The William James Foundation business plan competition is exclusively for mission-driven entrepreneurs. Applicants receive feedback on their business plan from volunteer judges across the world (including yours truly!), and compete to win investment and other awards to help them launch their enterprise.

Ian Fisk, Executive Director of the William James Foundation

The William James Foundation's Sustainable Business Plan Competition offers a total of $150,000 worth of services, cash, & investment offers to the best new for-profit plans with social and/or environmental goals. Entrants can be any age or anywhere in the world, but must be starting or growing for-profit companies that are either pre-revenue, or are within five years of their first revenues. All entrants who are accepted into the competition receive an average of 20 pages of feedback a round.

Having participated as a judge for several years now, I can tell you from experience that the applicants receive immensely powerful strategic advice, usually from as many as five judges, and from across industries. In the last competition, a lawyer from Rimon Law Group, a certified B-Corporation, was one of the other judges in my group, and she has since become my legal counsel, mainly because I was so impressed with her feedback she gave to the applicant in the William James Foundation. 

So, if you are looking for help and potentially funding on your mission-driven business idea, submit your application soon. Deadline for 5-8 page summaries is Oct. 12. Visit http://www.williamjamesfoundation.org/howtoenter for more information on entering or contact us at competition@williamjamesfoundation.org or @WJF_competition with any questions.