The William James Foundation identifies for-profit entrepreneurs who are making the world a better place & connects them to experts & investors so they can scale into sustainable ventures. Help us support entrepreneurs from all over the world who are using business to tackle the truly difficult challenges (hunger, clean water, light and power for the poorest, etc.)
Starting a new business can be extremely challenging - ideas need to be fleshed out, teams and systems put in place, and resources secured. In the US alone, 50% of small businesses fail within 5 years. For firms that are trying to provide both social and financial value, the challenge is even greater. Entrepreneurs are often out there on their own. We address the challenge of finding them experts and mentors who can help an entrepreneur refine their ideas and make their business viable.
The WJF helps sustainable entrepreneurs find the right AIM - advice, investment, & mentorship. We provide an average of 20 pages of feedback per entry per round of our sustainable business plan competition, and hundreds of our judges connect with our entrepreneurs, building a strong network of support for those who are trying to solve the world's toughest problems without asking for handouts.
The project will allow entrepreneurs from the developing world to take their business ideas to the next level through access to quality feedback, mentors, and networks. WJF develops long-term relationships with our entrants to continue supporting them after they go through our competition. Since 2004, WJF has worked with 700 start-ups who are trying to be socially and financially viable. Hundreds of those businesses are still working their magic.
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).
