13 Social Enterprises To Begin SEG Impact Accelerator Next Week

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Providence, Rhode Island (January 17, 2018)

13 Rhode Island based social impact businesses are set to begin the Social Enterprise Greenhouse (SEG) Accelerator program on January 23, 2018. The Accelerator, SEG’s signature social enterprise development program, includes a 12-week blended learning model developed and delivered in collaboration with Brown University. Throughout the three months, each of the social enterprises work to refine, formalize, and grow their social mission with the support of SEG’s community of coaches and advisors. Additional value is provided by a peer-learning cohort model and access to SEG’s co-working space at 10 Davol Square, Providence.

This year we are also pleased to welcome 5 environmental-impact social enterprises to the cohort as part of SEG’s new Water, Energy and Environment Initiative. Throughout the Accelerator, these ventures will have access to additional industry-specific advising and programming.

Meet the 2018 Impact Accelerator Cohort:

AS220 is a non-profit community arts organization located in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. The AS220 Industries Department began as a community darkroom and a small community printshop for residents in the basement of our Empire Street building, and now comprises of 4 distinct programs: Community Printshop, Media Arts, the Fab(rication) Lab and Modern Device and an electronics kits manufacturer.

The Center for Community Transformation is dedicated to equity, inclusion and sustainability. We draw on a people-centered pedagogy to facilitate efforts to change structural conditions in communities and build community power. We take an intuitive approach and know what it takes to make complex groups work and how to build relationships and alignment that will ensure success.

GoPeer is an online platform that connects K-12 students with nearby college undergraduates for in-­person tutoring lessons. We integrate technology with a near­-peer education model to provide jobs to college students, logistical help to parents, and academic mentorship to students.

Pangeamart is the future of the peer-to-peer economy.  Our platform enables you to provide any skill or good to your local community, discover what everyone has to offer, establish a reputation, and build new connections. We believe we can reunite the world by reconnecting communities through commerce.

Reentry Campus Program’s mission is to reduce recidivism rates across the county by providing an affordable post-secondary educational pathway to formerly and currently incarcerated individuals that is connected to the reentry process.

Riverzedge Arts’ mission is to improve lives and places through art, design, and creative problem solving. Our nationally-awarded arts and entrepreneurship studio programs offer quality arts education, hands-on jobs training and alternative routes to diploma attainment through client projects and grant-funded public works. Teen artists are challenged to create cutting-edge art and design in an environment fostering cooperation and high performance.

A-Trips’ model of intervention shifts focus from donating to the poor to enabling those experiencing disadvantage to become the agents in their own economic, health and social development through employment.  Through interactive mobile and web applications, our mission is to provide interactivity required to enable the sharing of knowledge and information and create innovative tourism products to increase the competitiveness of African destinations.

VeerSAFE provides online health education to Commercial Truck Drivers who suffer from chronic conditions. VeerSafe fulfills DOT health education mandates and provides truck drivers with the knowledge needed to improve their health, thereby creating a safer roadway.

Environmental Impact Social Enterprises

SEED Sustainability Lab works on developing a sustainable world through improving the built environment and providing opportunity to access to all peoples. Our mission is to develop innovative ecological building technologies and educational packages for designers, contractors and clients.

HAPI Water Solutions provides potable water with a compact atmospheric generator. Our goal is to provide a tool that makes water reliable and accessible for a wide variety of users globally.

One Earth Learning Institute partners with business to care for the earth while taking their business to a higher level. We are an educational institution that teaches methods of discovery, and strategies for growing organizations to evolve with earth in mind. Our approaches are holistic  in nature as we guide and support organizations to develop resilience by embracing a business model that cares for the employees, community and the environment.

SeaAhead – Bluetech Innovation Center will be a global nexus, bringing together startups, corporations, academics and foundations to create impact in areas including greener marine transportation, aquaculture and fishery processes, offshore alternative energy and smart cities.

What Cheer Flower Farm believes everyone deserves a bouquet. Flowers bring a deep sense of connection and delight that is essential in stressful lives. Our mission is to GROW flowers at our urban farm, to DONATE our bouquets for social good and to provide job TRAINING in RI’s growing horticulture, farming and landscaping sectors.

The purpose of the SEG Accelerator is to help create more successful, sustainable ‘do well do good’ businesses in Rhode Island, leading to more social good. The 2018 Impact Accelerator is funded in part by Newman’s Own Foundation, Island Foundation and DLT and is also made possible by SEG’s network of 200+ volunteer coaches and advisors, many of whom are business and community leaders in Rhode Island. Upon graduation, participants will receive priority access to the SEG loan fund that provides competitive interest rate loans to high potential social enterprises.

The 2018 Impact Accelerator culminates with a Demo Day on April 26th, 2018.

Press Contact:

Crystal Rosatti, Social Enterprise Greenhouse / crosatti@segreenhouse.org / 401.272.2558 ext. 4826