Weekend Entrepreneur Links: EU Rules, Mass Innovation and More

by Nathaniel Whittemore · 2010-04-25 18:42:00 UTC
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Stuck in London for most of last week, I missed a number of good articles in both the social enterprise space and the tech startup scene. Here's a selection of the most interesting and relevant.

New EU rules could kill off European VC and screw startups - Let's stop them: Just as the European startup scene begins to really get it's groove on, a sledgehammer of new financial regulations could dramatically undercut the venture and angel investment market. The new regulations package shows the same problem we're experiencing in the US, in which regulators think in broad brushstrokes and group venture capital -- the very essence of which is to be risky -- with other sorts of financial activity that should by definition be more conservative.

Deval Patrick's commitment to advancing social innovation in Massachusetts: Root Cause founder Andrew Wolk writes up the growing commitment at the Massachusetts state level to see social enterprise become a part of the civic and policy conversation. Although the language is textbook government -- e.g. "commitments" to "explore" new ways that social entrepreneurship "might" be part of the conversation -- I share Andrew's enthusiasm that the conversation is taking hold.

No interest rate is too high: GiveWell offers a very sensible addition to the ongoing conversation about microfinance interest rates. The title more or less sums up their position, but basically they're arguing here that what matters is whether the money actually enables the impact it is supposed to, and is transparent and clear about the real costs involved.

CrowdFlower CEO Helped in Haitian Relief: CrowdFlower is a San Francisco startup backed by some of the best known venture investors in the world. It also happens to be Samasource's main technology partner in delivering microtasks to vulnerable populations around the world. They were an integral part of the effort to help translate emergency messages in Haiti. This peHUB piece shares that story with a more techy, business audience.

Photo credit: rockcohen

Nathaniel Whittemore is the founder of Assetmap. Previously he was the founding director of the Northwestern University Center for Global Engagement.
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