Archipelago is one of the largest communities of young entrepreneurs in Western Europe. We help young people create sophisticated businesses through events, think tanks and crowd sourced funding initiatives.

We are a community of young entrepreneurs helping each other build and fund innovative companies. In the last 6 months, we have facilitated over 300,000 euros in investment and 150,000 euros in prizes. Our events have reached over one million people, 10,000 people have watched our videos on YouTube, and over 8,000 people have joined our network.

We have created an environment in Ireland where enterprise is now a viable alternative to youth unemployment and emigration. People should vote for Archipelago because we are making enterprise accessible to a forgotten generation of Irish economic talent. We are having a fundamental impact on an economy that has forced many of its brightest young people to emigrate. We are the protagonists of a generation standing up for ourselves, defining the parameters of our own environment and actively designing the Ireland we live in. Archipelago is a community representative, not of the leaders of tomorrow, but of the leaders of today. 

Website: www.archipelago.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/www.archipelago.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/archipelago_ie 

Biochar is a product that is created from burning waste materials such as manure and wood in the absence of oxygen in a process called pyrolysis. The outcome is a charcoal substance but unlike regular charcoal biochar has been proven to enhance soil condition, crop yield and it sequesters carbon for up to 1,000 years making it carbon negative.

Social change is being created in a number of ways. Biochar can increase crop yield and soil condition, this will assist gardeners and farmers with their crop yield and production. This is beneficial as a selling point for the crops produced as well as allowing the gardener and famers to obtain maximum yield. Biochar is carbon negative and by using waste products as the raw material in addition to sequestering carbon it is beneficial for air quality and thus people’s life quality in addition to waste management. There is potential further down the line to look at carbon credit projects using biochar production. This would have social benefit to those in developing countries. Using biochar as a practical hands on fun teaching medium brings social value to children and their teachers and thus in to their homes. It teaches children about soil biology, the lifelong skills of crop growth, carbon sequestration and sustainability. This project would provide sustainable jobs in Ireland, a country that is suffering badly from recession.

Biochar is a simple, ancient, tested yet unutilised product. It has massive social, environmental and financial benefits for Ireland and abroad. Biochar is being produced in the United States (with the backing of Richard Branson) and in the UK. We need funding to bring this project off the ground, a project that can be financially, environmentally and socially viable in many ways. Please vote for us and our wonder product - Biochar! 

Website: www.biocharireland.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/RealEyes-Sustainability-ltd/348010147639

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/RealEyesTweets 

What if there was a new way of fundraising that created big change in the world but didn’t involve cash?

So instead of raising money, you raise actions. You do a big thing (like a run, a cycle, or a knit-a-thon). Your mates sponsor you with lots of small things (cycle to work, eat local seasonal food, or wash at 30°C) which all add up to make our place a better place.

Because the environment needs action more than it needs cash.

You do,

They do,

We all keep doing.

That’s what we’ve created: The DoNation. It’s a place where you can raise sponsorship without asking your friends for a penny, actively and directly engaging them in the cause instead.

For example, a team of employees from Forum for the Future did a triathlon and set up a sponsorship page on The DoNation. Through this, they raised support from 88 of their friends and family, all doing simple actions like using less plastic packaging or eating less meat, together saving almost 15 tCO2. However, there were far more benefits than just carbon saving:one of the triathlete’s mothers sponsored them by starting to cycle to work, as a result she cycled 480 miles, saved £93 in train fares, felt happier & fitter, lost ½ stone, and six months later is still cycling to work. She’s even persuaded two colleagues to join her!

Since launching in 2011 we’ve built a nation of 1,500 Doers, but we now want to engage 100,000’s more people in Doing, helping them to see that they can give more than just money.

We’re going to do this through working with schools, charities and companies, helping them to engage their stakeholders.

Please vote for us and help us to build a big happy Nation of Doers! 

Website: http://thedonation.org.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedonation

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/The_DoNation

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user7395153