1. Why should I apply to lead a Social Think Tank at the Global Good Congress (GGC19), part of the seventh edition of GoodFestival at The Olympic Museum on 15 November?:

Here are the 7 reasons for applying to lead a Social Think Tank at Global Good Congress:
+ opportunity to showcase your initiative at the Global Good Congress.
+ receive up to 6 tickets for the Global Good Congress to invite your existing supporters.
+ network with new stakeholders who can support you.
+ potentially present your initiative on stage.
+ win an invitation to Roxbourg Mastermind Workshop at Roxbourg, Lausanne.
+ win an invitation to GoodBrandSummit 2E or equivalent at Beau-Rivage Palace, Lausanne.
+ win an invitation to Palo Alto Summit or equivalent at Palo Alto X, California.

2. What is the main focus of Social Think Tank?

The main focus of the Social Think Tank is to collaborate to solve the biggest challenge facing the social innovator who sets the Social Think Tank topic. Today, most innovators (Entrepreneurs, Scientists, NGO/IO Leaders and Business Leaders) face at least one of the following three challenges:

:: Raise funds / financing.
:: Expand team / operations.
:: Build awareness / marketing.

Based on interactions with 1,000s of innovators, we have established that innovators who are able to create partnerships to get good done are more likely to be successful than those who try to get everything done themselves. And the approach we are following is called “Social Think Tank”.

3. How does the “Social Think Tank” approach work?

Here are the 4-Steps of the Social Think Tank Approach:

Step I. Identify the biggest challenge your social venture is facing that you want to find a solution for - bigger the better.

Step II. With the GoodFestival team, generalize the topic enough that other Innovators can contribute and also use the output for their own venture. This is the topic that we will add to the agenda for GGC19 and share with 1,000s of people.

Step III. Once your Social Think Tank topic has been selected, you can invite up to 6 supporters/stakeholders to the GGC19.

Step IV. On the November 15, after the keynote speech, your Social Think Tank topic will be displayed on one of the 16 lunch tables and anyone will be able to join you. Together with the team, your role will be to first share why did you select the Social Think Tank topic and together work towards a solution and create a two-minute pitch.

4. What is the high level agenda of the Global Good Congress (GGC19)?

This is a draft that is currently being fine-tuned:

9:00 - 10:00
:: Start with coffee/registration.
10:00 - 10:50
:: Opening Keynote.
10:50 - 11:00
:: Overview of the day: Introduction to the Jury/GoodFestival Team who will support the teams to leverage the power of the crowd.
11:00 - 13:00
:: Team creation / special sit-down lunch based on local products.
13:00 - 14:30
:: Teams brainstorm to answer 3 questions:
+ What will you do together?
+ When will you make it happen?
+ How can the GoodFestival team support you?
14:30 - 16:00
:: Practice Pitch with Jury / GoodFestival team.
16:00 - 17:00
:: Final Pitch.
17:00 - 17:30
:: Announcement of winners / Additions to the Good100 list.
17:30 - 18:00
:: Photo sessions / Live Social MediaStorm with winners.
18:00
:: Close.

5. What’s next?

Once you apply, we will review your application and we will invite you for a phone interview and together decide the next steps. Please note that all final decisions regarding the Social Think Tank / Jury / Good100 are made by the GoodFestival team.

// Other frequently asked questions:

1. WHAT IS THE MISSION OF GOODFESTIVAL?

Support everyone who is building a social venture that addresses the root causes of poverty or climate change by collaborating with social innovators around the world. More information on: www.goodfestival.ch/mission

2. HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW DOES IT ALL FITS TOGETHER?

GoodFestival Event Series (GFX) has 4 main pillars:

I. GGC: Global Good Congress with Roxbourg is the flagship event of GFX and the next edition is planned for 15 November 2019 at The Olympic Museum. We are currently finalizing the agenda. And the Social Think Tank is the new format of GlobalGoodCongress.

II. GBS: Good Brand Summit with Sandoz Foundation Hotels is the most fundraising focussed GFX event for social innovators who want to showcase their brand. The next edition is planned for May 2020.

III. PAS: Palo Alto Summit with Partner X is the GFX event where we will showcase the best of Switzerland to the world and invite the best of USA to GoodFestival. The world premiere is currently scheduled for August 2020/2021.

IV. RXB: Roxbourg Sessions & Workshops are micro-events that are organized to support a very small group of innovators. We delivered 10 test sessions in the summer of 2019 and we are currently planning 120 sessions for the 2020-2021 season.

3. OK GOT IT. WHY IS GLOBAL GOOD CONGRESS FOCUSING ON THE “SOCIAL THINK TANK” FORMAT?

Because we need to rethink solutions for some of the world’s biggest challenges such as social inequity/poverty or climate change. More and more people are realizing that these challenges are so big that they cannot be solved by one organization and there is a need to think through completely new solutions at a scale never imagined before.

4. WHAT KIND OF THINK TANK CHALLENGES ARE EXPECTED TO BE PRESENTED?

The first type of challenge can start taking shape based on a challenge one organisation or project team is facing - at the micro level - something as straightforward as creating a go-to-market strategy or finding a solution for a specific problem only to find that all social innovators are facing the same insurmountable challenge.

The second type of challenge can originate at the macro level - at market or industry level - something that is well documented as a challenge that requires the actors of an industry to collaborate to overcome common obstacles. Obstacles so large that one organization or entity cannot overcome them but everyone will benefit from the solution.

5. WAIT A MINUTE, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A JOB FOR CONSULTANTS?

Maybe. But most social innovators do not have the funds to hire consultants. So our proposal is that if we support each other go further - if we do that we will all contribute to a world where the root causes of poverty, social inequity and climate change are being addressed everywhere and by everyone.

6. AHA, THAT’S THE “SOCIAL” PART IN THE “SOCIAL THINK TANK”, RIGHT?

Yes, that’s right. Social stands for addressing societal challenges together - in a social way.

7. BUT WHAT ABOUT “INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY” ISSUES? WHEN I GIVE MY ADVICE OR IDEA TO SOMEONE - SHOULD I NOT RECEIVE SOME GLORIOUS RECOGNITION OR COMPENSATION.

True, a Social Think Tank is about collaborating with other Innovators to do something that benefits everyone. This is essentially “crowdsourcing”. If you are not comfortable with collaborating with other innovators to build a better world for everyone, including yourself, maybe Global Good Congress/GoodFestival is not for you.

8. NOW HELP ME UNDERSTAND, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO FORMULATE THE CHALLENGE FOR THE THINK TANK?

Start your Think Tank topic with the “How” - not “Why” or “What” - start with “How can we overcome or solve or create...”. Then give the context by answering “Why” and “What”.

9. BUT I THOUGHT ALL SMART PEOPLE START WITH THE “WHY”?

As a Think Tank leader, you are looking for “Know how”, so say it. “How can we...?”. Then answer the “Why?” to ensure the potential team member knows that you are in the right space (industry, domain, market or social issue, that is to say - why you want to build a better world and why your selected focus area is important).

10. OK, NOW I GET IT - GLOBAL GOOD CONGRESS IS REALLY ABOUT BRINGING TOGETHER PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE WHO WANT TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD TOGETHER.

Yes, that’s right. You got it! Build bridges, partnerships and collaborate to get #GetGoodDone

Updated: 17 October 2019