OpenKollab is developing infrastructure and processes to support its larger mission of Connecting Projects To Solve Massive Social Problems. In service of this larger end, we are developing the Ecosystem Pooled Fund initiative, the objective of which is to develop a model to provide financing to early stage social entrepreneurs (those that are developing projects that delivery both social value and financial return). As you likely know, there is a gap in the funding landscape that makes it very hard for social entrepreneurs to raise seed funds. The gap exists due to the fact that social ventures typically carry high risk but don't necessarily carry high enough financial return to offset this risk since they are not solely focused on financial return.

Barefoot Power is starting a project to help 1 million people gain access to clean, efficient electricity in developing countries. With the recent advent of white LED lighting, which requires less than 1 watt of power to produce useful light, the entry point to electricity has suddenly changed.

There's been a few lone voices advocating for business participationin poverty eradication over recent years. Today, in a conversation on the omidyar network, a critical mass seems to have gathered in a conversation which might at last prove to be the tipping point:  

http://www.omidyar.net/group/foodchain/news/207/

Bookmark the page, it might be part of social enterprise history in future! 

 economie, a London-based socially responsible investment firm has launched a social network at economie.sossoon.net to lead up to their eco6 conference in October.  According to their press release, the network has all kinds of bells and whistles: