GROWING THROUGH SOCIAL INNOVATION:

FUNDING THE FUTURE WEBINAR

Discover pathways to funding social innovation with insights from experts in the US, UK and Portugal! In this second session, we explore sustainable funding models and solutions that drive impactful social change. Gain practical knowledge on resources, overcoming financial barriers and building support for innovative initiatives.

MEET THE PANELISTS

Filipe Almeida

President, Portugal Social Innovation

Filipe Almeida is the president of Portugal Social Innovation, a pioneering Government initiative that mobilizes European funds to promote social innovation and social entrepreneurship, as well as develop the social investment market in Portugal. He is also professor of the University of Coimbra and researcher at the Center of Social Studies (CES/FEUC) and Center of Cooperative and Social Economy Studies (CECES/FEUC). He holds a PhD in Business Administration from EBAPE / FGV (Brazilian School of Public Administration and Business, Getúlio Vargas Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and a PhD in Business Management from the University of Coimbra. He is the author of several books and articles in Business Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility and Academic Fraud.

Raechele Smalls

Director, Launch Blue Ventures

Raechele Smalls is the Director of Launch Blue Ventures, where she leads initiatives to increase startup capital for early-stage Kentucky startups, and to diversify venture capital management by engaging, educating and supporting first-time angels and first-time investors.

Raechele serves on the leadership committee of BLCK VC Midwest Chapter and serves on the boards of Canopy Kentucky, and Impact Capital Committee for The Community Foundation of Louisville. Raechele received a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and a Master of Business Administration from Eastern Kentucky University. She holds an exec certificate from 500 Startups VC Unlocked: Silicon Valley program in partnership with Stanford University, and an executive education certificate in Scaling Entrepreneurial Ventures from Harvard Business School. 

Huw Vasey

Deputy Director for Innovation, Business Engagement and Commercialisation,

Economic and Social Research Council

Huw Vasey is the Deputy Director for Innovation, Business Engagement and Commercialisation at the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). A former academic social science researcher with degrees in anthropology and geography, Huw joined ESRC in 2019. His current portfolio involves leading teams delivering ESRC work on business engagement and commercialisation, as well as the ESRC Impact Acceleration Accounts and the UKRI Innovation & Research Caucus and the UKRI-DSIT Metascience unit. Huw specialises in finding new ways to ensure the UK’s world-leading social science research leads to positive impacts on all of our lives.

Dr. Serenity Wright (Moderator)

Senior Associate Director for Social Innovation,

UK Innovate

Serenity Wright, Ed.D. currently serves as the Senior Associate Director for UK Innovate, where she develops and manages new innovation and entrepreneurship programs focused on inclusive innovation and creating equitable access to entrepreneurship and innovation training for underrepresented innovators at UK and in Kentucky. She is a passionate leader driving economic development through transformational change initiatives rooted in social innovation, entrepreneurial equity and genuine creativity by building integrated systems with research, business and policy.

Serenity earned her doctorate from the University of Kentucky in policy, measurement and evaluation. She taught high school for eight years, served as the Associate Dean for Diversity and International Students Services at Transylvania University, worked in city government and served as the Gatton Honors Pathway Director and Co-Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Gatton College of Business and Economics.

PRESENTING ORGANIZATIONS

PRESENTING PARTNERS