Business has long been a world dominated by men. A world often focused solely on profits. Meanwhile, a change is underfoot. Companies are starting to consider their impact beyond their fiscal bottom line. These new, impactful companies are considering the needs of all their “stakeholders”, from customers and employees to their local communities, and often, the needs of the whole planet. After...
The Winter 2013 program runs through April 25th Fledge, the “conscious company” incubator has invited seven new, impactful companies to come work with us within HUB Seattle, every day for 10 weeks. These seven were chosen from amongst over 60 applicants, invited due to their potential impact on the world and the strength of their teams. Plus, we’re excited to see these teams...
BURN Manufacturing has raised $4 million, and with those funds is moving forward on their vision to rid East Africa of the smoke of cook stoves, and in the process, save at least 100 million trees. The U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and General Electric have partnered provide this funding. This groundbreaking news was announced on January 31, 2013 by U.S. Secretary of State...
We’re proud to present our first “live” campaigns! For the first time ever, you can lend money to local businesses you know and love by buying Squares from Community Sourced Capital. Our first two campaigns are: Starvation Alley Farms, the first organic cranberry farm in Washington State; and Playback Sports, a recycled sporting goods store in Tacoma. So, let’s put our...
All around the world, entrepreneurs are starting companies to solve some of the world’s biggest environmental and social problems. These are the companies of the 21st Century. So why should these cutting-edge companies use ancient corporate structures? Benefit Corporations, LC3s, Social Purpose Corporations–these are the latest innovations in governing mission-focused businesses for the...
Less than 2 months into beta, Trash Backwards is now being featured on the Data.gov website, a site created by the U.S./Federal Government as part of the Obama Administration to make government more transparent to its citizens. Trash Backwards is one of only two web-based applications featured on the site. In addition, the State of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental...
For news on sustainable, clean, green, conscious companies, visit BloomTimes.com If you are an entrepreneur with a story of such a company, submit a story about your company. Talk about your (potential) impact on the world, the problem you are solving, and how your company is unique. If you are an impact investor, submit a story about your investments. What made you excited about those companies...
Two moms have taken on a global problem, trash. Rebecca Rockefeller and Liesl Clark developed and launched a simple-to-use, colorful web app to help us reuse the stuff that is no longer needed around our homes and offices. The site includes a huge directory of reuse and upcycle tutorials, reliable articles and infographics, sustainable alternatives to common single-use plastics, local recycling...
The Washington Global Health Fund awarded two grants to two Washington-based companies making an impact across the “bottom billion” around the world. $120,000 was granted to BURN Design Lab, the non-profit sibling of BURN Manufacturing, one of the Fledge “fledglings” from this summer. According to Peter Scott, founder of BURN, this funding will permit BURN Design Lab to...
A big THANK YOU to all the applicants for the Winter 2013 program. It is amazing the breadth of “conscious” ideas that exist around the world. That breadth was augmented by applications from over a dozen countries worldwide, plus a similar number of US states and Canadian provinces. In fact, what is quite nice to see in this latest round of applications are the number of applicants...