B8526-001: Launching Social Ventures
W - A Term, 09:00AM to 12:15PM
Credit hours: 1.5
Location: URI 331
Previous Terms Offered: Spring
Instructor: Julius Mokrauer; William O'Farrell
This course will focus on identifying opportunities to use entrepreneurship to solve social and environmental problems and how to launch and scale a business with a social mission. The course will provide tools and resources for students interested in launching a business with a social mission, joining a business with a social mission, or becoming an impact investor in social ventures. The course will provide a road map and use case studies, site visits, and speakers to explore: identification and assessment of a viable idea; development of a business plan; marketing, sales and fundraising; mission-aligned board development and management teams; and financial plans. Students should be prepared to give a pitch in the first class either on a business idea which addresses a social or environmental problem, or on their interests and expertise in order to join another venture team participating in the class.
Julius Mokrauer
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Julius Mokrauer is a Managing Director for Evolve (Evolve Ventures & Evolve Foundation) whose mission is to reduce inner suffering and facilitate inner transformation at scale. Prior to Evolve, he was Managing Director/Fund Manager at Serious Change, one of the pioneering early-stage impact venture funds, where he continues to serve as a board representative/strategic advisor. He serves as a member of...
William O'Farrell
Adjunct Professor of Business
William J. ("Bill") O'Farrell has been starting and running tech companies for longer than he'd like to admit. He was most recently co-founder and CEO of Body Labs, a computer vision and AI company focused on providing the human body as a digital platform for a broad range of markets, including online apparel sales, gaming, health and fitness and AR...