Current Teams

Introducing a few of our 2012 Social Venture Academy Teams! If you are interested in joining a team you can email the contact person listed at the end of the description. If you have questions about the competition, attending the academy or adding your team to this page contact svc@byu.edu

The Social Start: Crowd sourced consulting for social good. We use a web-based platform to "Challenge" our users to engage with and start solving the many social problems that exist in the world. Many people feel they don't have the time or means to contribute to social good but we help give you a starting place. Visit TheSocialStart.org to find out more or email thesocialstart@gmail.com.

Freedom's Families Veteran Family Recreational Retreat: We aim to save families of veterans from the devastation of divorce through the therapeutic use of family recreation.  We teach families how to communicate better, heal broken lines of communication, and feel like a family again. To get involved email warren.price@gmail.com

Grace Café: A community cafe where anyone can go and enjoy a delicious meal in a great environment, regardless of ability to pay. Customers can contribute through our "pay what you want"" system, or volunteering time. To get involved email amy.ollerton@gmail.com

ServeSurfer Foundation: We connect volunteers and nonprofits via a simple Facebook platform. To get involved email cnordo@gmail.com.

SocialMed: Patients, friends and family members can search by health diagnosis, symptoms, and/or current prescriptions to find individuals tailored to their unique medical situation. The platform also allows groups and associations to create accounts enabling online meetings and event notifications. SocialMed is a central location where users can anonymously collaborate anytime, anywhere, about any health issue. SocialMed is available online and as a mobile application. To get involved email jaclyncoleman@gmail.com

Academy for New Economic Thinking and Action: The Academy trains and certifies people with knowledge and skills to create local prosperity in households, businesses and communities.  Target participants are adults of any age and educational background.   It provides practical training for people who work for (or want to work for) organizations that do community-based development and education.  Educational opportunities are available through workshops, short certificate courses, mentored internships, learning communities, apprenticeships, conversation cafes, and other means.  The Academy will be accredited to offer a masters degree in community development education. To get involved email joan.dixon@comcast.net

Sygif: We will significantly increase the returns of investments that businesses are already making towards charitable causes by providing them dramatically increased interactive public exposure. A business will pledge a certain amount of money for users to earn as they participate in simple, fun, and engaging activities on the site and share Sygif with their friends. After raising the money, users will be able to vote on exactly which charities the earned money goes to. Sygif then pushes updates, photos, and video to the users (via mobile phone applications, email, and Facebook) notifying them about the progress of the project that they voted for. To get involved email jd@sygif.org