Social Impact Funding Landscape Fireside Chat / Panel

Please join us for a dynamic Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars speaker series focusing on social impact. The series, open to all LaunchPad students, is being offered as part of the Fall 2020 LaunchPad Fellowship program. It will address unique elements required for achieving success with social impact student startups, including leadership, scalability, funding and for- and non-profit business models. Over the course of four Thursdays in November and December 2020, the LaunchPad & Techstars network will bring together an exceptional roster of speakers to connect with students who are interested in entrepreneurship, preparing for 21st-century innovation careers, and motivated by positive social impact.

The timing is perfect as it aligns with the Syracuse University LaunchPad’s Impact Prize and campus Hult Prize competitions, as well as Global Entrepreneurship Week in November.  We are pleased to partner with our global network partners on this exciting series.

• Thursday, November 12th @ 11AM EST – Social Impact Leadership Panel. In this session, students will hear from founders and executive leaders with experience in several types of social impact ventures. From strategic decision-making to executive transitions, they’ll share their journeys of starting, running, and growing social impact startups.  Register here.
  • Danny Rojas, Executive Director, All Star Code 
  • Jonny Imerman, Co-Founder, Cloztalk & Imerman Angels
  • Heejae Lim, Founder and CEO, TalkingPoints
• Thursday, November 19th @ 11 AM EST – Healthcare Social Entrepreneur Fireside Chat. In this session, students will learn about the unique opportunities, challenges, and strategic differentiation of a health equity-focused startup, and the journey from ideation through an accelerator program and beyond.  Register here.
  • Kobby Amoah, CEO, River Health, (Techstars ‘19)
  • Matt Miller, Managing Director, Techstars UnitedHealthcare Accelerator
• Thursday, December 10th @ 11AM EST – What’s next? Social Impact Pipeline Opportunities Panel. The journey of a social impact founder and startup are often different than that of a traditional entrepreneur and business. In this session, students will hear the ‘inside track’ from relevant pipeline opportunities to hear more about potential next steps for anyone interested in a career in social impact entrepreneurship.  Register here. 
  • Camila Pazos, Director – Investments, Echoing Green
  • Katie Sowa, COO, Future Founders
  • Jacob Robinson, Senior Talent Manager, Venture for America
• Thursday, December 17th @ 11AM EST – Social Impact Funding Landscape Fireside Chat / Panel. Accumulating funding for social impact startups can come in many forms: equity investment (including impact investors), PRI and MRI grants, loans and credit… In this session, speakers will present a range of funding instruments and describe the options available to social impact startups. (Speakers and registration link to be announced shortly.)
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