More than thirty innovators packed the third floor BGI classroom at the Hub on Tuesday night, June 11^th to get some tips and tricks on how to make their pitches stand out to judges and investors.

Leading the Building Your Business or Nonprofit and Getting it Funded class through a modified Business Model Canvas last Wednesday June 5th, Jacob Colker showed a full house of over 30 social entrepreneurs and coaches the importance of the process of developing your business plans whether your organization is a for profit business or nonprofit.

 The story of the final competition and winning teams follows.  You can also see videos of all finalists HERE.

What's next for the social entrepreneurs of Seattle?  After months of mentoring and polishing, many of the SIFP entrants are off and running with their businesses.  But for many of the 80+ applicants, and for dozens of other social entrepreneurs who discovered SIFP during the numerous months between applications and on-stage presentations, where can they turn for help?

In my corporate career I had hundreds, and at times thousands, of people working in organizations I led.  Since making my transition to being a venture investor, social technologist, and board member, I’ve had exactly zero people working for me. 

Food N Me, last year’s Social Innovation Fast Pitch winners of the $50,000 investment fund, says it will release the iPhone & new iPad version of Smash Your Food just before Halloween.           

By Ronny Bell

By Calvin Shabb

The pool of applicants to this year’s Social Innovation Fast Pitch Competition (SIFP) was strong and each one of the quarter-finalists presented a great story.  Unfortunately, as a young, non-profit, social venture ourselves, our funding limits the number of applicants who can advance to the finals.  And that means even well deserving applicants are eliminated.