Socentex Returns

It is incredible how much the social entrepreneurship space has changed in the past 3 months, both globally and particularly in Los Angeles. Before continuing, I want to say that I am continually astounded by the incredible talent, energy, drive, passion, and sheer size of the Los Angeles social enterprise and innovation community. When I met up with Maria Springer (of Kito International, now a fellow at the Unreasonable Institute), Karen Leventhal (of LA Social Innovators), and others at the first LA Changemakers tweetup back in December, I knew few people and was joining a community that was certainly present, but lacked some of the cohesion that a social enterprise community truly needs in order to flourish.

LA Social Enterprise Update

Well how times have changed.  Now, Social Enterprise Tuesdays are a bi-weekly norm (make sure you note the amended time to Wednesday this week).  New social enterprises pop up out of the woodwork daily.  StartingBloc’s presence is  increasing in a huge way (hint: Los Angeles Institute 2011…).  Kiva hosts microfinance panels, and InVenture builds out an incredible organization for funding third-world social enterprises.  The Hub LA is preparing to launch its space for LA social entrepreneurs to innovate, collaborate, and co-habitate in a shared work environment.
And Urban Social Entrepreneurs aims to bring social entrepreneurship, this global movement for social change, to America’s own urban communities.

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BREAKING NEWS: StartingBloc Coming to Los Angeles in February 2011

The HUGE news – and Socentex.com may be be the first to break this news – is that StartingBloc will officially be bringing its world-class Institute for Social Innovation to Los Angeles!  The dates are tentatively scheduled for February 10-14th, 2011.  Learn more about the incredible StartingBloc program at http://www.startingbloc.org/home and connect with the StartingBloc LA Board at http://www.startingblocla.org/.  The announcement was made at an official launch event last night, hosted at GOOD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.