These are the 20 most read stories on SocialStory in 2013 [Part 2]

2013 was a stellar year for social entrepreneurship in India. The country became the first in the world to make corporate social responsibility (CSR) mandatory, DICCI (Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry) SME Fund became the first social impact fund to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the Indian Impact Investor Council (IIIC) was launched to come up with best practices for the impact investment industry, new funds have been announced and Infosys co-founder V Balakrishnan joined MicroGraam as chairman. SocialStory’s effort to document the social entreprneurship scene in India were rewarded when they became the recipient of a grant given by Omidyar Network and Rockefeller Foundation.

As we look back the year, we sifted through all our stories, and picked the most read 20 stories from the year that’s just gone by. The articles are a mix of entrepreneurs stories, research reports, lists and resources.

We present numbers 1-10. Part 1 can be found here.

1) Bridging the “Pioneer Gap”: The Role of Accelerators in Launching High-Impact Enterprises

This report by the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs and Village Capital, is a quantitative analysis of 52 social impact-focused incubators and accelerators, operating around the world. The data was collected by ANDE and Village Capital between November 2012 and February 2013. The report aims to inform accelerator managers about best-in-class practices and provide mechanisms to improve their performance.

Read the rest of the story here.

2) 10 stories from the Philippines’ typhoon that will restore your faith in humanity

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean become dirty, the ocean does not become dirty,” said Mahatma Gandhi.

It is easy to forget these words. The world we live in is not exactly that amazing place we dream about. We hear every day on TV, newspapers and the internet about wars, rape, massacres, pollution and other bad news. And usually too many important stories remain untold. Today we want to bring to you those untold beautiful stories from the Philippines, a country that has witnessed much devastation after the Haiyan Typhoon razed its Eastern part, killing thousands and leaving at least 600,000 homeless.

Read the rest of the story here.

3) SIDBI launches India Microfinance Platform with World Bank Support

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) recently announced the launch of its website for Microfinance in India.

Read the rest of the story here.

4) Calling entrepreneurs and innovators to alleviate the situation of TB treatment in India

Developing countries often face a lot of health issues due to low standard of living and lack of basic amenities. Unhygienic living conditions, lack of preventive medicines and high cost of treatment lead to spreading of diseases even more. With the second largest population in the world, India has the highest number of tuberculosis victims. India has an estimated 2.2 million patients of TB out of the world’s total of 8.7 million. This is shocking as TB is not a disease without any cure.

Read the rest of the story here.

5) NGOs find a new channel for raising funds online via Instamojo

Fundraising is one of the most important and taxing activities for an NGO. Over the years, funds and NGO’s have always been a subject of debate as to how much should and NGO raise or how much of its budget should be allocated to raise more funds and such. Nonetheless, fund raising remains at the epicenter.

Read the rest of the story here.

6) Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards Finalists

In its seventh year, Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards announced the list of finalists out of 45 applications from South and Southeast Asia region: India, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar, Vietnam, Nepal and Cambodia.

Apani Dhani in Rajasthan, which offers eco-friendly accommodation, excursions and activities with locals such as cooking lessons, initiation to traditional arts and crafts, is a finalist in the ‘Best in Cultural Preservation’ category

Read the rest of the story here.

7) Meet India’s top 10 social entrepreneurship heroes

When it comes to social entrepreneurship, India is often referred to as the epicenter of impact investing, and the world’s laboratory for testing new ideas. With a billion dollars waiting to be invested in social enterprises and success stories like Husk Power Systems, Rangsutra, dLight, Waterlife and Vaatsalya Healthcare regularly making the rounds in global social entrepreneurship circles, the country is clearly a very important market.

Read the rest of the story here.

8) 10 inspiring social entrepreneurship quotes that will make you think

Words have the power to make you smile, quicken your heartbeat, make you think, spur you to action and maybe even quit your job and take a stab at changing the world. We bring the thoughts of 10 stalwarts who have positively shaped our world.

Read the rest of the story here.

9) Top 11 TED talks on how the power of social entrepreneurship is changing the world

TED talks are inspiring, often spurring people to action, who are looking to change the world. While there are many top 10 or top 20 lists of most inspiring TED talks ever, there aren’t many that singles out individuals who have had enduring social impact through their work. We took our time to scour through many TED talks and handpick these 11 videos that highlight social entrepreneurs, academics and practitioners who have had a profound impact in the world of social entrepreneurship.

Read the rest of the story here.

10) 5 reasons why now is the best time to become a social entrepreneur

Well, you know who you are. A fence-sitter, who has spent your entirely life handcuffed to a cubicle. You have dreamed of doing something to change the world, but the security of a regular monthly paycheck and the fat bonus at the end of the year, put you off from making that decision. Maybe you are ready to quit now, and take the plunge, into the big unknown world of entrepreneurship.

Read the rest of the story here.