Spark - 2 Minutes for 2 Million Euros

Welcome to the July edition of Spark.?

It’s getting hot in here, and not just because Russia is a hot mess. Applications to our local incubation support programs are almost closed?(Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo are still open), and the ideas have been awesome. As local juries choose finalist teams, the question becomes: who will take home the Social Impact Award?

One quick note: we’re looking for a Finance Manager to join our International team in Vienna and lead/organize all the finances of our global company.?Applications are open now, with no deadline.

Diversity is Key ??

Diversity isn’t only important in the classroom and in the workplace. It’s important everywhere, including our application platform. The challenges of the future require a broad range of solutions covering every one of the?United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.?

This year did not disappoint. From justice to climate and everything in between, SIA finalists are creating innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Here are a few examples:

?? ?? Crowdrecht, from Germany, aims to make access to justice fairer for all.?They're?building a crowdfunding platform where people can finance their legal actions.?

?? ?? Michi, from Croatia, aims to modernize access to healthcare.?They’re building an app that helps young people become more focused, build healthy habits, and get access to mental health care.

?? Change the World Through Art, from Romania, is using art for economic empowerment.?They're?teaching disadvantaged people an artistic skill with which to get income.?

?? Harvest Greener, from Austria, is helping smallholder farmers sustain themselves.?They're building a digital sales platform for smallholder farmers across the European Union to allow them to sustain themselves financially.

Each venture receive access to mentorship, meet other young social entrepreneurs, and have the chance to win the Social Impact Award as part of the?SIA Incubation.?

Tech for the blind ??

This is going to sound crazy: what if visually impaired people could wear a special glove that made their everyday life significantly easier ??

This is the kind of idea people go “are you crazy?” to. But the team behind SIA Serbia venture Anoris didn’t let that stop them. And good thing they kept going, because they just announced the launch of?Anora, their smart glove.?

After 5 years of testing with over 500 blind people, the Anora glove helps with orientation, recognizes colors & banknotes, tells the time, and even has a panic button in case its wearer has a problem. Straight out of a sci-fi movie.?

The team has already secured 80 donations to the Union of the Blind in Serbia. We hope to see this innovation scale and reach the hundreds of thousands of visually impaired people in Serbia!?

SIA Jordan Grows ??

What do wellness companies and social entrepreneurship have in common? They both believe a better world is possible, and necessary.

World-leading wellness group Fine Hygienic Holdings and Impact Hub Amman in Jordan are joining forces to fund the SIA program and take it to the next level. The strategic partnership comes?in right at the end of the SIA Jordan discovery phase, and promises to bring in increased support to a field that is much-needed across the country.

With unemployment numbers for young people at dangerously high levels, investing in the future of youth means securing a better future for the country and the region. We’re excited to see how it evolves.

2 Minutes, 2 Million ??

Sounds like a good deal, and it is. You might have heard of the hit TV show Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs pitch their ventures to a group of celebrity investors in hopes for funding. 2 Minutes, 2 Million is the Austrian version, which recently got a visit from SIA Austria alumni?Uptraded.?

The Tinder for?clothes, Uptraded is a clothes-swapping platform helping used clothes?find a second home in a completely new way. See an item you like? Swipe right, and if the owner likes one of yours, you can proceed to an exchange! The app already has tens of thousands of users across Austria.

Founder Anna Pixer had the chance to pitch the venture in front of 5 celebrity investors. And although she didn’t receive the funding, she secured a pretty great opportunity for promotion ??

Moment of Mindfulness: Measuring Impact

Young people want change. But they often don’t know where to start, don’t know they can build a successful career as a social entrepreneur, and sometimes don’t find the field very exciting. All of these are communications challenges we need to solve if we want to live in a better world.?

Our Global Communications Lead, Martin Nicola?, sat down with Fraem Films founders Fabian and Elias to discuss the importance of communications in the field. They dig into why creatives need to be at the forefront, the biggest challenges young social entrepreneurs face, and Martin’s radio show.?

Tune in for?an entertaining and insightful conversation?with plenty of secret stories about SIA ??, and follow Martin on?Linkedin.

That's a wrap for this edition of Spark. See you next month!?