About the Social Impact Cohort
A Social Impact Hub for Madison’s Social Entrepreneurs
StartingBlock’s Social Impact Cohort is back for its 4th year!
In partnership with Associated Bank and American Family, we’re looking for the best and brightest social impact entrepreneurs to join us as part of our fourth Social Impact cohort. These changemakers are solving significant social and environmental challenges and focusing on how a business-driven approach can make a difference. Social Impact cohort participants will demonstrate how social entrepreneurship can serve as a model for creating a sustainable impact in Wisconsin and beyond.
Due to the impact of Covid-19, this cohort of entrepreneurs will be hybrid – with some in-person and some virtual programming.
The Social Impact Cohort is a FREE program thanks to the generosity of our sponsors.

Participants receive
Free membership to StartingBlock for ten months (March to December) with dedicated workspace in StartingBlock’s Social Impact Cohort Hub.
Free programming focused on building strong, viable social impact enterprises. Topics include: design thinking, lean start up, sales and marketing, measuring social impact, telling your story, finding investors, and more.
1:1 mentorship by social entrepreneur experts.
1:1 financial mentorship provided by Associated Bank.
Legal assistance provided by UW Law & Entrepreneur Clinic.
Access to all of StartingBlock’s resources, amenities and support services.
Criteria for Application
Companies must be a functioning enterprise (either a non-profit entity or for-profit company) with a viable revenue-generating product or service.
Companies must be working to drive social impact in the areas of:
– Healthy youth development
– Learning and academic achievement
– Resilient communities
– Closing equity gaps in America
Applicants are working to address an important social and/or environmental challenge that exists in Wisconsin (that may also exist elsewhere) through their products, services or operations.
Companies must have a demonstrated need and desire for work space at StartingBlock for at least one team member for 20+ hours per week.