Dell Social Innovation Competition :: Now Accepting Apps from College Students Worldwide

Just saw this in the Net Squared: Remixing the Web for Social Change e-newsletter:

In universities around the world, students explore countless ideas every day, including solutions to tackle social problems — and help people in need reach their fullest potential. If you have a world-changing idea, the University of Texas and Dell want you to share it by entering The Dell Social Innovation Competition.

The Dell Social Innovation Competition operates like a business-plan competition, awarding seed funding directly to the student-led venture that best meets the judges’ criteria.


For the student applicants - the competition has 4 stages:
* College students from around the world enter the competition online, each with a brief description of his or her innovation.

* Competition judges invite a small group of semifinalists to develop their ideas into detailed venture plans. Each semifinalist records a 3-minute video pitch of his or her plan.

* Judges select 3 finalists to travel to Austin, Texas, to present their plans to a committee comprised of leaders from the business, non-profit and government sectors.

* During the final event, held at The University of Texas at Austin, all finalists receives prizes, and the overall winner receives $50,000 to launch his or her venture.


For the mentors out there:
Feedback is a vital step in the development of an idea. Share your knowledge and experience with students who may be addressing an issue for the first time. Can your experience guide them to resources, references, and information that helps refine their idea? Constructive criticism offers something more than whether you like or dislike the idea. Be part of the collaboration to strengthen a solution. Log in and leave your constructive feedback and encouragement.

Both applicants and mentors need to register here.


Read about previous years' finalists and 2009 winners.

The 2009 1st Place $50,000 Grand Prize Winner -


Gardens For Health
Yale University, Brown University
Team Members: Emma Clippinger, Emily Morell, Ben Mandelkern

Gardens for Health is dedicated to enabling people living with HIV/AIDS to improve their nutrition, health and treatment adherence through sustainable agriculture. Gardens for Health was founded on the belief that a comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment plan requires access to adequate, nutritious food. The Gardens for Health team is currently working in Rwanda in partnership with cooperatives of people living with HIV/AIDS.

I just saw on their website that the org won one of the fourteen 2009 Echoing Green Fellowships!

To drive transformative social change, Echoing Green identifies and assists some of the world’s best emerging social entrepreneurs who are launching new high-impact organizations. Through our fellowship program, we support this community of visionaries as they develop new solutions to society’s toughest problems. Founded by the leadership of the private equity firm General Atlantic in 1987, Echoing Green has supported more than 450 leaders sparking change in 40 countries and 41 states.