There's a lot talked about innovation at the moment, and a lot of 'buzz' around social technology - but there are actually very few opportunities for very early stage ideas to gather feedback, gain technical and business support, attract publicity and produce a proof-of-concept. And in a field which is full of ideas and interesting conversations, it's critical to champion initiatives which value getting your hands dirty and getting on with it. By bringing together the right people and creating the right spirit, SI Camp achieved an impressive level of acceleration in all the projects, several of which look set to get further funding and become serious social web enterprises.

Social Innovation Camp has the potential to create not one but dozens of social innovation projects from one distributed network. By supporting the innovators themselves, it provides a framework for applying the skills of a hugely diverse group of people to addressing a huge range of social problems. The model is simple enough to be replicable on a large scale, and since the event the SI Camp network has become an excellent source of ideas and contacts for the supporters and mentors themselves as much as for the project leaders.

It's vital for the development of social start-ups that the people who have these ideas are properly supported to become investable, otherwise they never make it as far as the funders. To do this well takes an organisation with strong networks and a healthy attitude to risk, and I believe that Social Innovation Camp is the best I've seen. I hope it will become a regular event in the future.

Nominated by Andy Gibson, 20 May 2008

Being one of the lucky innovators invited to take part in the recent Social Innovation (SI) Camp, I can honestly say that it has been one of the best experiences I've ever had! It was fantastic to meet like minded people who were so supportive and passionate about making my idea a reality.

Over the course of the weekend my project, Enabled by Design, was transformed from a kernel of an idea into a promising social start-up. Our team was awarded first prize at the closing 'Show and Tell' session, but this was not the end of the story. As part of the prize, we were invited to pitch our idea at ‘MiniBar’, a great opportunity in itself.

Since being chosen to attend SI Camp, I’ve received an amazing amount of feedback and support from the SI Network. All of which has given Enabled by Design the best chance possible to develop further and become a successful venture. We are currently in the process of putting together a web strategy and business plan, so that we can secure further funding.

It would be great if SI Camp could become a regular fixture. There’s massive potential for social technology to make a difference to people’s lives. However, it can be extremely difficult as an innovator to know where to start, without well established contacts. SI Camp provided the perfect environment to develop each project to the next stage in the space of a weekend. I’d highly recommend it!

Thank you to everyone who supported/took part in SI Camp, without you it wouldn’t have been possible!

Submitted by Denise Stephens, 22 May 2008

Just found out about this and watched the video clip. It is exciting and inspiring and an example of true creativity where the sum of the parts are greater than the whole.

Submitted by Margaret Jones, 11 June 2008