Fledge is a global network of conscious company accelerators and investment funds, helping entrepreneurs create impactful companies and co-ops at scale through intense, short programs filled with education, guidance, and a massive amount of mentorship.
Each city runs (up to) one session per year. Each city’s program is a bit different from the others’, but all are focused on mission-driven for-profit companies, and all invest in their fledglings.
Th educational curriculum is based on The Next Step books and online classes, taught to fill in any gaps in the key skills entrepreneurs need to know to succeed: strategy, financials, marketing, sales, funding, etc.
All our cities share a global network of hundreds of mentors, who share their experiences, advice, and connections in 1-on-1 meetings with participants.
Every day, week after week, we push the participants forward, iterating business strategy, financial models, marketing and sales plans, funding options, and investor and sales pitches, plus we put a special focus on storytelling. The result is intense and creates lasting value for years after the companies return home.
We have been refining this service since 2012 and, to date, have helped hundreds of companies from dozens of countries. We’re eager for more. Our goal is to help foster a wave of companies that make a measurable impact in the world, collectively improving the lives of everyone on the planet.
We invest $15,000 (Peru), €15,000 (Europe), or $20,000 (U.S.) into each company we invite to participate, using revenue-based equity, which aligns our interests with the founders, avoids any pressure to “sell out”, and lets us invest in just about any market segment and most any country in the world. Plus, we make introductions to impact investors and make follow-on investments from our family of seed funds.
Devin Thorpe, Contributor to Forbes.com 2/03/2014 @ 1:38PM |40 views Social Entrepreneurs In Seattle Are Scaling To Change The World Michael “Luni” Libes is the founder of Fledge, an accelerator for social entrepreneurs in Seattle that has already launched some remarkable social enterprises. Community Sourced Capital is one the “Fledglings,” the startup companies launched at Fledge. The...
“Wow!” sums it up nicely. 114 applicants want to be fledglings. That is a new record for Fledge, up from 99 for the Autumn session, almost double the 65 from last year’s Spring session. What is even more exciting is that these applications are now coming from around the world. 88 cities in 32 countries. For the first time, most of the applications are from outside the USA...
Ignite Bainbridge, a nice of (quick) inspiration on Bainbridge Island, Washington
Fledge’s founder and Managing Director explains the purpose of business, and why the Bainbridge Island community has no (love for) Walmart.
A unprecedented 30 days of entrepreneurial events in Seattle came to a close last night at Impact Hub Seattle with the Fledge “Demo Day”. This flurry of events began with Startup Week, continued with the Slow Money Northwest showcase, a night of 600+ attendees at McCaw Hall for Social Venture Partners third annual “Fast Pitch” showdown, then this week to the Northwest Entrepreneur Network’s...
Fledge is not just a Certified B Corporation, but a top 10% of all B Corps for community impact. Take a look at the whole list of the Best of the Best for Community Impact.
13 entrepreneurs took to the stage at McCaw Hall in Seattle, in front of an audience of nearly 700 philanthropists, impact investors, and supporters. The audience choice for best pitch went to Community Sourced Capital, Fledge graduate from 2012. Since launch, Community Sourced Capital has helped lend over $150,000 to 12 businesses from over 1,000 people, proving that it is possible for all of...
Kauffman ID8 Nation highlights Seattle as the center of social entrepreneurship. A city full of companies and organizations that believe they can do well by doing good. With mentoring and financial support from older entrepreneurs Seattle’s younger entrepreneurs are discovering a new way of doing business. Learn how social entrepreneurs are making a living saving the world. Featuring: Nick...
THE STORY OF SOLUTIONS LET’S GROW SOLUTIONS TOGETHER The Story of Solutions explores how we can move our economy in a more sustainable and just direction, starting with orienting ourselves toward a new goal of Better. Over the coming year, we’ll be highlighting and supporting game-changing solutions that get us on the path to Better. And we’ll be looking to you for examples from where you...
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Kauffman ID8 Nation highlights Seattle: Seattle is a center of social entrepreneurship. It’s full of companies and organizations that believe they can do well by doing good. With mentoring and financial support from older entrepreneurs Seattle’s younger entrepreneurs are discovering a new way of doing business. Learn how social entrepreneurs are making a living saving the world. In 1962...