Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/54913
Global Social Venture Competition SPONSORING SCHOOL: Manag- ing partner University of California Berkeley; regional partners Colum- bia Business School in New York City, London Business School, the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, Thammasat Univer- sity in Bangkok, ESSEC Business School in France, and the Social Enterprise Network in Korea. YEAR STARTED: 1999 (as the National Social Venture Competition, launched by five Berkeley MBAs) PRIZES: The top three prizes for blended value plans are US$25,000, US$10,000, and US$5,000; there is also a US$5,000 prize in social impact assessment. ELIGIBILITY: Each team must The GSVC competition supports the creation of real businesses that will bring about sustainable change. Nearly a quarter of past entrants are now operating companies. include an active member who is a graduate student or recent gradu- ate from any business school in the world. HOW IT WORKS: The goal of the Members of Stanford University's Re:Motion Designs team show off their design for a low-cost prosthetic knee. Pictured are permanent team members Joel Sadler (left) and Vinesh Narayan (right), with volunteer Ido Sum in the center. 38 May/June 2011 BizEd competition is to support the cre- ation of real businesses that will bring about sustainable change; it annually receives close to 900 busi- ness plan entries from around the globe. Regional partners host the early rounds of the GSVC, then the top 12 blended value and top five social impact assessment plans compete in the Global Finals held at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. At Berkeley, the GSVC is organized by a team of MBA students with support and spon- sorship from the Lester Center for Entrepreneurship. Nearly a quarter of past GSVC entrants are now operating companies. DEADLINE: January RECENT WINNER: In 2010, the top prize went to Stanford Uni- versity's Re:Motion Designs team, which aimed to develop high-per- formance, low-cost prosthetics for the 20 million amputees who live in developing countries. Its initial product, the JaipurKnee, is a knee joint that can be manufactured for less than US$20. It is currently in field trials in India. Last year's Social Impact Assess- ment Prize was awarded to WE CARE Solar, founded by Berkeley MBA students. WE CARE (Wom- en's Emergency Communication and Reliable Electricity) Solar pro- vides reliable electricity to obstetric healthcare facilities in low-resource settings with the goal of reduc- ing some of the 500,000 mater- nal deaths worldwide caused by pregnancy-related complications. WE CARE Solar has developed and field-tested the Solar Suitcase, a user-friendly, portable, plug-and- play solar-electric system. MORE INFORMATION: www.gsvc. org/the_competition/