Silicon Valley Approach to Third-World Challenges

The venture capitalists and technology executives who move millions of dollars a day throughout the hectic and often incestuous world of Silicon Valley will be the first to admit how powerful a role greed plays in their deal-making. But they're still human after all, and the power brokers volunteering their time toward Santa Clara University's upcoming Global Social Benefit Incubator program deserve a special shout-out.

A project of the university's Center for Science, Technology and Society, the two-week residential boot camp gives social entrepreneurs -- i.e., innovators whose efforts help poor and disadvantaged people live better lives -- exposure to some of the tech industry's most experienced and influential leaders. Volunteers include serial entrepreneur (and lead mentor for the program) Bob Dench, Redpoint Ventures partner Jeff Miller and Mattson Technology founder Brad Mattson.

Mattson, in an SCU press release, points out the similarities between scaling high-growth technology start-ups and simple but vital innovations that improve people's lives in less-advanced regions of the world:

"These entrepreneurs usually have promising social businesses, but they need help finding a business model that is sustainable, scaling their business, and presenting a fund-able business plan. That's where we might help."

As you might guess, social entrepreneurs are not interested in making iPhone apps or Facebook widgets available to the poor, who have no use for such frivolous things. Their innovations tend to be geared to agriculture, energy and other bare necessities of life. SCU received more than 350 applications from social entrepreneurs all over the globe, only 16 of whom were selected to participate in the workshop.

Below are some pictures from last year's workshop:

Here are just a few of the confirmed attendees for this summer's workshop:

Byoearth (Guatemala): This venture helps the impoverished Central American nation's poorest slum-dwellers create and sell worm compost, an excellent organic fertilizer, using kitchen and garden scraps.

Husk Power Systems (India): They turn discarded rice husks into biomass for fuel production, essentially turning waste into energy (similar in concept to Byoearth).

Grass Roots Action for Social Participation (India): This organization uses carbon credits from developed nations to fund the manufacturing of inexpensive and environmentally friendly wood stoves for use by India's rural poor.

Anyone interested in hearing more about the efforts of these social entrepreneurs may attend the business plan presentation on August 27. None of these companies will likely go public, but it's good to know they're all in it for the public good.

(Photos from last year's workshop provided by Santa Clara University, used with permission.)