Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship
The Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University has been aiding social enterprises in scaling their impact since 2003, focusing on climate-neutral and impact-positive solutions.
Services
The Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship provides various services to help social enterprises grow and scale their impact. Their offerings include an Accelerator program for social enterprises, Alumni Programs that provide continuing support, and the Miller Center Capital impact investment fund which offers debt financing to top-performing graduates. The center also provides the Miller Center Lewis Family Fellowship for Santa Clara University juniors and paid internships for Santa Clara University students. Additionally, they offer investment readiness programming to support social enterprises in their fundraising journeys.
History
The Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship was established in 2003 as a Center of Distinction at Santa Clara University. Over the years, the center has focused on accelerating social enterprises and supporting entrepreneurs to build sustainable solutions for global challenges. To date, the center has accelerated over 1,400 social enterprises and impacted 163 million lives in the first three years post-accelerator.
Impact and Reach
The Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship has had a significant impact on social enterprises and global communities. With a network of over 350 executive mentors, the center has accelerated more than 1,400 social enterprises. The impact of these efforts has been profound, with 163 million lives touched in the first three years following the accelerator program. The center also engages 720 students annually through fellowships, internships, research, and classes.
Investment Initiatives
The Miller Center Capital impact investment fund is a key initiative of the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship. This fund provides debt financing to top-performing graduates of their programs. The center has made 29 investments through Miller Center Capital, with 81% of the portfolio consisting of women-led and/or locally-led enterprises. They aim to catalyze $500 million over the next ten years for Miller Center alumni and collaborate with local investors to drive $60 million to Latin American social enterprises over the next three years.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
The Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Their initiatives and programs focus on social enterprises working in the areas of women’s economic power and climate resilience. Additionally, the center is dedicated to improving credibility and transparency in impact measurement, employing feedback loops, and continuous learning to better serve its stakeholders.