About SSIE
We are committed to building a community of engaged scholars to teach, learn and practice skills to become change leaders.
Our Mission
The Social and Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SSIE) program at NC State equips any member of the Wolfpack community with the resources and resourcefulness to develop and deliver novel solutions to important problems across the state and around the globe, creating a better world today and for future generations.
Our Goals
NC State Social and Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship serves as a vibrant laboratory for impact-focused innovation and entrepreneurship. Our goals are to:
- Educate and empower students and faculty in new methodologies to improve the human condition.
- Transform existing organizations, businesses and structures to be more innovative, sustainable and effective change agents.
- Link and channel campus and community resources to create powerful opportunities for learning and social impact.
- Support campus and community social entrepreneurs and create social enterprises.
Our Model
We embody the university’s commitment to Think and Do the Extraordinary. Moreover, we raise the bar and challenge our students, stakeholders and ourselves to Think and Do Good. In order to cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit on campus, we:
- Invest in multi-disciplinary cross-campus relationships in order to infuse innovation in both theory and practice.
- Embrace the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a guiding framework.
- Provide adaptive, experiential learning opportunities anchored in systems-level, human-centered, empathetic thinking.
Our Programs
Social Innovation Fellows
The Social Innovation Fellows program is a year-long, team-based learning experience in which NC State students consider their impact on humanity and our planet. During the program, students partner with nonprofits and other organizations to seek solutions to global challenges.
Social Venture Development
We offer guidance and support for student and faculty social enterprises, including pitch coaching and business model development. We also share opportunities for many different entrepreneurial competitions throughout the year in our newsletter, and are available to meet and share resources for venture ideas and designs in addition to a robust network.
Class Lectures
We offer 45-90 minute course modules on content related to social innovation and social entrepreneurship, including Fundamentals of Social Entrepreneurship, Systems Thinking, Social Venture Ideation, & more. We also work with faculty for custom-created content for related courses.