ATTENTION: Business editors, writers

01 April 2002
Contact: Ute Frey, Haas School of Business
(510) 642-0342
frey@haas.berkeley.edu

WHAT:
The final judging round of the National Social Venture Competition at the University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Ten teams, covering a broad spectrum of education, technology, health, community development, and environmental industries, will compete for $100,000 in prizes. For the first time, the final team presentations to the judges will be open to the public. The plans will be evaluated on their financial and social returns on investment, feasibility, fundability, and management team qualifications. The competition is a partnership of the Haas School of Business, Columbia Business School, and The Goldman Sachs Foundation.

WHEN:
Saturday, April 6, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE:
Wells Fargo Room at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley. The Haas School is on Gayley Road between Bancroft Way and Hearst Avenue.

WHO:
* Bronx Charter School for the Arts (public elementary school focused on arts)
* Casas Sin Fronteras (affordable housing for low-income residents of Mexico)
* Green Village, Inc. (environmental detergents and community employment)
* SKS Infotech (technology solutions for microfinance institutions)
* Energy Savers International (controls to increase efficiency of electrical appliances)
* Regale Corporation (environmentally-friendly molded packaging)
* Wilson TurboPower, Inc. (low-cost, high efficiency microturbines)
* Vascular Regenesis (using a tissue-engineering approach for pediatric heart surgery)

Two teams nominated for the prize for Best Social Return on Investment analysis:
* Pachamama Coffee Cooperative of Small Scale Coffee Producers
* Windows of Opportunity (lead-safe window replacements)

BACKGROUND:
The competition was originally launched at the Haas School of Business in 1999 and is unique in its promotion of ventures with both financial and social returns on investment. Tapping into the growing interest in social entrepreneurship, this year's record-breaking 77 business plan submissions from 33 business schools marks a 140 percent increase over the 2001 competition.

For more information, go to www.socialvc.net or contact Ute Frey at the Haas School of Business at (510) 642-0342 or frey@haas.berkeley.edu.