Entrant Matchmaking Event November 9, 2008 12:00pm-2:00pm

Dear Fellow Social Entrepreneurs,
We’d like to extend to you an invitation to join us for a lunch of learning, idea sharing, and networking in preparation for the 2008 Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC). Whether you are developing a business plan, searching for a team to help grow an existing venture, or looking to join a social venture, the GSVC Matchmaker Event at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business on November 9th is for you.

What is the Event?
The Haas School’s GSVC organizing team is hosting an informal yet structured session at which entrepreneurs and graduate students can meet one another to get acquainted and develop partnerships. As a social entrepreneur, you will be able to present your venture idea and find an enthusiastic and capable partner in a graduate student to develop your idea in time to enter the competition. Graduate students will have the opportunity to be intimately involved in developing a business plan for a socially responsible business.

Who should attend?
Any social entrepreneur in the Bay Area who has at least a reasonably well-developed business idea or venture. Though there is no particular restriction on industry, the goal of the venture must include a focus on social impact as well as financial sustainability. The individual or team behind the venture should also have identified the role(s) in which an additional graduate student resource would be valuable.

Any graduate student in business interested in contributing to the build-out of a socially responsible business. Students must reside in the Bay Area and have the willingness, time and energy to commit to helping develop an idea in his or her area of interest.

Teams interested in attending this event should be planning to submit their business plans to the 2008 GSVC. The executive summary deadline for GSVC is January 16, 2008. Further dates and details about the competition can be found at www.gsvc.org.

When and Where is the Event?

• Friday, November 9, 12:00-2:00 PM (registration begins at 11:45)
• Faculty Club (Seaborg Room), University of California, Berkeley

How do I RSVP?
Please send an email to Eugene Kolovyansky (eugene_kolovyansky@mba.berkeley.edu) by November 1st. Be sure to include:

• Name, Organization/University
• Are you a graduate student seeking a venture or a venture seeking a graduate student resource?
  -- If a graduate student, please include your area(s) of interest.
  -- If a venture, please include a 1-2 paragraph overview of the venture as well as a brief description of the role(s) a graduate student could play in the development of the venture.

As we get closer to the event, we will provide more information regarding directions, parking and event format to those who RSVP. Please contact Eugene Kolovyansky (eugene_kolovyansky@mba.berkeley.edu) with any questions or concerns.

To learn more about ventures involved in the GSVC Matchmaker event, visit: globalsocialventure.blogspot.com.