UnReasonable Crowd Sourcing Marketplace Opens
The social innovators who founded the UnReasonable Institute have unveiled the next step of the their model, the funding marketplace. The UnReasonable Institute is a novel incubator for social benefit organizations. Potential fellows were just screened down to 35 finalists, who have been posted in a market place. In order to attend the 10-week fellowship program in Boulder this summer, finalists must raise their tuition — $6,500 — in the marketplace.
Building on crowdfunding concepts best exemplified by Kickstarter, UnReasonable believes this approach will reveal the most active, creative and resourceful entrepreneurs, while also integrating the kind decentralized funding that we need to seed the next generation of social entrepreneurs and sustainable ventures.
Four projects are already funded over $1,000, and two are 25% of their way to the $6,500 goal. A few of our favorites include:
- Light Up Malawi — a project to get the whole country off the grid and on to renewable energy.
- Rickshaw Bank — a project to help bike-based rickshaw pullers to earn their own rickshaw, and become stable businesses.
- Swayam — a project creating equity-based education, removing the financial costs of education in India.
- Cogknit Semantics — a project that uses a hardware and software integration to speed learning in India.
- Uber Housing — a project that provides low-cost temporary shelter for refugees.
Which one will inspire your support?