Challenges in Launching and Growing Social Ventures

This course is designed for students interested in social entrepreneurship and those considering launching or joining a social venture. It is meant to sensitize students to the various challenges that arise in social ventures and to help distinguish those that are unique to mission-driven companies vs. more traditional, for-profit start-ups. It uses “live case studies” by bringing in current social ventures facing challenges which you address in teams. It is neither an applied startup course (students do not work on their own social venture ideas), nor is it a course specifically focused on investing in social ventures. The course is taught by an impact investor and a ‘serial’ entrepreneur. The course is part lecture, part class discussion and part analysis of real-world, real-time challenges presented by guest speakers who run early-stage social ventures. It is best suited for students considering launching, joining or possibly investing in a social venture. This course will appeal to students who are interested in the challenges of solving particular, real world problems of live early-stage social ventures. Students who wish to work on or advance their own particular start-up ideas should not take this course. Topics covered include: ● Exploration of impact models and challenges in aligning impact with business. This includes issues related to: customers vs. beneficiaries; prioritization of mission vs. revenue; and pace of growth; ● Corporate organization and team building, including C Corp vs. B Corp and B Corp certification; incentives / hiring; ● Approaches to, and sources of, financing; ● Pricing and sales models for social ventures; ● Competitive advantages and disadvantages in launching / growing a social venture; and ● Other issues may be raised by guest speakers.