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Social Innovation Labs

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Ask The Experts: What Is Social Innovation? Social innovation is one of those phrases that is in danger of becoming nearly meaningless due to its overuse, and use in such a wide variety of applications. Today, most businesses want to have some claim on the idea that they’re doing something good, and most nonprofits want to be able to say that they’re moving beyond old models of charity and bringing something more innovative to their work. But what’s an actual definition of social innovation?

That’s harder to come by. And without a definition, it’s hard to point at who is doing it well and who is doing it badly. At the 2011 Social Innovation Summit, PwC convened a variety of leaders in the field--including Charles Best from Donors Choose; Rahul Raj, Walmart.com’s director of sustainability; and Nancy Lublin, CEO of DoSomething.org--responded to the question: "What is social innovation? " This is a teaser of the various speakers, but stay tuned. Rediscovering Social Innovation. Social entrepreneurship and social enterprise have become popular rallying points for those trying to improve the world.

These two notions are positive ones, but neither is adequate when it comes to understanding and creating social change in all of its manifestations. The authors make the case that social innovation is a better vehicle for doing this. They also explain why most of today's innovative social solutions cut across the traditional boundaries separating nonprofits, government, and for-profit businesses. In the spring of 2003, the Center for Social Innovation at the Stanford Graduate School of Business launched the Stanford Social Innovation Review. Our first “Editors’ Note” defined social innovation as “the process of inventing, securing support for, and implementing novel solutions to social needs and problems.” We contend that social innovation is the best construct for understanding—and producing—lasting social change.

2011_WI_Feature_Kania.pdf (application/pdf Object) Working with MaRS |Working with MaRS. Can entrepreneurs get what they need to create successful companies? Yes. MaRS helps entrepreneurs bring new and innovative ideas to the marketplace. We offer a comprehensive range of business services. And experienced advisors guide our clients every step of the way.

MaRS works with entrepreneurs in a range of sectors, including: Social innovationOriginally treated as a separate practice, social innovation has since been recognized as an overarching area of focus at MaRS, given the growing number of MaRS ventures across all practice areas that identify a social purpose. Our goal? MORE ABOUT WORKING WITH MaRS >> Learning to build better companies MaRS learning programs are designed to encourage innovation, collaboration, and knowledge. MORE ABOUT LEARNING AT MaRS >> Where can entrepreneurs get the market research they need? MaRS clients get current, relevant information when they need it. MORE ABOUT MARKET RESEARCH AT MaRS Can entrepreneurs get the money they need? Social Innovation Generation. What is a Change Lab/Design Lab? | Social Innovation Generation.

MaRSReport-Labs-designing-the-future_2012.pdf (application/pdf Object)