by Lauren Hockenson
The faces behind the startups and projects that are working to make a global impact.
These companies provide technological solutions for non-profits, give fledgling startups a place to work and donate to charity every time a song is downloaded. While the companies are diverse, they are all on a mission to change our lives for the better and improve society.
Here’s a roundup of featured projects from the last week, including exclusive video interviews with the founders of these innovative startups. To read more and watch the videos, click through to the full story, and follow the series to learn about more breakthrough companies.
1. Blackbaud
Big Idea: Blackbaud provides customized organizational and fundraising solutions for non-profits, not only focusing on resources needed but also the overall goals of each company.
Why It’s Working: From the biggest non-profits to small, one-person operations, Blackbaud has low-cost solutions for non-profits with a variety of missions. And, it just increased its power with the acquisition of web service Convio.
2. Green Spaces
Big Idea: Green Spaces provides coworking office space in New York City and Denver to social entrepreneurs and non-profits.
Why It’s Working: Green Spaces does more than provide social companies a place to work. Networking opportunities, an intern program and a referral network are available to companies that call Green Spaces home.
Read the full story and see the video here.
3. Givey
Big Idea: Givey provides a payment platform for users to easily donate to charities through Twitter and text messaging.
Why It’s Working: The service lets people make “on-the-fly donations” with short tweets and SMS that benefit charities. Givey 2.0, launching in August, will act as a record of all donations and rank users by their charitable acts.
4. The Adventure Project
Big Idea: The Adventure Project is an alternative funding organization that supports entrepreneurs in developing countries, with the goal of producing one million jobs within the next ten years.
Why It’s Working: With a series of ambitious projects ranging from healthcare to hunger, the Adventure Project provides funding to entrepreneurs in multiple countries. These localized initiatives bring about real change in both the local economy and the quality of life in areas that are desperate for solutions.
Read the full story and see the video here.
5. FairShareMusic
Big Idea: FairShareMusic sells millions of songs and vows to give at least half of its net profits to charities that address major issues, such as world hunger, cancer research and endangered species.
Why It’s Working: The website infuses philanthropy into music fans’ lives. The more a user downloads songs, the more donations are made to charities all over the world.
