Silicon Valley, CA (PRWEB) October 13, 2014
The Global Innovation Summit, the world’s largest gathering devoted to innovation ecosystems, is back. Since the GIS’s inception, we have sought out individuals who understand that innovation is an incredible lever to transform the world; that economic value can be unlocked everywhere; and that serendipity can be designed across entire countries, regions, and corporations.
The Innovation Ecosystem Awards were created to reward companies and organizations that embody this understanding. Above all, Innovation Ecosystem Award winners must affirm The Global Innovation Summit’s mission: “To make geography irrelevant to innovation.”
Below are the 2014 Innovation Ecosystem Award winners who best catalyzed our founding ideals. Congratulations again to our winners, and we invite interested entrepreneurs to visit http://www.innosummit.com/contest to apply to the 2015 Innovation Ecosystem Awards today!
Applications are due December 31, 2014 and winners will be announced January 15, 2015.
1. Aravind Eye Care System: The Aravind System stands for the proposition that hospitals must provide services to the rich and poor alike, yet be financially self-supporting at the same time. This principle is achieved through high quality care, large volume care within a well-organized system.
2. Asia Impact Investing Exchange: Asia IIX provides Social Enterprises in Asia with greater access to capital, which allows them to more rapidly expand the impact of their activities.
3. Blue Ridge Produce: Blue Ridge aims to create efficient and high-value markets, which support local farming communities and increase access to healthy, locally-grown food.
4. Catchafire: Catchafire matches professionals who want to volunteer their skills with nonprofits who need their help.
5. The Idea Village: The Idea Village identifies, supports and retains entrepreneurial talent in New Orleans.
6. Impact HUB: Impact HIB is a network of innovation centers that each function as an innovation lab, business incubator and social enterprise community center.
7. Liberty & Justice: L&J specializes in value chain management for high-volume, time-sensitive, duty-free goods for leading American clothing brands, trading companies, and other importers who care about exceptional quality, on-time delivery, social and environmental impact, and geographic diversity.
8. Network for Good: Network for Good is a nonprofit donor-advised fund that uses the Internet and mobile technology to securely and efficiently distribute thousands of donations from donors.
9. Simpa Networks: Simpa sells distributed energy solutions on a “Progressive Purchase” basis to underserved consumers in emerging markets.
10. STC.UNM: STC.UNM is a nonprofit that protects technologies developed at UNM and transfers these technologies to the marketplace via starting new companies and transferring these technologies to established companies.
11. Tulane Empowers Initiative: Tulane Empowers provides resources to support innovative projects identified by Tulane University departments; reinforces its mission shift toward community engagement; and sets a standard for the entire university to keep social innovation at the heart of its work.
12. Village Capital: VilCap is a new kind of venture capital firm that allows the entrepreneurs themselves to choose which investment receives funding- they are democratizing entrepreneurship.
13. VOZ Sustainable Fashion: VOZ is a fashion organization that empowers indigenous artisans and their art forms through collaborative fashion design.
14. Waste Capital Partners: WCP provides environmentally friendly waste management services that employ waste pickers throughout India.