This year the SOCAP Entrepreneur Scholarship program will bring up to 150 of the most innovative social entrepreneurs from around the world to the SOCAP conference in San Francisco. Scholarship winners receive:
- Free full conference pass to SOCAP18 (valued at $1495)*
- Admission to the Impact Accelerator @SOCAP (an extra day of educational sessions, networking, and workshops available only to SOCAP Scholarship Entrepreneurs)
- Hostel accommodations for the duration of the conference (limited availability, prioritized for entrepreneurs traveling from outside of the U.S.)
- Elevated status and visibility at SOCAP18
SOCAP scholarship recipients take away many valuable connections and experiences that are not listed above. To give you an insider’s understanding of the benefits of attending the conference, we asked the 2017 scholarship cohort to tell us what they valued most about their SOCAP experience. Here are a few of the thoughts they shared with us.
Stories from the SOCAP17 Cohort
“It was an invaluable opportunity, and incredible privilege, to be able to learn more about impact investing, and to meet prospective investors who would otherwise be extremely difficult to access. Highly recommend!”
–Tessa Cook, OLIO
”It was valuable to learn about the mindset of a social capital investor and a good starting point when starting to seek funding.”
–Erin Keaney, Nonspec
“The opportunity to meet with the other entrepreneurs and the SOCAP community was wonderful. I learned from impact investors and got a better appreciation for how they view investments. I learned from fellow entrepreneurs about how they’ve successfully faced challenges that my own company is facing. I plan on being at SOCAP again next year!”
–Aaron Olson, NovoMoto
“There is no better opportunity as a promising social entrepreneur than the opportunity to accelerate your learning and expand your networking. The Impact Accelerator provides this, and I will always be grateful for the impact it has had on my development.”
–David Paull, CompostNow
“SOCAP was a fantastic opportunity for me to meet potential clients, partners, impact investors and inspiring entrepreneurs doing amazing work around the world. The Scholarship Entrepreneurs get unparalleled access to outstanding speakers and participants in the Impact Accelerator. It’s a unique conference and one I hope to attend annually.”
–Grant Taylor, Quotanda
“The experience exceeded my expectations in terms of networking value, lessons learnt from other social entrepreneurs, and from practical knowledge and insight from industry experts. I will be coming back to SOCAP every year from now on; there is nothing else like this out there!”
–Divine Nabaweesi, Divine Bamboo Charcoal
Join the Community
Even after the conference is over, we encourage you to remain part of our community. Many past SOCAP Scholarship recipients have returned to the conference year after year as their ventures have grown. We have featured many of our most successful entrepreneurs in our blog, including interviews with Sam Teicher and Gator Halpern of Coral Vita, Minhaj Chowdhury of DrinkWell, Debra Cleaver of Vote.org, and Bren Smith of GreenWave. Others have returned to SOCAP as vendors of the conference including The Town Kitchen, Copia, and Vega Coffee.
Don’t miss your opportunity to become a vital part of this community that encompasses thousands of impact driven investors, entrepreneurs, and organizations.
Apply for a SOCAP Scholarship Here
Spread the Word
If you know an amazing social entrepreneur that would benefit from the SOCAP Entrepreneur Scholarship, please encourage them to submit an application.
The Deadline
The deadline to apply is June 1st for internationally based entrepreneurs who need an early decision (for visa application purposes). The final application deadline for all entrepreneurs is June 30th.
SocEnts from MN, ND, SD, & the 23 Native Nations in Those Geographic Regions: Apply for the Bush Foundation Scholarship to SOCAP18
Entrepreneurs from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography – there is a special scholarship opportunity just for you. If you are an innovative entrepreneur who lives and works in one of those regions, you are encouraged to apply for the SOCAP18 Bush Foundation Scholarship for Social Business Creators.
*Please note: Scholarship does not include travel expenses.
