Danish entrepreneurs seek to buy start-up island

A group of Danish entrepreneurs are putting plans in place to buy a former sea fort off the coast of Copenhagen and rebrand it StartUp Isle. “Denmark should turn it into a European refuge for entrepreneurs,” said Tina Jonasen, the woman spearheading the campaign. 

First white-label crowdfunding platform launched in the UK

Trillion, the UK’s biggest social crowdfunding platform, has launched a white label peer-to-peer lending scheme following research with Penn Schoen Berland, which showed that consumer brands could play a key alternative to bank-financing in establishing trust. 

Theresa Burton, CTO Trillion Fund and Julia Groves, CEO Trillion. Photo credit: Trillion

Scottish sports groups awarded half of Commonwealth Games legacy fund 

Twenty-one Scottish community organisations including adventure sport organisers Outfit Moray and Blantyre Soccer Academy will receive a share of £530,000 from the Legacy 2014: Sustainable Sport for Communities Fund. The successful applicants will use the grants to develop local sporting facilities and push towards becoming self-sustaining social enterprises. 

Social entrepreneur summer school launches in Canada

Canada's leading integrated energy company Suncor has announced a new residential programme that aims to connect individuals from the corporate sector, government and community leaders, to catalyse social innovation. Beginning in summer 2015 the programme aims to provide particpants with the resources needed to find solutions to some of the biggest issues facing local communities.

Big company pay transparency overwhelmingly backed by British politicians 

The Equal Pay (Transparency) Bill, which calls for companies with more than 250 employees to publish data showing the difference between male and female pay, was backed by 258 MPs in a Ten Minute Rule Bill in the UK House of Commons. The bill still requires government backing for it to stand a chance of becoming law.

OECD praises UK commitment to fight global poverty 

New OECD review encourages the UK to keep foreign aid “at a commendable 07%, despite a challenging budget climate". The UK is the second biggest donor in the world, after the US, by aid volume and has been praised for its focus on fragile and conflict-torn countries.

Scottish sandwiches provide Christmas spirit

Social Bite, a not-for-profit sandwich shop chain, has teamed up with online discount platform Itison to sell thousands of £5 vouchers that will provide meals to homeless people in Edinburgh and Glasgow over Christmas. 

UK social investor helps one thousand unemployed people find work

Bridges Ventures, sustainable and impact invesment specialists, has launched its 2014 impact report to quantify the societal impact of its funds over the past 12 months. The report reveals that investments have helped learners in the UK gain over 4000 qualifications, avoided more than 85,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and tackled unemployment levels.

Photo credit: Ali Inay