a unified whole to accomplish the same core mission, connecting producers and consumers as directly as possible.

Announcing: Brown Socially Responsible Investment Fund

Starting in the fall, BSRI will manage a $50,000 pool of University money, investing in companies and mutual funds that make a profit while bettering the world. Potential investments include green energy research firms, microfinance and community lending banks, medical and pharmaceutical companies, environmentally conscious retailers, and job training or education companies — and any firm that seeks to mitigate its environmental impact or improve the lives of its customers can qualify for consideration. The fund’s members will choose and evaluate potential investments, and ultimately all decisions will be made by Brown students.

Above all, the fund is designed to be a learning experience for everyone involved. Socially responsible investment (SRI) has gained great prominence in both the business and philanthropic communities in recent years. With the launch of this fund, Brown will become one of just a handful of universities to offer undergraduates hands-on experience in the field. Members will learn about a broad array of business and social fields, and gain skills essential for careers in finance, philanthropy, non-profit work, or business. Students with any level of interest and investment experience are welcome.

More information about the Brown Socially Responsible Investment Fund can be found on the Swearer Center website:   MORE

JOIN!

We’re really excited to be able to open the group to the Brown community, and we’ll gladly welcome students with any level of knowledge or skill. Ultimately, our investments, strategy, and learning opportunities will be shaped entirely by our members. A number of leadership positions will become available in the fall — we’ll have more information on that soon — and we’ll be inviting anyone interested to apply.

Please join us for our first info session — Tuesday, April 7th from 8-9pm in Wilson 101. In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like more information, please email us at bsrifund@gmail.com. See you soon!

Safar Fellowship- $3,000 for the summer

The Safar Social Entrepreneurship Internship provides a $3,000 award to one student who chooses to spend the summer working as an intern with a humanitarian organization or project grounded in the entrepreneurial principles of innovation, impact and sustainability. Applications are due April 2nd at 5pm.  Click here for more info…

PEER CRITIQUE TONIGHT!

Interested in hearing about other  student projects?  Want to get  feedback on your own ideas?  

The  Peer Critique has evolved  organically out of multiple meetings  and conversations with the  intention to drive constructive  criticism around student projects.  With diverse unique minds in each  room Peer critiques grow networks,  expand opportunities, and brainstorm new ideas.  RSVP required.  Check out more information here.

TONIGHT, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, JWW in the illustrious Chandelier Room (floor 5)

Film screening of “Bamako” tonight!

 Tonight at 7 p.m. in Wilson 102, The Mali  Health Organizing Project (MHOP) and The  Global Alliance to Immunize against AIDS  (GAIA) present “Bamako,” a captivating film by  Malian director Abderrahmane Sissako. The film  explores the crippling effects of globalization on  West African countries and their citizens. Please  join us for this provocative film followed by a  discussion with Professor Dan Smith, winner of  the prestigious 2008 Margaret Mead Award, and  Malian medical student Mohamed Traore!

CORRECTION-SII open house next week!

Sorry for any confusion, but SII has rescheduled the open house for NEXT THURSDAY, MARCH 12th at 8:30pm in the SWEARER CENTER. 

Come eat some PIZZA, talk to members of SII, get an idea of what we do, and most importantly how you can get involved with the most innovative group on campus!

HOPE TO SEE YOU THEN!

Welcome to SII hub!

because there’s just not enough time for us all to reinvent the wheel.

SII hub is an online network for people to connect, share resources, tell stories, inspire, and support social innovation in the Brown Community.  Check out our expert bloggers, read about student projects and share your ideas.  Through sharing we can increase our collective impact.

We hope you leave inspired…