33needs (http://33needs.com/) is a web application that connects entrepreneurs solving our world’s biggest needs to micro-investors. We connect social ventures with the vast pool of seed capital in the hands of your friends, your family, and the growing number of people who believe a for-profit model allows for a deeper, more sustained impact than a traditional non-profit. We’re flipping the standard funding model on its head.

Here’s how it works: A 21-year-old college student in Los Angeles, CA could invest as little as $10 (or 1 “Part”) in a for-profit venture providing low-cost energy services to rural India. The college student receives a % return based on the venture’s revenue. The venture receives seed capital, and the world gets a little stronger.