http://www.socialedge.org An inside look at the making of a global energy service organization that produces wind turbines locally to bring sustainable energy services and economic opportunity to underserved regions of the world. Starting with proof of concept in Nicaragua, Mathias Craig and blueEnergy have their sights set on making a huge impact on the lives of the world’s poor. daily 1 2009-05-13T06:53:55Z http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/the-third-ring Around the world many communities are marginalized and isolated, historically disadvantaged by natural disasters and war, existing in a challenging natural environment, and characterized by low levels of formal education and economic activity. Without basic infrastructure and fundamental services, such as energy, water and communications, and connections to the outside world, these communities lack the “engine” to develop in a way that increases opportunities while preserving culture and the natural environment. No publisher mathiascraig 2009-12-07T08:43:29Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/finishing-2009-strong We've arrived at the last day of blueEnergy's "Two Million Hours of Light" campaign. With one day to go, we are at 81% of our $20,000 goal! If you are grateful for all you have and want to help blueEnergy bring light to those less fortunate in Nicaragua, please consider making a contribution: No publisher mathiascraig 2009-12-31T15:05:10Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/strategy-adjustments-and-learning-to-ride-two-horses-at-once We set out in 2009 with a strategy built on the assumption that “big” funding was readily available for our line of work, and that what we needed to focus on was building the capacity to deliver, and the funding would come. After all, we had received strong interest from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IADB) SECCI program. More than just interest in fact, we were in deep discussions, compiling proposals and submitting them amid encouraging signs. No publisher mathiascraig 2010-01-11T19:27:34Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/where-romanticism-meets-the-pavement blueEnergy was recently criticized by a funder for the number of international volunteers it engages. They wanted to see more local staff. My initial reaction was shock. Clearly they don’t understand the reality we face. True, I say to myself, but then a realization that that means we haven’t explained it well enough. Let me try again. No publisher mathiascraig 2009-07-28T07:18:05Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/tech4society I returned to the Bay Area from Nicaragua on February 6th. I had a little over 24 hours to do my laundry, repack and head back to SFO for my next adventure. On the 8th I traveled to Hyderabad, India, to attend the Ashoka-Lemelson Technology for Society (Tech4Society) conference. No publisher mathiascraig 2010-03-03T00:23:45Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/the-board-comes-to-town Right on the heals of our first formal induction/orientation program to welcome new staff, we welcomed the blueEnergy International Board of Directors to Nicaragua for the first meeting on-site. No publisher mathiascraig 2010-02-09T20:55:28Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/socap09 We are headquartered in San Francisco, which is a great place to be as it is a hub for social entrepreneurs, technology innovators and international development organizations. In a couple weeks, the 2009 Social Capital Markets conference is taking place at Fort Mason, right down the street from us. Great, this is exactly why it's so special to be headquartered here in San Francisco! Unfortunately however, it looks like I'll be stuck outside looking in, as we can not afford the $1,200 registration fee. No publisher mathiascraig 2009-08-14T23:43:21Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/how-to-change-the-world I just finished reading “How to Change the World”, by David Bornstein. I had read parts of the book before, but had never found the time to get cover to cover. As my last post mentions, I have made a commitment to making time to read, and I just keep getting rewarded by this decision. This book was a gem and upon completing it I felt a bit ashamed that I had not taken the time previously to sit down and read it cover to cover. No publisher mathiascraig 2009-06-04T01:49:55Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/the-return Lâl Marandin (a.k.a "Agent 007.2" from my June 20, 2008 post), has returned to blueEnergy Nicaragua! After helping launch the organization in 2004 on the ground, he returned to France to co-found blueEnergy France and stayed involved with fundraising, recruiting and reflections on blueEnergy’s strategic direction. No publisher mathiascraig 2009-10-20T16:05:53Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/blueenergys-new-class We just completed blueEnergy’s first induction / orientation program for our new class of international volunteers. No publisher mathiascraig 2010-01-28T06:51:56Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/thank-you We would like to sincerely thank everyone that supported blueEnergy’s "Two Million Hours of Light" campaign. Through your generosity and the dedication of our ambassadors, we were able to raise over $16,500! From the entire blueEnergy team and all of our beneficiaries, thank you! No publisher mathiascraig 2010-01-03T21:52:09Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/processes-as-the-foundation-for-scaling As I mentioned in my last post, I returned to the GSBI this past Friday to participate in the incubator’s last day of intensive instruction. I was invited to participate in the day’s activities entitled “Leadership and processes for scaling” as an alumnus of the program, to serve as a living case study of the work that lies beyond the incubator’s 2-week time horizon. No publisher mathiascraig 2009-09-02T06:03:22Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/connected-in-kenya-1 At the end of my trip to Kenya, I was fortunate to be hosted by my friend Zippy Ongwenyi. I met Zippy at the Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBI) last August; she founded and runs an organization called Binti Africa Foundation that works to improve the lives of girls in rural Kenya through access to health care products and improved economic development opportunities. No publisher mathiascraig 2009-07-13T20:56:20Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/one-year-ago One year ago I participated in the Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBI) program at Santa Clara University. The GSBI is an intensive, 2-week crash course on social entrepreneurship and works to help strengthen social entrepreneurs by honing their business plans, strengthening their institutional capacity and helping them envision the path to scaling their impact. Attending the GSBI marked an inflection point for me personally and for blueEnergy as an organization. No publisher mathiascraig 2009-08-25T04:38:02Z Weblog Entry http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/generating-blueenergy/two-million-hours-of-light Only 25% of the population along the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua has access to electricity. The remaining 75% lives, literally, in the dark. No publisher mathiascraig 2009-12-29T16:09:39Z Weblog Entry