Addressing Issues in the Bay Area

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Miller Center announces new cohort in partnership with Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County for Bay Area-based social entrepreneurs

Bay Area residents have enjoyed meteoric growth in the past few years, bringing in $781 billion for gross domestic product in 2016 alone. While this new surge of wealth may be beneficial for some people, the rise of incomes has been followed by a concurrent rise in inequality.

Fortunately, there is an abundance of social entrepreneurs and innovation working to reconcile the Bay Area’s breakneck growth with stable levels of income equality, with the ultimate aim of making a livelihood possible for every citizen.

Miller Center is excited to share that we are collaborating with Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County to run a Bay Area GSBI® Boost from July 24-26, a 3-day capacity building workshop engineered specifically for social entrepreneurs concerned with income inequality and its impact on the San Francisco Bay Area. These entrepreneurs envision a Golden State in which innovation and high standards of living for all residents are not incompatible ideals, but instead are complementary ambitions welded together as core values of the Bay Area.

Miller Center will leverage Silicon Valley expertise to equip these social entrepreneurs with the skills they need to address the challenges of domestic poverty and economic inequality. Specifically, Miller Center’s GSBI Boost workshop allows social entrepreneurs to gain valuable business knowledge, improve their strategic thinking, and articulate a business plan that demonstrates impact, growth, and long-term financial sustainability. GSBI Boost will also bring together social business leaders from the community for an unparalleled networking event.

The Catholic ethos of unity in faith and universality in mission harmonizes well with the historically welcome spirit of the Bay Area. Similarly, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County helps individuals and families rise above economic barriers, regardless of their background. Miller Center will gild the GSBI Boost with the altruism of Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, channeling values such as humility and service toward those in need.

Selected entrepreneurs will take advantage of various opportunities in the GSBI Boost:

  • PROVEN PROGRAM.  Experience Miller Center’s structured, validated curriculum that has helped over 800 social enterprises attain operational excellence and prepare for investment.
  • EXECUTIVE MENTORS. You will be accompanied by Silicon Valley mentors with expertise in innovation and entrepreneurship who are your trusted advisors.
  • RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. Not only will you work directly with Silicon Valley mentors, but you will work alongside other leaders also trying to solve the problems faced in the Bay Area.
  • NO CHARGE.  All Miller Center GSBI accelerator programs are offered at no charge to selected social enterprises.
  • INVESTOR SHOWCASE*.  An opportunity to pitch your plan for scaling with a justifiable ask at an Investor Showcase in Silicon Valley. (*Available only to enterprises selected to participate in the subsequent GSBI Online accelerator program.)

We invite all social entrepreneurs who are delivering solutions to impact the vulnerable or low-income populations of the Bay Area to apply.