For much of 2011, I have been working with a team of people (primarily from RIT) on a project that brings wind energy to the citizens of developing nations. The first country of interest has been Kosovo, due to our team’s experience abroad at the American University of Kosovo. If you’re not aware, Kosovo is the poorest country in Europe and is also the youngest. The energy infrastructure is so weakened, that citizens suffer common (usually daily) blackouts. This obviously makes their work productivity and attracting foreign investment a difficult task. The work of corporate and social responsibility has basically been just buzzword PR fodder, but it means a lot to me, and we’re working hard to solve some really difficult problems.
I was recruited to the team to write a business plan for the Dell Social Innovation Contest, where we finished in the Top 20 of over 1400 applicants. We were also a member of RIT’s startup pilot program, where we were mentored by industry experts and counseled with angels and VC’s about funding options. Things have pivoted over the course of the year (as they do in almost every startup), but it has been a rewarding experience thus far, and we’re just beginning to start some really exciting new things.
I could write 20,000 words on the issues and details, but if you’re interested in learning more about the project, head over to KosovoWind.com, and if you’re feeling extra ambitious, we’re trying to crowd-source some capital as a part of another competition. If you’re interested in learning more, get in touch.
