Social change startups graduate from incubator

PROVIDENCE — Eleven startups focused on social change and sustainability graduated from Social Venture Partners Rhode Island’s Change Accelerator program June 30.

The businesses are all Rhode Island-based. They received $1,000 fellowships, spaces to work and business support from mentors during the eight-week program.

The Providence-based program was offered for the first time last summer, and the first Newport Change Accelerator class graduated in April.

This class was the Change Accelerator porgram’s largest and had more for-profit and locally focused ventures than in past programs, said SVPRI Executive Director Kelly Ramirez.

Five ventures who were not participants audited the program, Ramirez said.

“There’s a real demand for this program,” she said. SVPRI hopes to add more workshops in the future as well as continued mentoring for program graduates, she said.

This year’s participants were:

• Earth Custom Design: Bracelet sellers who support education in the developing countries that supply non-precious stones for their jewelry designs.
• Field School for Social Innovation: Organization that provides programs in civic and social entrepreneurship and conducts research on those topics in Providence.
• Firefly Student Tracker App: Mobile app designed to help teachers track student progress.
• Happy Shirts: Apparel company that donates as much clothing as it sells to benefit orphan and refugee children.
• Independent Transportation Network Providence Metro: Service providing door-to-door rides to seniors who can no longer drive safely.
• MAD Goods: Household goods company that will provide Providence workers with job opportunities and skills.
• Recycle a Bike: Shop that promotes bicycle transportation and provides tools and training for bicyclists to repair, donate, earn or purchase bikes.
• Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative: Library partnership offering free English courses to families.
• Rhode Power: Program to divert waste from a state landfill site and Aquidneck Island to transform into renewable energy.
• RISD Second Life: Student initiative to recirculate usable art and design supplies for use by members of the RISD community.
• Riverzedge Green Design Studio: A new studio employing Woonsocket-area youth ages 12-24 to make places and products more environmentally sustainable.

The Change Accelerator is supported by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, the Innovation Providence Implementation Council, the City of Providence and the Rhode Island Foundation.