In 2008-2009, SENO:

• Matched 12 of the most promising early-stage social entrepreneurs to 12 executive mentors in our pilot Incubator program. Through the support of their executive mentors, mentees worked through their start-up challenges with their mentor, ranging from securing a permanent physical location, developing a board of directors, testing out an earned-income venture, developing a successful pitch for retail product placement, and developing and implementing a fundraising strategy.

• Launched a series of 5 leadership development and technical assistance workshops/retreats for 100 social change agents through our partnership with Echoing Green, an award-winning nonprofit that provides seed funding to social entrepreneurs. Trainers included Christopher Gergen, author of Leading the Entrepreneurial Life, and in the fall, Leslie Crutchfield, author of Forces for Good, will be conducting a retreat.

• Since our inception, we have convened large networking/celebration events for 300 social change agents and featured the profiles of successful social entrepreneurs on our website.

SENO is a nonprofit 501c3 that is well-poised to expand quickly with the support and partnership of organizations such as the Lieutenant Governor’s Office of Social Entrepreneurship, Echoing Green, and Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business. SENO has been publicly recognized by Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business as the 2009 Outstanding Social Entrepreneur of the Year, highlighted in Entrepreneur magazine, New Orleans Gambit “40 Under 40,” the Lieutenant Governor’s Office of Social Entrepreneurship, New Orleans City Councilman Arnie Fielkow, and the Social Enterprise Alliance as the Conference Host Committee Chair.