GSVC Thoughts, Part 1

The after effects of Friday's Global Social Venture Competition and Saturday's Symposium are still sinking in and I will be blogging about individual topics and posting interviews with participants all week. But here are a few themes of those two days that I found the most striking:

1. The Times They Are A-Changin'
We have very little choice but to acknowledge that we live in a different era: a rethinking of what "value" means in our society, a greater awareness of the interdependency that exists in this world and the increasingly vocal call for global citizenship at the individual, corporate and government levels. This call to action and shift in values is perhaps best exemplified in last week's passage of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. As Jonathan Greenblatt put it in his keynote address, "Now what?" is the question of our time... and I would also add, "What am I going to do about it?"

2. Collaboration + Shared Knowledge
Most conferences are about learning, networking and sharing ideas. But what I found to be different among the GSVC participants was the acknowledgement that they are tackling big problems, and big problems require creative, innovative solutions, the support of others and collective action to create real impact.

3. Doing Good by Doing Well
I am continually impressed by the talented individuals who seek new business models whose primary purpose is to create social value, while at the same time ensuring the ongoing health, stability and sustainability of the business itself. Keep an eye out for upcoming GCB interviews with promising social entrepreneurs.

4. Just the Beginning
GSVC and competitions/conferences like it (check out the sidebar for events I'm watching) are just part of the ongoing dialogue and participation in the social venture sector. I'm especially excited about the upcoming launch of The Hub in Berkeley and San Francisco--a co-working space for people creating social change. Says Managing Director Alex Michel, “These locations will provide a home for people who want to see their ideas for change become a reality. Solutions and inspiration will be found here.”