Friday, July 26, 2013

Elijah May talks about SocialGood.TV and the ATX Entrepreneur Scene

Where are you from originally?
A very small town outside of Asheville, North Carlina

What university did you go to?
The University of Southern California

What brought you to Austin?
Kid number one. We wanted a good place to raise her that still a film and television industry.

What is your group’s mission?
My company, SocialGood.TV, brings attention to funding the social entrepreneurs, defined as those with a balance of profit and purpose, but we also participate in the ATX Entrepreneur Scene, the express purpose of which is to create a space for conversation and collaboration amongst the leaders of Austin's various entrepreneur groups.

What need does it fulfill?
 One of Austin's greatest assets, initiative, sometimes doubles as its greatest challenge, division. While it is wholly unrealistic for a city full of natural leaders (what can we say, Austin attracts them) to choose an alpha individual or organization and fall into line, it is possible for those in leadership roles to make time - and space - for one another. While collaboration on every project isn't practical, or even possible, we can almost always compliment, support, and promote one another's efforts, so that Austin has the best overall entrepreneur infrastructure in the United States. We want to see more startups succeed here in Austin than anywhere else, not just because more people here are inclined to try, but because we have better peer networks, better access to technology, better mentors, better investors, and better places to go to work building a company.

What exactly does it bring to startups?
 Individual startups benefit, in turn, from the collaborative evolution of events like the RISE Conference for Entrepreneurs, programs like Tech Ranch's Venture Forth, and spaces like Capital Factory.

What type of startup would benefit from your group?
All of them, if we have our way.