Mobilize.org‘s 13-week Moblizer Academy, which is designed to help millennials launch their own social good ventures, will wrap up with a Pitch Event on May 3 at Impact Hub. The event is modeled on a real-life pitch competition.

The Mobilizer Academy consists of meetings with mentors, virtual training  and classroom sessions that teach the basics of social entrepreneurship, including branding, research, community engagement and team management. Each participant was asked to create a project proposal or business plan for a social change issue.

At the pitch event, each of the participants will give a three to four minute presentation to a panel, including a personal narrative, a breakdown of the problem and a proposed solution, according to Moblize.org Executive Director Scott Stein. The panel includes representatives from the Knight Foundation, the Valentine Foundation, Million Dollar Scholar as well as community leaders, who will also ask questions.

The Mobilizer Academy Philly 2014 participants include:

• Anthony Copeman, Backyard Business
• Caroline Houlihan, Addressing food scarcity needs
• Minh Nguyen, Vietnamese Health Association
• Reggie Hall Jr., ServiceExchange
• Sonja Claxton, Social Chang(h)er
• Taaj Andrews, SEEDS Foundation (Striving to Educate and Empower Dreamers)
• Tiffany Thornton, Philly Chat N Chew
• Melissa Rowe, M.Ed., Philly Chat N Chew
• Michael O’Bryan, Built4Us
• Dora Szekely, Good from the Source
• Abou Hinson

The presentations are meant to allow participants to practice pitches and receive feedback on them as well as inform the community about their causes. 

Stein said that those interested in learning about how the next generation of leaders are creating solutions to social problems are welcome to attend, from community members to elected officials. 

“As you can see from the bios, there are a variety of topic areas and issues,” said Stein in an email. “However, it’s clear that millennials want to do good and do well. In this way they are using business acumen to solve social problems, and creating ventures and projects that have a clear social output driven by earned revenue or sales.”

When: May 3, 1-4:30pm, Reception at 4:30-6pm
Where: Impact Hub, 1227 N. 4th St
Cost: Free, RSVP required
Register: mobilize.org

(Image via Mobilize.org)