***This press release was distributed by BusinessWire. ***

-Visit http://www.theimpactchallenge.org/peopleschoice 

to hear their stories and to cast your vote for the “People’s Choice Award”-

(Hartford, Conn., Sept. 23, 2015) – Today reSET, the Social Enterprise Trust, (www.SocialEnterpriseTrust.org), whose mission is advancing the social enterprise sector, is pleased to announce 12 impact businesses as honorees of the 2015 reSET Impact Challenge. Tickets to the celebration next month may be purchased at ResetImpactAwards.Eventbrite.com. The competition, now in its fifth year, recognizes the most innovative, impactful, and viable early stage ventures and start-ups from all industries. For the first time this year, The Challenge was opened to entrepreneurs throughout New England. Award winners will receive unrestricted seed capital, expert professional services, and public recognition.

“This year’s short list was chosen from the over 100 enterprises that applied. That’s almost double that of last year, and a 700% increase since The Challenge launched in 2011. The talent pool gets stronger every year and narrowing it down this time around proved to be quite challenging,” said Rosie Gallant, Director of Programs at reSET.

The honorees are:

Asarasi, Inc. (CT)

BookBugs (NH)

Beautiful Day / The Providence Granola Project (RI)

Daily General Counsel (MA)

Dream See Do (CT)

FRESH Farm Aquaponics (CT)

Hartford Prints (CT)

Hugo & Hoby (CT)

LOTUS Alliance LLC (CT)

Movia Robotics (CT)

Parrot MD (CT)

Planet Fuel Beverage Company (CT)

A panel of expert judges will decide the overall winners who will be revealed at an open-to-the-public celebration on October 29, starting at 5pm at the Society Room of Hartford. To hear the honorees’ stories and to cast your vote for the “People’s Choice Award,” please visit www.TheImpactChallenge.org/PeoplesChoice.

Connecticut Public Radio host John Dankosky will moderate a panel at the celebration about how social innovation is transforming industries. The panel will feature Disruptive Innovators Jean Hammond, co-founder and partner of LearnLaunch; Makaela Kingsley, director of Wesleyan’s Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship; and Kirc Savage, a co-founder of tech startup Send Help Back Home.

A separate Impact Venture Showcase will begin at 4pm, with eight early stage, impact-driven startups pitching to an audience of investors, advisors, and guests seeking both social and financial returns. Seating for this pre-celebration event is limited. Separate tickets are required, available at: ResetImpactAwards.Eventbrite.com.

This year’s Challenge and Awards are being made possible by a large community of supporters, including Aeton Law Partners; Bank of America; Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue; BNY Mellon; Cantor Colburn; Carter Realty; Central Connecticut State University; Clark Insurance; Comcast Business; Community Investment Corporation; Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development; Connecticut Innovations; Day Pitney, LLP; Farrell & Farrell Consulting Services; Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina; Hartford Flavor Co.; Health Educated, Inc.; HealthyCT; HEDCO Inc.; Minuteman Press; Murtha Cullina; NoRA Cupcake Company; Powerstation Events; Pullman & Comley, LLC; Qualidigm; Quinnipiac University; Remarkable Technologies; SnapSeat Photo Booths; Tariq Farid Foundation; The City of Hartford; The Hartford; The Kitchen at Billings Forge; The Walker Group; Travelers; Trinity College; Updike, Kelly & Spellacy; 710 Studios, and the list continues to grow.

About reSET

reSET is a nonprofit organization whose mission is advancing the social enterprise sector. Its strategic goals are threefold: to be the “go-to” place for impact entrepreneurs, to make Hartford known as Impact City, and Connecticut the Social Enterprise state. reSET serves all entrepreneurs, but specializes in social enterprise ― impact driven business with a double or triple bottom line. In addition to providing coworking space, accelerator and mentoring programs, reSET aims to inspire innovation and community collaboration, and to support entrepreneurs in creating market-based solutions to community challenges. reSET’s goal is to meet entrepreneurs wherever they are in their trajectory and to help them take their businesses to the next level.

reSET’s accelerator, LaunchPad for Impact, was recently a winner of the U.S. Small Business Administration Growth Accelerator Competition, and was the only Connecticut accelerator to receive the award this year. www.SocialEnterpriseTrust.org