Generize - Climate Action Community Social Network

Generize launched its demo site today which is a cross between a nonprofit community awareness project board and Kiva.org which offers microfinancing to entrepreneurs in developing nations around the world. Unlike Kiva however, Generize hopes to offer project investors a return on the money they contribute to projects. Also unlike Kiva, all of the projects on Generize are based in the United States and when we last visited there were 35 active projects and over $800K in savings in 2009 alone!

Generize was entered into the Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) earlier this year and is competing in several other cleantech related funding activities but is also opened to investors. Clean technology is certainly a sexy subject these days with wind power expansion in texas, solar pv breakthroughs in Silicon Valley, and biofuels like ethanol popping up across the nation. Generize is focusing more on cost effective energy savings that can be accomplished without massive upfront investment such as insulation, new light bulbs, and solar thermal hot water heating. In many cases the projects address outdated technology as wiht he following example (note this is just an example and not a real proposal):

The Deluxe School district recently had its budget cut 10% while it's energy costs have been increasing 5% in recent years. All of its classrooms have old T-12 fluorescent lighting fixtures, some which flicker and distract students while wasting energy. This project will utilize high-efficiency T-8's to save 20% off the schools lighting costs while creating a much more productive learning environment.

Learn more about Generize here and consider contributing to one of their open projects or sharing the project with an investor. Generize was created by MBA graduate students from UC Davis.