Social Impact Hub announces the third cohort for its 2022 Scaling Impact Accelerator Program
Social Impact Hub is proud to announce that we have selected our third Scaling Impact Accelerator program cohort, thanks to the ongoing support of the Australian Government's Entrepreneurs' Program, the Sidney Myer Fund and Ernst & Young. Tanarra Philanthropic Advisors and Ernst & Young are also providing pro-bono support.
These partnerships enable the Social Impact Hub to support social enterprises at a crucial stage in their development – the inflexion point between building on a proven track record and preparing to take on impact investment.
“We have been privileged to work with 16 enterprises across the previous two cohorts and we are currently in the process of supporting some of them to raise investment capital, with Umbo successfully raising capital to scale last year. We are thrilled to have selected another eight enterprises across a wide variety of impact areas," said Jessica Mendoza-Roth, Founder and Director at Social Impact Hub.
"We focused on selecting enterprises that have a strong business model and are looking to scale," said Jessica Liang, Program Manager.
"We are excited to work with the eight selected enterprises over the coming months and we are looking forward to supporting their impact investment readiness journey," said Jay Boolkin, Program Manager. The five-month Accelerator program will include a series of masterclasses, tailored advisory support, and mentoring, with a focus on future impact investment.
The Social Impact Hub will continue to run the Social Impact Fellowship initiative alongside the program. This program is currently accepting applications for purpose driven individuals looking to create greater social and environmental impact in their careers.
The enterprises in the Scaling Impact Accelerator can utilise the skills and expertise of the selected Fellows on important projects whilst the Fellows receive practical and real-world experience working in a social enterprise.
Since the first program concluded, the Social Impact Hub has successfully secured Impact Investment Ready Growth Grants (IIRGG) for MyCareSpace, Grow Your Mind, Champion Life, and Dismantle.
The eight enterprises making up the 2022 Scaling Impact Cohort were selected from a highly competitive pool of over 60 applications from across Australia. They include:
Cherished Pets provides pet care assistance as well as crisis support to vulnerable groups, including the elderly, people with disability, and those experiencing homelessness or mental health crisis - enabling them to enjoy the benefits of healthy pets and a thriving human-animal bond.
Pixii is solving the problem of gender inequality in bathrooms. More specifically, they are solving the problem of getting 'caught out' which the vast majority of women have experienced at work, school, or both.
Goodwill Wine is a certified social enterprise that donates 50% of their profits to a charity of their customer's choosing. They've partnered with 300 charities to date working across a broad range of causes, and have donated almost $450,000 so far.
Currie Country is an Indigenous-led cousin consortium business model with 36 small businesses. They work across the environment, education, Native Foods, and cultural immersion experiences.
Travengers AU is making travel and social connection possible for young adults who are autistic or have hidden disabilities - like Contiki with support. They organise group travel across Australia, as well as local social events.
The Good Box is a for-purpose organisation that creates beautifully packaged gift boxes to give to people experiencing homelessness. They also work to facilitate conversations surrounding homelessness through school and corporate education programs.
Youngster.co is on a mission to create 1 million connections by 2025 by bridging the gap between generations. Youngsters share their digital skills and vitality while Seniors pass on some wealth and wisdom.
RoboFit harnesses the latest innovation in technology to provide Australia's first RoboFit powered rehabilitation to help those living with neurological and musculoskeletal disorders.
The program will be conducted virtually, culminating with a Demo Day in mid-October. Each participating enterprise will have the opportunity to pitch their business to impact investors, sector leaders, program partners, and community influencers.
Social Impact Hub collaborates with bold, purpose-driven organisations to accelerate change. Through advice, thought leadership, education, and the mobilisation of capital, we help create a world where people and the planet thrive. We specialise in supporting social enterprises and purpose-driven businesses to design, demonstrate and scale their impact.