Detroit Social Impact Summit Seeks To Spur Community-Centered Economic Growth

DETROIT, July 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- To support the ongoing economic renaissance in Detroit, Generation Financial Knowledge Development (GenFKD) will host a free two-day Social Impact Summit on Aug. 9 and 10, 2018, to equip local entrepreneurs with the skills they need to thrive in a 21st-century economy. The summit will be hosted at Techtown in downtown Detroit and is open to anyone interested in making a positive impact in their community.

Over two days, leading entrepreneurs, investors and social changemakers will lead workshops on best practices and insights to help support the startup ecosystem in the Detroit area. The summit is helping to build sustainable ventures that drive social impact in an area that needs continued economic revitalization.

"Our attendees will learn about social entrepreneurship, community-centered design to identify gaps in services within their own communities, choosing the best business structures and securing viable funding options," said Justin Dent, executive director of GenFKD, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing practical business and personal financial skills to college students and recent graduates.

GenFKD, or Generation Financial Knowledge Development, is a peer-to-peer organization that develops community and academic programming to prepare young Americans for careers in the new economy by promoting entrepreneurship and workforce readiness. The Detroit Social Impact Summit is part of the organization's growing number of educational initiatives targeting young Americans. GenFKD's programming is currently active on more than 30 college campuses and in a growing number of communities nationwide.

"This is an opportunity for new and aspiring entrepreneurs to get started," said Graham Opie, education operations lead at GenFKD. "We're looking for Detroiters who are interested in taking the plunge and starting a business to help spur development and have a lasting social impact in the region. The areas of change we target are public health, education, housing, food security, mobility and environmental sustainability – issues that greatly affect everyday life in the Detroit metro area."

The Summit will end with Social Impact Design Challenge, where new and aspiring entrepreneurs will have the chance to present their business solutions to a panel of judges.

The Social Impact Summit will feature mentors, speakers and judges including:

Hassan Bazzi, Access Community
Devita Davison, FoodLab Detroit
Ederique Goudia, FoodLab Detroit
Jelani Karamoko, Karamoko Group PLC
Drew Schantz, Venture School
Shannon Smith, JP Morgan Chase Foundation
Walter Ward, The Mobile Business School

Registration is still open for anyone in the Detroit area. To attend, please visit genfkdsocialimpactsummit.eventbrite.com

SOURCE GenFKD