In just one hour, Chase and I will leave the hotel in downtown Berkeley, CA to go to the Finalist Team Orientation for the Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC). It’s inspiring to think that after many late nights and extra hours of work, the team has made it this far. Watsi is different than many of the teams here in that it is a non-profit organization. This competition is dominated by many for-profit start ups with big ideas and lofty goals, and Watsi’s very different business model makes it somewhat of an underdog.
However, what got us through to the final round is that fact that we are bringing something brand new to the marketplace in order to help the 1 billion people in the world who can’t afford healthcare. Having spent only $800 so far, we have built a strong team, developed a solid business plan, and are on the brink of gaining non-profit legal status and launching the pilot version of the website.
Our goal is to bring people together; exploit the interconnectedness of the world today. Because of the skill set and passion that each Watsi team member brings to the table, we will drive forward no matter the outcome of this competition. But because we are creating something with such a strong social impact - something unique in which every donor can connect with the person whose life they are changing - we might just have a fighting chance.
-Porter
Chase Adam
Connecting people @ Watsi