As a woman entrepreneur leading a custom software company, I’ve found some great resources that help me to manage and grow my business in Central New York. Contributing to a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region...
In this feature Tech4Change interview, Singlebrook talks with TechChange, an online learning company recently published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR). - TechChange’s newest initiative is a diploma program offering technical...
CARINGCROWD is a new crowdfunding platform fully dedicated to improving public health. Powered by Johnson & Johnson, CARINGCROWD is a tool for people to mobilize their online social networks, and help save and improve lives around the world....
Last weekend, the Singlebrook team gathered to host an Open Source Volunteer Day. - We invited Drupal and Rails developers from the Ithaca area, and a few good people showed up to join us for a fun, productive Saturday of coding (and...
In this Tech 4 Change spotlight, Singlebrook talks with Social(k) Founder and President Rob Thomas about emerging from the tech boom and crash of 2000 as a social entrepreneur, and future plans for his green, responsible retirement plan...
Singlebrook talks with Liz Brenna, Founder and CEO of Socially Good Business, a social enterprise building sustainable and socially good brands through operational programming and digital tools. Socially Good Business’s Sovvo platform (sovvo.org)...
Don't miss the link to Scott's TEDxIthacaCollege talk, “Putting People and Planet Before Paper Wealth”, at the end of the interview! Singlebrook: Please give a brief overview of what Ithacash does. Scott Morris: Ithacash is a new currency for in...
One way that we live our mission of Tech for Change at Singlebrook is through company-sponsored volunteer time for employees to give back to the communities we serve. A recent T4C initiative was a free workshop called "Drupal for Job Seekers"...
In the tech industry, it isn’t too surprising to walk into a room and be completely surrounded by men. After working in San Francisco this summer, heart of a booming tech hub, I can personally attest to the fact that, on a...
Some of us decided to take a break from building websites for a day and got together to build a home with Habitat for Humanity. One of the ways we live our mission of Technology for Change is through company-sponsored community volunteer...
Singlebrook: Please give a brief overview of what your organization does. Marissa Feinberg: The organization that we’re launching is Flockd, Inc. It was inspired by the need for such a collaboration and productivity tool in coworking spaces. My coworking space, Green Spaces, is a shared coworking space in New York City filled with environmental and social entrepreneurs. They’re all doing really great work to change the world! We encourage collaboration at Green Spaces, however, the majority of connections occur when there is quite a bit of facilitation on my part and that of our Community Manager. We wanted to create a way for people to feel they can freely connect with each other without having a facilitator so more great serendipities can happen more often. For example, you’re new at the space and you walk into the room and open your laptop -- you don’t know anyone around you. You don’t know if they’re open to talking or if they’re really busy. You don’t know what they do. We wanted to create a tool that can be used by anyone, anywhere (in a networking environment, at a cafe, at a coworking space) to put out there and say, “I’m open to connection.” -
Singlebrook talks with Liz Forkin Bohannon, Founder of Sseko Designs, about how her inspiring social venture brings economic and educational opportunities to women in Uganda while producing a line of colorful, strappy sandals (available online!)....
Singlebrook CEO, Elisa Miller-Out interviews Practically Green Founder & CEO, Susan Hunt Stevens at the Sustainable Brands '12 conference. Watch the interview in the video below: -
Singlebrook CEO, Elisa Miller-Out, interviewed James Slezak, Partner at Purpose, at this year's Social Venture Network (SVN) Annual Gathering. Purpose is a social change agency and a group of social movement entrepreneurs. We create new movements of people using online tools and techniques as a vehicle for participants to take action in the real world. We’ve been involved in building a number of social change movements on a range of different issues--sustainability, human rights, gay and lesbian rights, and, in particular, the new economy. There’s a whole slate of campaigns we’re working on. Some are with existing organizations, and some we’ve created ourselves.
Singlebrook CEO, Elisa Miller-Out interviewed Indigenous Co-founders, Matt Reynolds and Scott Leonard about Indigenous' Trace Tool at this year's Social Venture Network (SVN) Annual Gathering. - Watch the interview in the video below: -
Is it possible for a squirrel to run from Maine to Georgia without ever touching the ground? Maybe not anymore, but Treecycler is aiming to do something about it by using technology to support reforestation efforts and create a huge impact!
Singlebrook CEO, Elisa Miller-Out is currently mentoring with StartFast, a Syracuse venture accelerator program that takes place over three months this summer. In this podcast, listeners hear Elisa advising startup entrepreneurs, Amir Cohen and Hagar Romach of Cayo-Tech. -
With summer just around the corner, many people are thinking about starting (or sticking with) a healthy eating and fitness regimen. At this year’s SXSWi, a panel called “Can Gaming Make the World Better?” introduced us to Keas, an online social gaming platform that encourages healthy diet, exercise and stress management. Keas CTO and Co-founder, Adam Bosworth was there to talk about how his startup uses social gaming to help people live healthier lifestyles. Keas sells employers on the benefits of “wellness as a business strategy”. (They offer a free e-book download on this subject on their website.) The idea is that happier, healthier and more engaged employees are more productive. Healthy lifestyles also lead to lower healthcare costs, which helps the company’s bottom line.
Jim Thatcher, Ph.D. Candidate at Clark University (Geography) is seeking mobile application designers and developers to be interviewed for his thesis. My research goal is to open the “black box” of code construction by talking directly to designers and developers of mobile applications. By doing so, this research links what end-users can know with the decisions that went into the application’s development. The point is not to expose “evil” or “bad” intentions, as there are none, rather it is to help both developers and end-users understand the effects of their decisions, to help technology build a better world through conscious consideration.
Singlebrook talks with Daniel Vallejo, CEO & Co-founder of The Mutual, about how The Mutual’s Perks platform is helping to close the “Green Gap”. We discuss some of the challenges faced by a new startup, including finding the courage to leave a great job to become an entrepreneur. According to Vallejo, “the other side is a lot more fun.” -
eRecycling Corps envisions a “wireless device ecosystem” that relies on three parts: rewarding, renewing and reusing. Their aim is to lower the number of wireless devices that are sitting, unused, in American homes or being thrown away in...
Singlebrook recently interviewed John Murcott, Co-founder of Karma411. We were intrigued by Karma411’s work in creating the Major League Baseball All-Star Game Charity 5K & Fun Run web app. We spoke about how Karma411 is using various...
Singlebrook recently connected with Guayaki Yerba Mate through the B Corp network. We’re fans of their organic, caffeinated herbal beverage, yerba mate, and have become even bigger fans after learning about the company’s efforts to preserve the habitats and cultures of the areas of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay that supply their mate. Their interactive Impact Report is an innovative way of showcasing these efforts.
Preserve Gimme 5 is a program that turns disposable items that commonly end up in a landfill into recycled plastic. The program uses a free iPhone app--Preserve Gimme 5, that allows users to locate the nearest #5 plastic drop off center where they can recycle Brita water filters, yogurt cups and other containers, as well as Preserve toothbrushes and disposable razors. Preserve is the manufacturer of high-quality, super eco-friendly home products, including toothbrushes, razors, kitchen items and tableware. Preserve products carry catchy tag lines like “Powered by leftovers” and “Powered by yogurt cups” (through a partnership with Stonyfield Farm yogurt). Their products are all made in the USA, and Preserve is a B Corp, so you know they pass high standards to certify their sustainability efforts.
Levi’s Jeans is an example of a well-established, extremely recognizable American brand that is using their marketing efforts to do some good. The Levi’s brand, “epitomizes classic American style and effortless cool.” We think their use of T4C is really cool!
I recently attended the inaugural ConvergeUS Gathering in Sausalito, CA. The entire conference was a great example of T4C (Technology for Change), so I was very excited to have the opportunity to participate. ConvergeUS was...
Loudsauce is a crowd funding platform that takes a different approach than other crowd funding platforms like Kickstarter, which funds creative projects. Loudsauce amplifies the message of organizations and causes through mainstream advertising campaigns, bringing the message to a much wider audience. Loudsauce’s vision is, “to transform the medium of advertising from one that primarily drives consumption to one of civic participation”.
I'm blogging from the Social Venture Network fall gathering in Philadelphia, PA where I just attended a session that explored current and near-future trends in technology and how they relate to the social impact business world....
Singlebrook talks with Raviv Turner, Co-founder and CEO of Guerrillapps, the game developers behind the popular new Facebook game, Trash Tycoon. Through partnerships with big players in the green industry--TerraCycle, Carbonfund.org and Treehugger,Trash Tycoon combines great game mechanics with every day activities like sorting, recycling and upcycling trash. A month after its launch, Trash Tycoon is already seeing real world change through players’ increased involvement with TerraCycle and donations to Carbonfund.org. Trash Tycoon brings a breath of (ironically) fresh air to the world of gamification 1.0 with Turner’s approach: “let the fun drive.” -
The Singlebrook team met social entrepreneur and Unreasonable Fellow, Ties Kroezen of NICE International at the Singlebrook TechSpring winner’s announcement at the Unreasonable Institute. We thought his story would make an excellent example of...
