According to a recent report by Forbes, CouchSurfing.org has decided to convert to a “B” or “Benefit” Corporation in order to receive $7.6 million in funding from Benchmark Capital and the Omidyar Network. The now former nonprofit organization connects world travelers with locals across the globe with a user base of roughly three million people in 80,000+ cities. Virginia recently became one of the first handful of states to pass “B” corporation legislation, thereby creating a new form of business entity that is established to pursue a socially beneficial purpose. You can learn more about “B” corporations and the social entrepreneurship phenomenon at an upcoming conference organized by Richmond Unite. Richard Branson will be the featured speaker. Visit www.richmondunite.org for details and to register (also be sure to vote for the Richmond Tennis Association while you’re surfing that site).
