GSEN: Creating a More Impactful Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

About The Event

The Global Social Entrepreneurship Network (GSEN) is the international network for organisations supporting social entrepreneurs, especially those at early stages. With just 9 members in 2013, now there are 52 operating in 50 countries. This year we embarked upon research gathering organisational level data from our members, supporters of early stage social entrepreneurs in 50 countries, a first initiative of its kind. On Wednesday 9th September 2015 we will hold a breakfast reception gathering high-profile influencers to unveil impact data from this research.

We're pleased to announce we'll be joined by a special keynote speaker

Jonathan Wong, Head of the Innovation Hub at DFID

When: Wednesday 9th September 2015, 9:00 am - 11:00 am (coffee and networking from 8:30)
Where: Thomson Reuters, 30 South Colonnade, London E14 5EP

Snapshots From The GSEN Impact Report

Data collected creates evidence about many un(der)-research aspects of social entrepreneurship. Here are a few snapshots from the GSEN Impact report:

1. Demand for support outstrips supply: only 25% of social entrepreneurs who applied for support were selected and received support
2. Support for early stage social entrepreneurship is under-resourced: on average GSEN members dedicate 37% of their annual budgets directly to financially support the early stage social entrepreneurs they work with. Most of the remaining budget is spent on human resources and operating costs, leaving them with little to grow and improve their support offer. Increased efficiency is a key target for them, and the mission of GSEN.
3. GSEN members are plugging a gap in the ecosystem: 96% of them target seed and start-up stage social ventures, where little other support is available.
4. GSEN enables supporters of early-stage social entrepreneurs to be more effective: this peer network is laying foundations for a more impactful social entrepreneurship ecosystem and, as a result, is improving communities around the world.

About The Global Social Entrepreneurship Network (GSEN)

“Together, we envision a world where people find it easy to get support to start and thrive as social entrepreneurs, wherever they are.”

Incubated by UnLtd, The Global Social Entrepreneurship Network (GSEN) was launched at the Social Impact Investment Summit created under the UK Presidency of the G8 in June 2013. GSEN is the international network for organisations supporting social entrepreneurs, especially those at early stages. It is the only network in the world that focuses on increasing the reach, quality and sustainability of support for early stage social entrepreneurs, thereby fostering a more robust social entrepreneurship ecosystem. It does this by creating opportunities, capacities and resources needed for widely accessible and cost-effective know-how and best-practice exchange, replication and scaling. GSEN brings organisations together to understand and share what works in supporting social entrepreneurs.

Contact

Amy Schumacher, GSEN Communications and Membership Manager
Global Social Entrepreneurship Network at UnLtd
123 Whitecross Street, London, EC1Y 8JJ
amyschumacher@unltd.org.uk, 020 7566 1102

Breakfast hosted by