| We are having a busy month! Getting ready for the Annual Gathering, transitioning to Mentor Capital Network, and boosting MCN momentum with Mentor Calls have all been at the top of our list. Mark your calendars – The Annual Gathering is July 24-26 in DC. Our Annual Gathering is a global convening of innovative, social entrepreneurs, mentors, inventors, researchers and experts that you don’t want to miss! Among other activities, we will have entrepreneurs pitching to investors and will be awarding prizes to the top scoring companies in our business plan competition! |
| MCN Momentum “Match” it happen with Mentor Capital Network Thank you! Our community rallied, and together we created an extremely successful launch to the Mentor Capital Network! Over 95 mentors, social entrepreneurs, researchers and supporters joined MCN since April. We are well on our way to our goal of 200 members by August 1. This week we are announcing a special MATCHING GRANT! Our board member Deb Parsons inspired a deeply experienced impact investor to be a first-time WJF supporter – the investor will become an MCN Member if YOU do, too. That’s right, we need YOU as a NEW MEMBER more than ever. JOIN NOW and your impact will be doubled with the matching grant. Support us today by joining Mentor Capital Network. Network Events June 26 Investor Fishbowl @ Bethesda Green. July 24-26 Annual Gathering in Washington, DC July 25 Investor Green Grab at Arent Fox in Washington, DC Mentor Connect Mentors asked and Entrepreneurs answered Before 2014 mentors turned in their feedback, we hosted 11 Mentor Calls. Round 1 and Round 2 mentors were invited to join a call and drill the 2014 entrepreneurs with outstanding questions on their business plans. Our response was great! Over 30 mentors assisted 11 companies. Almost all the calls exceeded the 30 minute scheduled time. This feedback helped facilitate a closer relationship between entrepreneurs and mentors. Here’s what two of our entrepreneurs had to say about the call: “I really appreciate getting this feedback. It’s so important for us as a start-up.” David Lloyd, Cofounder/Director of FREDSense “It forces us to think about some of the critical issues and articulate them better” Hasan Alemdar, CEO of Domogeo We’d like to extend a special thanks to all the mentors who donated their time and made these calls possible. What’s next? Challenge Calls! Each remaining 2014 company is invited to formulate a “challenge question” to dig in deeper to the observations and mentor feedback they received in both business plan rounds. Biz Buzz Agri-Tech Producers “ATP-SC”(2014 Cohort) proposes an answer to help resolve environmental issues in the wake of NC’s Dan River spill: http://ow.ly/y2Yi4 Wash Cycle Laundry (2012 Cohort) recently biked 160 miles from Phildadelphia to launch their services in DC: http://ow.ly/xviFP SouperGirl (2009 Cohort Prize Winner) opened a shop in downtown DC: Read more about it Egg-energy (2010 Cohort Prize Winner) wins National Geographic’s Terra Watt prize: http://ow.ly/xWu5W Sol Vista (2014 Cohort) wins “Best Environment/Energy Company” as a MD Incubator Company of the Year award winner http://ow.ly/xX0y3 What We are Reading “Growing Local Food Businesses by Leaps and Pounds” a BALLE article from WJF friend and mentor, Vicki Pozzebon “Empower: How we as students can make a change” a keynote speech from Lets Be Well Red’s (2013 Cohort) founder http://ow.ly/xvjvi “Impact Investing: Can We Pay Her Less?” from Prosperity Candle’s (2010 Finalist) co-founder: http://ow.ly/xykuY “Applying the Lessons of Politics to Green Power” from WJF friend Ethical Electric http://ow.ly/xvhs7 “Sustainable Superfood Powder from Moringa Tree Supports Women Farmers” featuring Kuli Kuli (2013 Cohort) http://ow.ly/xJcOd |