Cairo Exchange

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24464232-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Supporting a more cohesive Egyptian Idea Sector

[cairoexchange-blog]

Ten Inspiring Videos for Social Entrepreneurs

Inspiration comes in many forms. Some people are inspired by nature, some are inspired by other people, and some are inspired by something as simple as good design.

The fact is that no two people are inspired in the exact same way. This is why some people love Tony Robbins and others think he's a cornball; this is why some people crave "boot camp" workouts and others prefer a calming yoga session; this is why some people watch Oprah and others watch Maury Povich. At the end of the day, we are all inspired by different things.

Inspiration plays a huge role in social entrepreneurship, and we put together a list of 10 YouTube Videos that will help inspire your inner-entrepreneur. While we can'tguarantee that they will inspire you, check them out and let us know what you think. 

(via I4C)

  Watch all 10 here! 

[cairoexchange-blog]

Global Social Venture Competition

Social Entrepreneurship is inspiring youth from all around the world, leading the economy towards a sustainable development, brought by a generation of social entrepreneurs who present innovative solutions to many social and environmental concerns, thus, adding value to the community while maintaining business goals, driving innovation and creating a positive impact and systemic change. Following this context, Berytech and Saint-Joseph University are proud to launch the Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC), in partnership with ESSEC Business School, in Lebanon and the region, offering exceptional opportunities for winners in the field of social entrepreneurship. About GSVC: Initiated in 1999, GSVC is an international competition in Business Planning initiated by UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, spearheaded by international and prestigious partners such as ESSEC Business School, targeting entrepreneurs who present business projects in social entrepreneurship, with economical viability and social impact, looking to create or grow their enterprises. Target & Eligibility Criteria: GSVC targets young, passionate entrepreneurs looking to make a change and a contribution to the wellbeing of society, consequently, presenting projects with the following criteria:

Social or Environmental Impact

Economical Viability

Idea to startup phase reachable within a 3-year frame

One of the team members should be a university post-grad student or having graduated less than 2 years from competition date

Opportunities for Winners: Thanks to the collaboration of several key partners, laureates will benefit from a set of opportunities as well as a series of support services and programs, to create or grow their start-ups in the adequate environment:

Cash prizes: 4 prizes are distributed each year (from 5,000 to 25,000$)

International Exposure

Coaching and Mentoring from Expert Counselors

Participation in International Competition Rounds, Conferences and Events

Key Meetings with Investors and Professionals in the Financing Field

Access to Further Incubation and Support Programs

Contact details: For all interested candidates and more information, contact Krystel Khalil on  [email protected] or 04 533 040

For more details, you can visit http://gsvc.entrep-social.chair.essec.edu/home

[cairoexchange-blog]

[poptech]

What if, instead of using data to figure out what movie to see, we used data to figure out what kind of world we wanted to see?

Social Innovation Fellow Jake Porway of Data Without Borders, which matches changemakers with numbers nerds to do good with data. (via poptech)

[cairoexchange-blog]

Call for application - She Entrepreneurs 2012

Are you a woman with a vision? Do you want to contribute to sustainable change? Apply to She Entrepreneurs, a Swedish Institute leadership program, and become part of a unique network of women social entrepreneurs.

She Entrepreneurs offers inspiration, tools and a network aimed at building collaborative strategies and expanding partnerships between Sweden and the countries involved in the program.

She Entrepreneurs targets young women social entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa, Iran and Sweden. The program runs for one year, with participants meeting one week in Sweden and one week in the MENA region. During the week in Stockholm, participants are provided with the tools needed to start or develop a social project for sustainable change in their country or region. In between the meetings, the participants work on their own projects locally, coached by partners over digital platforms.

The participants meet Swedish organizations as well as leading social and business entrepreneurs. In the program, they become part of an exclusive network that strengthens the role of women and supports personal and professional development.

Who can apply?

Young women between the ages of 20 and 30 from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, West Bank-Gaza, Yemen, Iran or Sweden who have the ambition and interest to use social entrepreneurship to implement a social project. You should have good knowledge of both written and spoken English as well as basic knowledge of the Internet and social media like Facebook and Twitter.

Submit your application by using the online application form and the She Entrepreneurs questionnaire together with an updated resume (CV). You will find the application procedure in the left column. There is no fee for the program. Travel, hotel and food expenses are included in the program.    Deadline for application:                     November 14, 2011 Skype interviews:                               December 12-16, 2011 Announcement of final candidates:      December 19-20, 2011 She Entrepreneurs 2012:                     March 2–9, 2012   For more information about She Entrepreneurs, go towww.si.se/sheentrepreneurs or contact Javeria Rizvi Kabani, program manager, at [email protected].

[cairoexchange-blog]

[cairoexchange-blog]

[poptech]

[cairoexchange-blog]

poptech:

For the past two years I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with some of the most inspirational, talented social innovators (aka Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellows). This year, good friend Erik Hersman and I returned to Camden, Maine to work with the 2011 Class. Sharing our own experiences of 2008 – when we were both Fellows – and lessons we’ve learnt on our journey is a large part of why we’re here.

Click through for tips from 2008 PopTech Social Innovation Fellow Ken Banks, founder of kiwanja.net, which helps non-profits put mobiles to work through innovative offerings like FrontlineSMS – free software enabling coordinated, many-to-many, two-way text messaging.

[cairoexchange-blog]

[cairoexchange-blog]

[cairoexchange-blog]

Habib Haddad (@Habibh), CEO of Wamda, looks at how technology and entrepreneurship can drive change in the Middle East

[cairoexchange-blog]

[thenextweb]

[cairoexchange-blog]

thenextweb:

PAL Robotics marketing manager Jorien Guijs told Arabian Business: At the moment REEM is prepared for use at exhibition centres and shopping malls. In the future we will focus as well on the healthcare sector, airports, museums and other public spaces. REEM comes equipped with a navigation system and a touch screen, and it can be used as a guide, with features including face tracking and recognition, and a small platform to transfer luggage and heavy objects, as well as the ability to conduct video calls through the robot’s touch screen. One REEM will set buyers back about €200,000 ($269,157) each. (via Humanoid robots will be roaming Abu Dhabi’s malls next year - The Next Web)

Very intrigued by how this will be used in the healthcare sector.

[cairoexchange-blog]

The Fusion of Arabic Type with Product Design

Great article on Arabic type inspired product design over at Redesign Arabia

[cairoexchange-blog]

If you are interested in Digital/Tech Entrepreneurship, and even Digital Social Entrepreneurship, register for the ArabNet Cairo Conference.  

[world-shaker-deactivated2013092]

[cairoexchange-blog]

world-shaker:

Students and Technology Infographic

[good]

[cairoexchange-blog]

good:

With rebel forces still battling Gaddafi loyalists in Libya, NATO has begun dropping propaganda leaflets around Tripoli in an effort to quell the violence. Though the leaflets have a variety of themes, the most important asks Libyans to remember that they’re fighting their own countrymen and lay down their arms. It’s an important message, with only two problems: 1. It’s not working, and 2. The leaflets are hideous. For this GOOD design competition, we want you to create a functional, better-looking Libya leaflet using an actual NATO slogan: “One Libya, One People.”

Read the submission guidelines on GOOD →