Blend your highest hopes with hefty doses of entrepreneurial energy and you have the NJSE Summit held Sept. 30th at Rutgers Business School in Newark. Always on the lookout for new nominees for our Prometheus Social Enterprise Awards, I attended and was awed by such folks as Nigeria-based Orondaam Otto whose Slum2Schools provides the lifeline of education for thousands of African youngsters – and Pierre Laguere, whose Fleeting Pro helps released convicts become successful, contributing independent truckers – and Nina Rappaport whose Vertical Urban Factory thinktank infuses new life into distressed cities.

Dr. Jeffrey Robinson, Rutgers Business School Provost served as host and entertaining Emcee. Among his pleasurable duties was presenting the first annual NJSE Social Impact Award to Ms. Alfa Demmellash who 18 years ago founded Rising Tide Capital which provides training, mentors, partners and funding connections to entrepreneurs from underserved areas. Both for-profit and non-profit social enterprises are launching around the business community faster than smartphone apps. These firms that hold the mission of bringing benefit to our people and planet are swelling to a major force in our culture. Keep your eyes out for a rising tide of change.

To learn more and meet some of these world beaters, visit Bartsbooks.com or write me at info@barrtsbooks.com.