Beth Bond founded Community Startups, connecting Chicago Public School students with professional mentors, tech hubs and Chicago City Partners, to create businesses that help solve BIG problems.
Beth Bond, founder of Community Startups (CS)--an organization dedicated to bringing socially impactful ideas, created by youth, to market--believes in the power of service and collaboration to affect positive change.
Beth brings together multiple players through CS to passionately invest in the next generation of social entrepreneurs. CS works with Chicago Public School students to look at complex societal problems as opportunities to create innovative tech products that can improve their communities. The curriculum is provided free of charge to students in Public Schools. The CS Incubator program runs 10 weeks, working with students to think critically about the issues they face each day and to problem solve, using the resources technology provides. The culminating Pitch Night showcases their social innovations and impact-based business models, and is open to the public. The Summer Accelerator Program pairs selected teams of Student Founders with Corporate Mentors, Tech Hubs and Chicago Community partners to launch their products, generate revenue and scholarships. Each team receives seed investment, professional mentorship, reliable transportation, hands-on education and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to launch and exit their first business before returning to school in the fall.
Beth’s passionate about her work with nonprofit organizations and businesses to engage communities around a cause and feels privileged to know so many people in the city who work to move Chicago forward.