New Social Ventures Get a Kick Start for 2013

Three social entrepreneurs from the School for Social Entrepreneurs have been awarded a Kick Starter grant by the Macquarie Group Foundation for their innovative ventures in the areas of mental health support services, corporate product philanthropy, and media production.

Now in its second year, the Kick Starter small grant program supports the early-stage social ventures of students of the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) with seed funding of $10,000 from the Macquarie Group Foundation and mentor support by Macquarie Bank senior executives.

Selected from a field of over 35 applicants the 2012 winners are:

Rachel Mills for Inkind – a venture which connects companies and charities through product giving;

Kath Thorburn and Inside Out and Associates – a consultancy that facilitates more inclusive and effective understanding and responses to metal health issues by involving those with lived experiences of the mental illness/extreme mental distress; and

Tania Sernia for DoGood TV & Radio – a media group and social enterprise dedicated to profiling the work social change makers across Australia.

“The highly competitive early-stage investment funding is a win for both the social entrepreneurs and the communities their ventures are serving,” Lisa George, the Head of the Macquarie Group Foundation said.

“We were impressed with the calibre of the social entrepreneurs competing for the grants, the strength of their business case, and the potential of their ventures for creating social impact.

“The inaugural 2011 winners of the Kick Starter grant have had significant success in growing their venture, in particular in leveraging further funding, strengthening their business plans and organisational processes,” George said.

SSE Australia runs practical learning programs for entrepreneurial individuals who have an idea or start–up venture with a social or environmental benefit. SSE Australia is part of a global network of Schools including eight across the UK and one in Canada with a global fellowship of over 1000 social entrepreneurs.

The Macquarie Group Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Macquarie Group.