Social Innovation Fast Pitch

Angel-style investment forum with Social Focus for Seattle

v1.4, May 2011

Mission: Increase speed and depth of innovation in socially-oriented organizations

Needs Solution Goals

 Social Entrepreneurs need
forum for finding advisors,
donors, investors, and
partner organizations
 Existing NFP’s need more
community awareness,
leadership capacity
building, and mentoring
 Philanthropists and
donors need efficient way
to see and contribute to
innovative social ventures
 Compete – in an annual event for NFPs and social
entrepreneurs
 Train – offer a 3-5 session training and mentoring
program to prepare for the competition
 Engage – bring mentors, service providers, and
funders from across the community to support
training process
 Promote – generate broad awareness of the Fast
Pitch process and the organizations competing to win
 Connect – use the network created by the SIFP
program and the networks of sponsoring
organizations to expand the impact of all participants
1. By Year 5: proven, self-sustaining
model that has been replicated in 5 US
and 2 international cities.
2. By Year 3: self-sustaining model
operating in Seattle, meeting needs
and delivering measurable impact.
3. Year 1: successful first event, under-
budget, answering key questions,
delivering on key success metrics.
4. (Attainable) Stretch: Year 1 alignment
with Ashoka-led or TED-India-led
program in Bangalore India

Implementation Concepts Team & Partners

 Select local angel group as Production Partner (done: Zino) Lead SVP Partner: Will Poole

 SVP Seattle is Lead Partner. Responsible for year-1 underwriting

and sourcing other partners, affiliates, and sponsors.
 Leverage best practices from business plan competitions and
angel investment forums, as well as other SVP Fast Pitch cities
 Arrange grant prizes in categories that are timely and locally
relevant: education, early learning, civic engagement, best use of
tech, efficient collaboration, local environment, etc. Target: 5
 Use entry criteria and rules to drive change, e.g.: require
participants to evaluate collaboration with existing organizations
before proposing new ones, look at importing programs from
other cities rather than creating new; leverage new technologies
to deliver on the mission more effectively; use hybrid for-profit
models to enable scaling and sustainability.
 Partner, partner, partner: wherever possible, the Fast Pitch team
will partner with existing organizations to leverage strengths and
capacity and avoid reinventing wheels.
 Document everything we do and learn, with goal of making
activity replicable in other US or international cities under SVP or
other local sponsorship.
Contact: Will Poole, SVP Seattle: willp <at> creativecap.org
SVP Partners: Tony L., Rob S., Emer D., Janet L., Ben B.
Production partner: Zino
Community Innovation Partners & Potential Sponsors:
 Ashoka (confirmed)

Alliance of Angels (confirmed)
 Seattle U Entrepreneurship Center
 Technology Alliance
 <UW CIE, Global Social Entrepreneurship BPC>
 <Front Seat>
 <Other angel groups: NWEN, MIT Enterprise>
 <The Hub> <Tech Stars> <Code for America >
 <Global Washington>
 <Financial sponsors: law firms, foundations,
wealth managers, etc.>
Success Metrics
1. Affordable budget with efficient use of resources
2. Engaged <x> NFPs and <y> startup social
entrepreneurs; <z> donors
3. $x in grant prizes raised and distributed
4. <zz> NFP ED’s or program managers trained
5. <z> new connections made between existing local
organizations; <z> more with out-of-area
organizations