Judges Select 2008 SEIC Finalists

Eight Teams Remain in Competition Including Two Student Ventures

Washington University , January 17, 2008 -

On January 17, the judges of the third annual Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition heard the entrants' elevator pitches and selected eight finalists, who will continue in the competition to the next step, the Business Plan presentation. The  eight finalists, including two student ventures, are: 

-BEGIN New Venture Center at St. Patrick Center - a community partnership of business incubation and training.

-CHADS Coalition for Mental Health - advances the prevention and awareness of adolescent suicide and depression.

-EnTeam Games for Schools - aims to increase collaboration, cooperation and foster teamwork in schools.

-Habitat for Neighborhood Business  - develops retail and service business centers in economically distressed neighborhoods.

-Indego Africa - seeks to alleviate poverty in Rwanda by expanding the employable skills of female artisans.

-Lemay Child and Family Center - a childcare worker training and mentoring program.

-LiveFeed* - provides a solution for collecting and donating food by working with the live music and entertainment scene.

-StudioSTL* - empowers youth by helping them discover, develop, and celebrate their individual voices through writing. 

* student-owned or student-supported venture

A description of their ideas is on http://www.ideabounce.com/.  These finalists will submit business plans in mid-March, followed by final presentations to the judges at a private event on April 3rd.  We will announce winners of the 2008 Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition at an event open to all on Thursday, April 17th, at which time over $120,000 will be awarded to the contest winners, including a $5,000 prize to the best student-founded or -supported venture.

This is the third annual SEIC sponsored by the YouthBridge Community Foundation and organized by the Washington University Skandalaris Center.  We want to extend a special thank you to the Incarnate Word Foundation, which returned as a sponsor for their third year and welcome a new sponsor, the Lutheran Foundation.   Thanks also go to the other Skandalaris Center and SEIC 2008 sponsors:

Commerce Magazine/St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association

RubinBrown

Sonnenschein, Nath, and Rosenthal, LLP