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.
Demo Day was Thursday, April 25th Once again the “fledglings” got up on stage and shared their visions and plans with you and the world. Tansa Clean (a.k.a. Brown Box) – “Valuing” the stream of of human waste in India Serve Smart – Preparing volunteers for effective service Kodeza – Crowdsourcing local knowledge to create local change Shift Labs –...
‘Impact Entrepreneurship’ Places Importance on Social Consciousness by Michelle Goodman | March 6, 2013 photography by Jose Mandojana On a trip to Africa in 1990, Peter Scott was moved to tears by the deforestation he encountered. Determined to do something, he spent 15 years as a consultant for governments and NGOs in the developing world, designing fuel-efficient cooking...
Kick is the inclusive business incubator, here to help all entrepreneurs through the difficult path from idea to started startup. We are here to help all the teams after the weekend entrepreneurship events, after the business plan competitions, after graduation, or any other stage of life when an entrepreneur realizes that some help could help. Kick is here for the lifestyle entrepreneurs, the...
Listen to the (back)story of Fledge, from founder and Managing Director, Michael “Luni” Libes
Downloadable at:
Listen to the story of Snohomish Soap, from founder Cindy Todd
Downloadable at:
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...