Today it's the last day to vote on the 16 "ideas that change the world", that was the 10 year anniversary present from Google. Over 154 000 ideas were submitted by the "crowd", including one from my corner. That overwhelming response from this initiative made the sourcing for final ideas to vote on a huge task for the employees from Google set to filter them out. Two broken deadlines, and they decided not to make any new...
Enter September 24, 2009, one year after the competition was announced - and the work from 3 000 Googlians done - they have picked 16 idea themes, where they found a convergence from many of the ideas.
I happily conclude, that the field and theme my idea was related to was among the last 16 to go for the final vote - "social entrepreneurship".
The last selection will be 5 ideas for a board to choose from - and maybe fund efforts to leverage these ideas up to all 5 optionally, sharing 10 million dollars in prize money.
My pick, then, with today as last day to vote, would be Social Entrepreneurship - of course!
I think this initiative is far more interesting right now to follow, than nagging about getting Google Wave invites. Yes, Google Wave does have implications for the "doing" phase of social venturing, improving communication flow within and without sustainability venturing teams with strong leverage, but that thing is not launched yet. And I think contributions from 170 countries, submitting "10^5.2" ideas, is maybe the coolest crowd sourcing initiatives aiming for one thing (Wikipedia still Number One in this sphere) - to find the ideas have greatest world-changing impact! And here, social entrepreneurship was identified by the crowd - yes :) !
"Help social entrepreneurs drive change
CATEGORY: OPPORTUNITY
Create a fund to support social entrepreneurship. This idea was inspired by a number of user proposals focused on "social entrepreneurs" -- individuals and organizations who use entrepreneurial techniques to build ventures focused on attacking social problems and fomenting change. Specific relevant ideas include establishing schools that teach entrepreneurial skills in rural areas; supporting entrepreneurs in underdeveloped communities; and creating an entity to provide capital and training to help entrepreneurs build viable businesses and catalyze sustained community change.
SUGGESTIONS THAT INSPIRED THIS IDEA
1. Provide targeted capital and business training to help young entrepreneurs build viable businesses and catalyze sustained community change
2. Create a non-profit, venture capital-like revolving fund to invest in high-impact local entrepreneurs
3. Send young American entrepreneurs to underdeveloped communities to help create small businesses that would economically benefit those communities
4. Create schools in rural areas to teach local people how to become entrepreneurs
5. Create a private equity fund to help immigrants in developed countries finance business development in their countries of origin"
Now, GO VOTE!
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