Elevate+ Social Enterprise Celebration, Networking & Pitch Night took place at the Brisbane Powerhouse last Thursday and I was there to cheer on Chatfor10!

I cannot claim to know much about social enterprises. It's only recently that I learnt of organisations that are for-profit but with a social mandate attached to its activities. I have done a bit of research on the topic since, but Thursday night was an experience you couldn't get just from reading literature. I was surprised at the variety of startups on display.

Roughly, the startups defined their social mandate in four ways, 1) education and empowerment, 2) sustainability: promoting the circular economy concept through their business model, 3) fair trade: where they buy and sell with profit sharing across the supply chain in mind, and finally, 4) "Buy One Give One" concept. That said, on Thursday night there were also two medical startups that didn't fall into any of the above models.

The two projects, My Med Health from UpRize and Hemia Optics were just out to do some good. I mean, I could add "medical care" to my social mandates list but even on the night, if felt that My Med Health and Hemia Optics was a bit different from the other pitches.

Education & Empowerment

It goes without saying that Chatfor10 falls under the category of education and empowerment. But the one that interested me the most was Welcome 360. I am very interested in harnessing the power of VR and AR for education. Welcome 360 isn't VR as such, but it is VR adjacent, using 360 educational films to welcome new migrants, refugees and asylum seeker. While I was watching the pitch, I couldn't help but think how to enrich the 360 experience. Also, I think there is potential in the "welcome" concept to embed geocached information in the real world that users can access as they interact with their environment.

The other social enterprises in this space included Bertonni who sell ceramic wear made by homeless individuals. Enrich'd Creative who train and hire women from a culturally diverse background, including new immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, to host fun events for kids. There was also Urban Bliss who offer "sound off" yoga for school kids. I think itis a good idea and I loved their headphones!

Sustainability

For me, the most exciting sustainability startup on display in the sustainability category was Brisbane Tool Library. Because I am someone with boxes of unused tools and I understand that you buy the hammer but what you need is the hole in the wall. So I think the idea of a having a tool library from where you can borrow tools as you need them is genius.

The other sustainability social enterprises on display Thursday night were Lana and Five Mile Radius . Lana is a maternity wear company that allows you to rent or purchase fashioned maternity wear that's sustainably produced. While Five Mile Radius is a design studio that builds with building material found in the local environment. I appreciate the motivation behind both. But Lana especially I think is going to face a lot of challenges. People have tried clothes sharing before without much success. However, perhaps, the niche of maternity wear will win the day for them.

Fair Trade

Technically Lana also falls under fair trade. But the main social enterprise I would classify as focusing on fair trade on Thursday was Yaku Latin Goods. Yaku brought chocolates to the event, that is all they needed to do to gain my goodwill!

"Buy One Give One"

The last three social enterprises presented where what is usually called "buy one give one" type enterprises. First, there was Mammojo who sell activewear for breastfeeding mothers. If you buy one of their "lactivewear", you help them supply special kits to women in places where they are at risk due to the absence of simple items like gloves, gauge and soap.

Social Good Outpost offers free or discounted design services to community organisations that cannot otherwise afford the professional designers. Basically, the full priced commercial clients subsidise the discounts or free service offered to the community organisations. It's a good way for all professionals to give back to the community.

Lastly, there was the Unknown project. They well-donated books wrapped in a brown paper with clues to the book's story written on it. The idea is that you are buying a blind date with a book. The Unknown project donates their proceeds to supply school resources to The Romero Centre. It's certainly a worthy endeavour but it was more akin to a traditional charity than the other startups on display.

So yes, I had a good time on Thursday and got to hear some great pitches. I am looking forward to contacting some of them and tapping them up as potential speakers for Devstart. Let's see how it all goes!