Dragon’s Den for social enterprises

Pitching for a cause
Pitching for a cause

You’ve got a business. It pursues social and community goals. The environment. Arts. Culture. Maybe you’re generating some money to support a parent organization whose goals are similarly benevolent. And you’re a Canadian non-profit, charity or non-share cooperative. And – gasp! – you need some funds?

Come chase some cash and get some media attention for your Canadian social enterprise at the Third Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise in Toronto. As part of this conference, (November 18-20, 2009, hosted by SECC – Social Enterprise Council of Canada) Toronto’s Social Venture Partners are hosting Social Enterprise Angels: Social Investing in Action.

Inspired by the CBC series The Dragon’s Den, social entrepreneurs will pitch their ideas to a panel of investors in hopes of securing funding.

The conference as a whole brings together a few groups that may normally hold separate events. For instance, the Social Entrepreneurship Summit, a national conference held at MaRS for the past two years, will be programmed as a component of this year’s SECC. It’s expected to draw over 300 social enterprise managers, funders, supporters and policy-makers from across the country.

But more about the money.

Send the SECC a letter of intent (by September 14) and the top three business plans will be chosen to pitch live to the investors panel and conference-goers. The winner receives $30,000 to start up and grow their enterprises.

Fill out a letter of intent here>>

See the conference agenda here (PDF) >>