SOCAP Entrepreneur Program

Achieve Your Goals as a SOCAP Entrepreneur

The SOCAP Entrepreneur Program uplifts social entrepreneurs from around the globe, sharing access to SOCAP’s broad network of investors, donors, and changemakers. Developed by Sarah Sterling, SOCAP’s Executive Director of Entrepreneurship, this one-of-a-kind annual program offers selected social entrepreneurs the unique opportunity to not only connect with and learn from one another leading up to the event but the chance to present their ventures to the entire SOCAP audience.

2022 SOCAP Entrepreneur Program Cohort at SOCAP22.

Meet the SOCAP23 Entrepreneur Program Cohort

SOCAP is excited to announce this year’s cohort of entrepreneurs, who represent incredible solutions to pressing social, cultural, and environmental challenges around the globe! The 40 entrepreneurs from more than 20 countries in this year’s program were selected out of hundreds of applications. Through the evolution of this annual program, we’re providing a holistic hybrid experience for the SOCAP23 Entrepreneur Program members as well as any sponsored cohorts attending SOCAP. This unique program has been co-designed by our alumni community of founders and will consist of six months of virtual programming. The SOCAP23 Entrepreneur Program cohort will also participate in peer networking opportunities and be actively connected to funders through deal rooms onsite at SOCAP23 October 23-25 in San Francisco.

The SOCAP Entrepreneur Program Application Process and Dates

The application period for the 2023 entrepreneur cohort is now closed. Watch for the 2024 announcement at the start of the new year. Applications opened the week of January 9, 2023, and closed on February 17. Every year we receive hundreds of applications, which are reviewed by our Executive Director of Entrepreneurship, Sarah Sterling, as well as a committee of hand-selected members of our community and student investors from the University of Utah. 

2022 SOCAP Entrepreneur Program cohort member Tamburai Chirume of ONEOFEACH pitches on stage at SOCAP22.

Who Is This Program Designed to Support?

We are looking for the most innovative, scalable, and impactful ideas from across the globe to join us in our 2023 cohort. In the spirit of full transparency, the list below includes our general criteria for evaluating all of our applications. The most important piece that we keep in mind when reviewing applications is to ensure that all of our entrepreneurs will get a high value out of their SOCAP Entrepreneur Program experience. The entrepreneur program is best set up to support social enterprises that have:

– A unique, sustainable, and scalable solution to a challenging problem

– At least two years in operations

– Legal incorporation (for-profit,nonprofit, benefit corp, etc.)

– Impact as the core of your business model with some impact metrics already measured

– At least one full-time staff member dedicated to running the organization

– A web presence (either a working website, Instagram page, Facebook, etc.)

– Participation in some kind of entrepreneur support program (accelerator, incubator, fellowship, coaching, etc.)

– Actively fundraising (could be equity, grants, debt, etc.)

– Interest in connecting and sharing with their peers and actively participating in our program and what it has to offer

How We Support You as a SOCAP Entrepreneur

– 1 ticket to attend all of SOCAP23 + 1 discounted ticket for an additional team member to attend

– Housing from Sunday, October 22, 2023, to the morning of Thursday, October 25

– The opportunity to pitch on stage in front of all SOCAP attendees

– Six months of virtual programming on six strategy tracks with one working group session per week (open to the entire team of the venture that participates in our program):

• Holistic Founder Wellness
• Team Leadership & Culture Development
• Growth & Expansion
• Innovative Financing & Founder Self-Advocacy
• Impact Measurement
• Marketing and Communications
• Nonprofit-Specific Sessions

– Monthly virtual Social Hours leading up to the in-person event to get to know your fellow founders

– Monthly Affinity Groups to connect in smaller groups with peers in the cohort

– Curated connections with funders, either virtually before SOCAP and/or in person at the event

– A dedicated Executive Director of Entrepreneurship (Sarah Sterling) who is available to answer any questions you may have before, during, and after the in-person conference and who serves as your liaison and point person for SOCAP

– Invitation to a private LinkedIn Group only for SOCAP Entrepreneur Program alumni

What the SOCAP Entrepreneur Program Does NOT Include

– Cost of airfare or any travel-related expenses

– Costs related to obtaining a visa to travel to the United States

– Direct funding or financing (nor guarantees that this will take place from any introductions we provide to funders)

– Any additional costs related to attending the conference

2023 SOCAP Entrepreneur Program Timeline

March 24: Program kick-off, starting with the first Orientation Session

April to October: Virtual Working Group Sessions, one session per week focused on different strategy tracks:

• APRIL: Holistic Founder Wellness
• MAY: Team Leadership & Culture Development
• JUNE: Growth & Expansion of Your Business
• JULY: “Investment Readiness”: Innovative Financing & Founder Self-Advocacy
• AUGUST: Impact Measurement
• SEPTEMBER: Marketing & Communications
• OCTOBER: Pitch Deck and Presentation Review & Practice 

October 23 to 25: SOCAP Conference at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California 

The 2022 SOCAP Program Entrepreneur Cohort following their on-stage pitch sessions at SOCAP22.

Learn More About Our SOCAP Entrepreneur Program Alumni

Next Generation of Impact: Meet the Social Entrepreneurs Leading the Way: Through their solutions to address the world’s most pressing problems, social entrepreneurs bring new energy and ideas that drive positive impact — and present promising investment opportunities for funders. This lookbook highlights the 2022 SOCAP Entrepreneur Cohort and their solutions poised for high impact and high returns.

Meet Our 2022 SOCAP Social Entrepreneur Program Cohort: SOCAP is excited to announce this year’s cohort of entrepreneurs who represent incredible solutions to pressing social, cultural, and environmental challenges around the globe! Please check out their websites for more information and email the SOCAP Entrepreneur Coordinator if you’re interested in getting in touch with them.

Social Entrepreneurs Pitch World-Changing Ideas for Impact: As they took the stage to pitch their ideas during the final day of SOCAP22, the social entrepreneurs selected for the SOCAP22 Entrepreneur Program reinforced a theme that ran throughout the event: Collaborative action is needed now to shift capital toward projects and partnerships that best tackle the world’s biggest challenges.

8 Cartier Women’s Initiative Entrepreneurs Look to Scale Impact: At SOCAP22, eight Cartier Women’s Initiative fellows presented their solutions addressing some of the world’s biggest challenges in sectors ranging from wastewater management to health care to culture preservation. The SOCAP22 pitch session served as an opportunity for the CWI fellows to share their ideas with potential investors and funders and reach a broader market.

Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship Cohort Advances Safe Water and Climate-Smart Agriculture Solutions: With a focus on social entrepreneurs working to end global poverty and protect the planet, the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University has been one of SOCAP’s longest-standing partners. At SOCAP22, nine social entrepreneurs from the Miller Center pitched their safe water and climate-smart agriculture solutions that help create pathways out of poverty. The social entrepreneurs were among those in the SOCAP22 Entrepreneur Program through partnerships.

Thank You to Our Partners

The SOCAP Entrepreneur Program’s success is made possible with the support of our partners:

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