The Social Capital Markets Conference, a landmark gathering of top business and government leaders creating market-based solutions for social impact, begins today at San Francisco's Fort Mason Center. The sold-out conference brings together more than 830 social innovators from 32 countries to chart a new course for the global economy.

"Over the next three days, some of the brightest minds in business and government will convene at SOCAP09 to demonstrate how social ventures can play an integral role addressing the most challenging problems of our time," said Convener Kevin Jones. "Nearly every country has a talented pool of social innovators tackling endemic issues like poverty, health care, education and environmental degradation. Now these pioneers have been joined by top new social venture funds, government offices, leading financial institutions, established foundations and NGOs allocating capital for social change. SOCAP09 is the premier event bringing together the global social enterprise community to connect the expanding flow of capital to social good."

SOCAP09 assembles the complete ecosystem of investors, entrepreneurs, donors, nonprofits, new media and policymakers, to discuss bringing the social capital marketplace to scale. From breakthrough public and private sector collaborations, to innovative funding mechanisms, to disruptive business models and technologies, the social capital marketplace is reaching an important new phase of growth.

SOCAP09 highlights include:

• Opening keynote by Sonal Shah, White House social innovation director - 1 pm PT, September 1 - The Obama appointee outlines priorities for the newly created White House Office of Social Innovation and Impact.


• Six plenary sessions and over 40 breakout sessions covering the full spectrum of social enterprise and impact investing. The conference also includes a series of unique interactive discussions addressing the latest trends in the industry.


• Embrace Disruption! Micro Media Conference - 11 am to 4 pm PT, September 2 - Join SOCAP09 investors and entrepreneurs, plus Skoll Foundation, Participant Productions and Food Inc, GRITtv, LINKtv, Carrotmob, Invisible Children and numerous others as they seek to re-imagine the state of play for social entrepreneurs, funders and media makers.


• The second annual Social Capital Unconference - 9 am to 5 pm PT, September 3 - Participants propose sessions on the top issues facing the social capital arena and self-organize to brainstorm solutions.

Throughout SOCAP09, a dedicated group of bloggers and journalists will be posting live updates from the event on various social media platforms, including:

SOCAP09 Blog: http://www.socialcapitalmarkets.net/
Twitter: @socap09, #socap09
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/socialcapitalmarkets?ref=ts
LinkedIn Group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=695957&trk=hb_side_g

New This Year "“ SOCAP09 Mobile

SOCAP09 has partnered with 3rdWhale Mobile on a unique mobile phone application that provides a video introduction from SOCAP09 Convener Kevin Jones, an interactive view of conference content and a real-time Twitter stream. The application, built for Google Android phones, will be available to both conference attendees and non-attendees who would like to join the conversation. From an Android enabled device, go to Market and search for socap to download the free app.

Vancouver-based 3rdWhale Mobile is the leading provider of mobile solutions to triple-bottom-line businesses and values-aligned NGOs. 3rdWhale's mission is to utilize emerging mobile technologies to promote a more healthy, just and sustainable world. For more information, visit www.3rdwhale.com.

About The Social Capital Markets Conference

The Social Capital Markets Conference (SOCAP) highlights the growing field of social capital: people investing to create social change. SOCAP's goal is to make connections, to generate partnerships and to increase the acceleration of capital to social good. SOCAP brings together a unique mix of the world's top social innovators - investors, entrepreneurs, donors and other thought-leaders - who are catalysts of change across the globe. Last year's 2008 conference gathered more than 650 leading global investors and entrepreneurs from 26 countries, providing a unique forum to collaborate and set in motion new market-based solutions for the 21st century.

Social Capital Markets

Social Capital Markets

SOCAP is a multi-platform organization dedicated to the flow of capital towards social good. Our event series connects innovators worldwide - investors, foundations, institutions and social entrepreneurs - to build a market at the intersection of money and meaning. SOCAP has received global recognition as a leader in the social capital space.

More from Social Capital Markets