Liga Masiva, a social enterprise founded by Emily Kerr '05, was selected as a finalist for the Unreasonable Institute. The Unreasonable Institute chooses young social entrepreneurs to send to a “mentor-intensive” institute based in Boulder, Colorado. The forty-two finalists will compete for twenty-five available spots in the Unreasonable Institute.
In order to be one of the final twenty-five, the Unreasonable Institute has set up the Unreasonable Finalist Marketplace, which gives a chance for the young innovators to showcase their entrepreneurial skills by forcing them to raise the $6,500 cost of attendance. The Unreasonable Finalist Marketplace opened on January 22, 2010 and the first twenty-five ventures to raise the money will be invited to attend. Once selected, the finalists will participate in a ten week program filled with entrepreneurial training, workshops and networking opportunities.
According to Kerr, “Liga Masiva exists to change the way people interact and trade across borders.” The venture strives to connect people in order to create quality products that “enrich, empower, and engage.” The main product of Liga Masiva is coffee. They started with one group of farmers in the Dominican Republic, linked them to an artisan roaster and then to consumers in New York. Liga Masiva’s mission is to ensure a new model of trade that benefits everyone. Farmers will have a better life, communities will connect and people will be provided with a good cup of coffee. The Unreasonable Institute will give Liga Masiva a chance to boost its mission and transform into a potential world-changing enterprise.
Kerr graduated from Hamilton with a concentration in World Politics. In addition, Emily was a Bristol Scholar and Senior Fellow.
