12th Annual Economic Self–Reliance Conference

Self–Reliance Through Social Entrepreneurship

5–6 November 2009

The 2009 Economic Self–Reliance (ESR) Conference will highlight leading research and practices of social entrepreneurship that are creating positive change both domestically and internationally.

This year’s conference will provide a forum for participants to discuss how social entrepreneurship is creating new approaches for addressing the complex problems of poverty and economic development.

Plenary and breakout sessions at this year’s conference will focus on these areas of social entrepreneurship:

• Education and Social Entrepreneurship — Forward-thinking social entrepreneurs are changing education around the world to meet the needs of those in poverty. These sessions will highlight new innovations in education that are helping the impoverished succeed economically. 
• Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship — Technical solutions are often critical to advancing the work of social entrepreneurship. Engineers designing innovative products for developing countries are complex tasks that are playing a key role in alleviating poverty.
• Business and Social Entrepreneurship — Social ventures are developing tools that lift many out poverty. These sessions will highlight business solutions for development, including new research about microfranchising and new innovative business ideas leading social entrepreneurship.
• Markets and Social Entrepreneurship — Social entrepreneurs are creating new markets in social sectors through market priming. Market primers invest in scalable social solutions expecting a return that attracts traditional capital and business.  Learn more about social market priming and the challenges of investing in these markets.
• Becoming a Social Entrepreneur — Many paths lead to becoming a social entrepreneur including: retirement, second career, part-time interest, career change, etc.  Explore different paths how anyone can become a social entrepreneur and impact society.

Also at this year’s Conference, we are pleased to announce the Social Innovator of the Year Award will go to Jim Fruchterman of Benetech, for his efforts in using technology solutions to further social entrepreneurship.

REGISTER NOW! We look forward to seeing you at this year’s conference!

Hear the innovative ideas that come from the ESR Conference by listening to FREE recordings of past sessions.

For additional information about Brigham Young University’s efforts in the field of social entrepreneurship, please visit www.selfreliance.byu.edu.