Pop!Tech, (www.poptech.org) the renowned annual ideas summit and social innovation network, today unveiled a path-breaking Social Innovation Fellows Program. The initiative will enable a group of leading social innovators - selected from around the world and from many different fields - to gain expertise, develop new projects and collaborations and become more effective at changing the world.
In its first year, the program will provide up to 20 Fellows with all-expenses paid participation in the 2008 Pop!Tech conference, the visionary annual gathering of thought leaders and change agents being convened for the 12th time, October 22-25, 2008 in Camden, Maine. Additionally, Fellows will take part in a unique leadership and skills development program that will cover areas such as strategy, fundraising, media relations, digital storytelling, and how to successfully scale social initiatives. The training program will be led by some of the world's most successful social entrepreneurs and renowned specialists. Finally, Fellows will be granted year-round access to a network of Pop!Tech mentors and supporters to aid in the advancement of their ideas, projects and collaborations.
"Pop!Tech Fellows will have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to connect with their peers and a renowned network of thinkers and doers in science, technology, business, innovation, social change, venture capital, culture, media, the arts and many other fields, said Andrew Zolli, Pop!Tech's Curator. "We are certain remarkable collaborations will result.
Fellows will be selected based on their proven track record and high potential for generating cutting-edge, multidisciplinary, and socially beneficial innovation in fields such as education, energy, technology, global healthcare, development, environment, human rights advocacy, media, journalism and related fields. To ensure diversity, both from a cultural and experiential perspective, at least one-third of the class will consist of participants from outside the US and at least one-third will be 35 years of age or younger.
Nomination forms for Fellows are now available on Pop!Tech's website, www.poptech.org. Selection of Fellows will be made on a rolling basis throughout 2008.
In addition to offering Social Innovation Fellowships, Pop!Tech will expand its commitment to offering Participation Grants which will again enable selected social entrepreneurs, educators, and leaders of innovative pro-social organizations to attend the Pop!Tech conference. Grants are needs-based and are made in the form of a reduced-price ticket to the Pop!Tech conference.
For application information, visit www.poptech.org/grants/.
The Social Innovation Fellows and Participation Grants Programs are committed activities of the Pop!Tech Accelerator. Established in 2007, the Accelerator is focused on solving social problems through cross-sector partnerships - bringing together visionary individuals, nonprofits, for-profit businesses and governmental agencies. The Accelerator is particularly focused on innovative projects which demonstrate how new tools, technologies and approaches can be used to address pressing global challenges. Generous support for the Pop!Tech Accelerator and Social Innovation Fellows Program has been provided by the National Geographic Society.
The Pop!Tech Accelerator and the Social Innovation Fellows Program are governed by an advisory board made up of remarkable individuals with expertise in social innovation. Current members include Bunker Roy, founder of the Barefoot College in India and a recipient of numerous international awards; Clara Miller, President and CEO of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, which helps nonprofits strengthen their financial health and expand capacity; and Kevin Starr, MD, Director of the Rainer Arnhold Fellows Program, an international organization funding social innovators around the globe.
For program updates, to contribute to, or to nominate an individual for the Social Innovation Fellows Program Class of 2008, please contact Pop!Tech at (207) 230-2425 or visit www.poptech.org.
About Pop!Tech
Pop!Tech is a renowned social innovation network and thought leadership forum dedicated to accelerating the impact of world-changing people and ideas. The organization is known for its visionary Pop!Tech conferences, engaging media productions, and the innovative social change programs that it fosters worldwide. Visit www.poptech.org for more.