| For the past several years, we have worked with the Stiefel Family Foundation to identify and support the best new companies that will move the world away from dependence on fossil fuels. We are please to announce this year’s winners of the Stiefel Family Energy Independence Prize: Juabar Sun Giant Energy Triea Systems You can met these folks, and many other excellent social entrepreneurs from around the world, at our upcoming annual gathering. See details below. Sincerely, Ian T. Fisk Executive Director, The William James Foundation |
| William James Foundation’s 10th Annual Gathering Washington, DC | July 18-20, 2013 Each year The William James Foundation brings together entrepreneurs, mentors, and funders who are working to make the world a better place through creating, collaborating, and investing in social innovators from across the globe. With all of the exciting events we have lined up this year’s conference will be our best ever. As always we will continue to grow our industry’s capacity to meet today’s challenges and provide opportunities to network with passionate individuals working in all aspects of the field. We will also be joined, in person, by our finalists: First Access, WeCyclers, Morale Fashion Group, Access Afya, MoWoza, Colectivo 1050, BlocPower, Clovest, and Triea Systems. They will be sharing about their amazing projects and competing for more than $125,000 worth of prizes. The audience is part of the process — so come join the conversation! Here is a list of upcoming events where you will find WJF staff: July 10th: Unreasonable Climax (Boulder, CO) July 18th-20th: William James Foundation Gathering (Washington, DC) September 3rd-6th: SOCAP (San Francisco, CA) WJF Community Notes Congratulations to Bilikiss Adebiyi of Wecyclers, 2013 Venture Phase Finalist, for being named a Finalist for the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards Former entrant Wello has moved from a design concept to manufacturing to design validation with their 2.0 WaterWheel prototype. Read more in their annual report. KeoK’jay, 2013 Venture Phase Finalist, was featured in an article in The Phnom Penh Post Interview with LOHAS Finalist SolePower SolePower is a Pittsburgh based enterprise working to solve the problem of lack of access to mobile power. They are combating this growing issue by designing a shoe insole that is charged by walking. The WJF team caught up with them in an interview where they shared about their exciting technology. Their technology will be the first of its kind, providing rechargeable mobile power to outdoor enthusiast, military personnel and people without access to the traditional power grid. Interview with LOHAS Finalist The Fresh Connection Based in Brooklyn New York, The Fresh Connection is doing great things to redefine the local food system in New York City. We were fortunate enough to be able to catch up with Mark Jaffe, Founder of The Fresh Connection, in an interview last week. He shared how he is working to provide quality and timely delivery of local produce and specialty foods to customers such as individuals, farmers markets and restaurants. Mark’s hard work and experience in both the farming and transportation systems have had a profound impact on his work in starting this enterprise. On Our Reading List “Does Impact Investing Work? Vital Capital Case Study Shows It Does.” Forbes, June 26th, 2013 “An Investment Strategy in the Human Interest.” The New York Times, June 19th, 2013 |