I helped found an annual conference on Social Entrepreneurship in partnership with Boston University called the Forum for Social Entrepreneurship or ForSE for short. Last year was our inaugural conference which was held on November 2nd and attracted over 250 attendees. Here are some photos from the event.
Ned Rimer, Co-Founder of Citizen Schools was the opening keynote speaker and drew on his startup experience to speak about the five key steps to taking an idea to fruition.
Some of the 250 attendees at the plenary session
Vikas Goyal, TiE Social Entrepreneurs Group, co-chair and one of the conference co-chairs kicks off the Pitch Panel.
Another view of the audience
Rishi Shukla, CEO of Fitness Forward, a startup social entrepreneur, pitches his idea.
The judging panel evaluates the pitches
Jeff Terry, VP, Cone leads a workshop on Corporate/Social Enterprise partnerships
Dean Lou Lataif, B.U. Management School, introduces Dr. Brown
Dr. Robert Brown, President, Boston University, in his keynote address highlighted the long and leading role that Boston University and its students have played in nurturing social entrepreneurs in Boston. For example, Goodwill Stores was founded by a BU alumni in the early 1900s.
Russell deLucia, President, S3IDF leads a panel discussion in one of the breakout sessions on “Beyond Microfinance – Building Sustainable Micro-enterprises”
Discussion group in breakout panel on “Education for all: Pipe dream or possibility?”
Rishi Shukla moderates the breakout panel on “Intersection of Health and Entrepreneurship – Innovative Solutions in Global Health”
Nishith Acharya, Executive Director, Deshpande Foundation, and main sponsor of ForSE 2007.
Alan Khazei, Co-founder and former CEO CityYear, closed the conference with an inspirational speech charging the audience to become citizen advocates and to get involved with the next wave of entrepreneurship. He drew on Mahatma Gandhi’s words to “be the change we wish to see in the world” for inspiration for his new endeavor.
The organizing team
The Social Ecosystem 