[Reader-list] Digital Partners SEL Preliminary Application

[geert lovink]

From: "Social Enterprise Laboratory" <sel at digitalpartners.org>

DIGITAL PARTNERS' SOCIAL ENTERPRISE LABORATORY (SEL)
CALL FOR PRELIMINARY APPLICATIONS

Please forward the following opportunity to entrepreneurs interested in
utilizing information technology (IT) to benefit poor communities through
enterprises designed to deliver social value.

Digital Partners invites for-profit and non-profit social entrepreneurs and
organizations using information and communication technology (ICT) to serve
disenfranchised communities in developing countries to submit a Preliminary
Application for participation in the 2003-2004 Social Enterprise Laboratory
(SEL).  Projects should benefit the poor and must be ICT-enabled,
market-based, and self-sustaining.

Preliminary Applications are available year-round at
http://www.digitalpartners.org/sel_apply.html and must be made on-line.

Applications for the 2003-2004 cycle must be submitted no later than
THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2003.

Digital Partners will evaluate the submissions and a select number of social
entrepreneurs will be contacted by the END OF JUNE and asked to submit a
full application.  Examples of successful applicants can be viewed at
http://www.digitalpartners.org/sel_progress.html and
http://www.digitalpartners.org/sel_portfolio.html.

The most promising projects will:

1.  Receive Business and Technology mentoring assistance (assistance to
design, incubate, deploy and scale innovative projects) and

2.  Become eligible to receive initial equity investments from Digital
Partners based on projected social benefit and capacity to achieve
sustainability.  Previous investments have ranged from $10,000 to $100,000.

The SEL Program matches entrepreneurs with professionals and students from
prestigious graduate schools to help them effectively incorporate
information and communication technologies and market mechanisms into the
enterprise, develop implementation strategies, and transform proposals into
sustainable business plans.  More details can be found at
http://www.digitalpartners.org/sel.html.

Questions may be directed to SEL Program Officer David Feige at
SEL at digitalpartners.org.