Dynamic Family Services in Kent wins Zino Society Award in Social Innovative Fast Pitch competition

Published 4:58 pm Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Dynamics Family Services in Kent was bestowed the $20,000 “Zino Society Award” in the Social Innovative Fast Pitch competition.

The competition was hosted by Social Venture Partners (SVP), a philanthropic group based in Seattle, and was supported by Microsoft, Ashoka, Microsoft Alumni Foundation and ADITI.

According to Patrice Briggs, who works in the development department at the Children’s Therapy Center (CTC), Dynamic Family Services took seoncd place among seven semifinalist. The money will go towards their Dynamic Labs.

The competition started in August, with over a 120 initial applicants from nonprofit organizations. A representative from each organization was required to give a five minute “fast pitch” speech on what they needed funding for and why. After several rounds of elimination, the seven semifinalists presented their projects at the Fisher Pavilion in Seattle Monday, Oct. 3. to a panel of judges and roughly 700 people.

“It’s very exciting,” Briggs said. “We pitched it and it proved to be a winner.”

“We were elated,” said Dynamic Partners’ CEO Jon Botten. “It was a wonderful surprise. We’re glad they recognized our project.”

Botten gave Dynamic Family Services’ five minute pitch. According to Akhtar Badshah, one of the judges on the panel, Botten “had perhaps the most polished pitch on stage.”

“He did a fabulous job,” said Briggs.

“We had a lot of practice,” said Botten.

Dynamic Labs is a part of Dynamic Partners’ social enterprises, which Briggs explained they use to create and sell a product. After the organization becomes financially viable, they are formed into a separate company. Their profits are then channeled back into Dynamic Partners to fund their programs, such as the Child Therapy Center.

“We’re always looking for new ideas and advisors to help us on those ideas,” said Briggs. “Our intent is to develop and market products and services that are innovated in some way and can help special needs children in someway,” said Botten. “One of the nice advantages of the competition was that there was 700 people, and most of them were looking for social enterprises to invest in.” Botten added the compeition was an “exposure of our idea to such a nice audience that has the influence and means to take our project to the next level.”