We are setting up North America’s first social stock exchange connected to a green social network, called the Green Stock Exchange (GREENSX) at: http://greensx.com, which will be launched in the Summer of 2008 to begin trading. It will trade shares in small social businesses. A social business is a business that makes a profit, but benefits society as well. We have a triple bottom line (economic + social + environmental).

Now, 99% of small businesses do not have access to public funds, yet small business has added 20 million new jobs over the last 15 years to the US economy, using less than 1% of publicly traded equity capital. Therefore, it is obvious that if small businesses had more access to public money via the Green Stock Exchange (GREENSX), they could propel the economy forward in a spectacular fashion.

Financial funding for small green businesses are scarce with public money; SustainAbility, a consultancy and think tank, says ” money remains the main headache for social businesses; 72% of the social businesses surveyed cited raising money as their main challenge”. The Green Stock Exchange (GREENSX) intend to bridge this funding gap.

Since all the listed companies on the exchange are pre-screened, evaluated, and audited according to social and sustainable guidelines set by the exchange, it will make it much easier for green investors to find and support social businesses. The GREENSX provides opportunities for small green Issuers to access public equity capital efficiently, while providing early stage investors, angel investors, and venture capitalists with greater liquidity.

This includes a eBAY.com trading system for carbon credits.

Check it out at: http://greensx.com.