"Innovation" can and has been used to make life easier. Think of the convenience of Uber, or the ease with which you can order groceries online with Instacart.
While those kinds of developments are certainly helpful and, of course, quite valid, there's another side of innovation that is less concerned on modern convenience and more focused on driving cultural change for the better, in the most basic sense.
These groups, know as social impact entities, flourish in Rhode Island — thanks in part to organizations like the Social Enterprise Greenhouse (SEG), the Rhode Island Foundation and Innovate Newport. This trio of nonprofits boasts accelerators for relevant startups in different industries (think health, food and drink), scholarships, events and grants, as well as a widely expansive plan for the state through 2025. The best part? That small list of supportive organizations is just skimming the surface of similar groups in the state.
And their work has spurred considerable growth. DESIGNxRI has continually regenerated its Design Catalyst program over the past few years, an opportunity that provides seed funding and mentorship to underserved startups. The SEG even found itself in the position to expand its physical presence to Newport and Pawtucket.
"The whole hypothesis is really that in order to really reach entrepreneurs who maybe have been historically excluded, you have to be boots on the ground and build trust and credibility, and be there and listen," said SEG CEO Kelly Ramirez. "We’re very early and gaining some traction."
Sometimes, however, supply and demand is irrelevant for these kind of organizations. Many entrepreneurs consider having a sincere calling enough to catalyze their very own social impact startup.
“We built a school [in Nepal] and that was insane,” said Lanna Nawa, co-founder of Impact Everything, which you will hear more about below. “And then we come back to our 9-to-5 jobs and we just felt completely lost. I felt like my heart wasn’t into my 9-to-5 job. I wanted to live a life of giving back and traveling.” Not long after, she launched her social impact organization.
Nawa is not the only one. Below, we've rounded up five social impact startups that are worth keeping an eye on this holiday season and beyond.
Two University of Connecticut students, the aforementioned Nawa and Saroj Bhandari, were inspired to establish their Providence-based store after the devastating 2015 earthquake in Nepal. The two traveled to the area to help with rebuilding efforts, and left changed and disillusioned with their day jobs when they returned.
The answer, they realized, was creating something that allowed them to give back: Impact Everything. The store sells 2,000 products that have connections to charities from across the globe, and at least 25% of each sale is donated to a nonprofit.
“The idea is to give people the option to live an impactful lifestyle," Nawa said.
To best grasp what Hope's Harvest does, you'll first have to understand the term "gleaning." In essence, it's connecting the bits of crops left over after farmers make the first major run. And that's what this 2017-born company does: glean fruits and vegetables and donate them to food pantries across the state, allowing those in need to have access to food that isn't just canned.
It's important work, considering that nearly 12% of Rhode Island residents (that's 51,000 households) are deemed food insecure.
“While there are food rescue organizations like this across the country, we didn’t have one in Rhode Island," founder Eva Agudelo said. "I wanted to take advantage of a proven model and adapt it to the unique characteristics of Rhode Island’s food system.”
Agudelo was named one of three recipients of the Rhode Island Foundation's Carter Fellowship for Entrepreneurial Innovation. The distinction means she will receive $200,000 over the next four years.
Read more on Rhode Island Inno.
Local gerontologist Deborah Burton has spent her life educating herself on the needs of the aging population and how to best serve them. Someone needs to do something, she argued, as “we’re not prepared for the aging nation," Burton said.
For her, that meant forming Aging Easily, and RIElderInfo.com — the later of which is a website with up-to-date, concise and easy to navigate information for the elder, caregiver or professional alike. It covers details for everything from programs and government initiatives, to general information and social events tailored to those in Rhody.
Her work garnered the attention of Providence Business News, which named her one of the state's "Most Innovative." In 2018, she won the SEG Health and Wellness demo day pitch, which came with a $2,000 award sponsored by Delta Dental of Rhode Island.
As for the future, Burton is hosting a Dec. 4 fundraiser and is running a GoFundMe campaign for the site, which has a $15,000 goal.
Read more on Rhode Island Inno.
Providence is home to What Cheer Flower Farm, a nonprofit that sums up its mission so beautifully I would be remiss to try and paraphrase it:
"Flower farming brings a deep sense of connection and delight that is essential in a stressful world. Giving someone flowers acknowledges their worth. It says, 'You matter. You deserve beauty. You are cared for.'"
As a result, the group donates flowers to charities like Newport Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House of Providence. Additionally, it allows nonprofits to rent their flowers for charity.
Established in 2017 and run out of what was once the Colonial Knife Factory, its purpose was not only to give away beauty, but to also serve as an opportunity to provide on-the-job training for those in the state's multi-faceted farming and gardening industry.
"Sometimes people wonder why not provide food or shelter,” said co-founder Shelby Doggett of her work. “I think to go beyond basic human needs is something that people deserve, even if it seems to be a luxury."
ASTRO – Arts, Sports, and Technology Resource Organization
Founded by Justin Pasquazzi, this Cranston-based startup looks to marry common interests (that's where the art/sports/tech comes in) to community-building opportunities for at-risk populations. There are specific groups focused to hone in on participants' specific interests, like film or cheerleading or basketball — and ASTRO offers certification opportunities for those with looking to further engage in tech.
In addition to these offerings, ASTRO boasts mentorship, an online store with gear customers can use in their groups, and more.
ASTRO's work led to its participation in the 2019 cohort of the SEG's Health and Wellness accelerator, where it will pitch its concept on Dec. 5 for the program's demo day.
