In December 2014, Forbes India announced the winners for its “Philanthropy Awards 2014.”  The prominent magazine awarded top business leaders who have used their skills and resources to solve some of India’s most pressing problems. Desh Deshpande, the Founder of the Deshpande Foundation, was awarded as the “Distinguished Non-Resident Philanthropist” for his efforts in helping Indian NGOs scale-up. Desh Deshpande has helped transform multiple …[more]

  From February 7 – 8, the Deshpande Foundation will be holding Development Dialogue 2015 in Hubli, Karnataka (India). The conference will feature site visits to innovative NGOs/social enterprises, panel discussions on the latest development trends in India, and networking opportunities with global thought-leaders. In addition, there will be a special keynote address from Kailash Satyarthi, …[more]

  On September 9, 2014 the Merrimack Valley Sandbox announced that it will be changing its name to Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll). This change was made for the following reasons: It embodies the organization’s core belief that people from all walks of life, with all types of venture ideas, can become entrepreneurs It gives the organization a platform to add …[more]

The Deshpande Foundation and UMass Lowell are proud to announce the 3rd Annual Deshpande Symposium for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education. From June 10-12, this conference will be a gathering of like-minded higher education practitioners focused on accelerating innovation and entrepreneurship across the college and university environment. The Symposium will provide a venue for attendees to …[more]

  From June 9 – 10, the Merrimack Valley Sandbox will be holding Sandbox Summit 2014 in Lowell, Massachusetts (USA).   This conference will feature the opportunity to: Hear top keynote speakers including Desh Deshpande (Founder of the Deshpande Foundation) & Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick Network with leading business professionals, VC/angel investors, accelerator program directors, and economic development …[more]

On February 4th, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick visited the Merrimack Valley Sandbox to award a $150K grant to strengthen and scale up the organization’s mentorship program in the region. The Sandbox will use the funds, which will be administered through the Mass Tech Collarboarative’s Innovation Mentoring Institute, to hire two additional part-time Managers of Mentorship, …[more]

The seventh annual Development Dialogue will be held in Hubli, Karnataka from January 20 to 22, 2014. The Development Dialogue is an international conference, organized in Hubli, Karnataka that brings thousands of people including world leaders, visionaries, grassroots activists, social entrepreneurs and innovators together to celebrate success and discuss issues that are relevant to the …[more]

On October 14th, Desh Deshpande received the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) Lifetime Achievement Award. NACCE is the nation’s leading organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship through community colleges. “The NACCE Lifetime Achievement award is presented to an individual who has achieved entrepreneurial success and played a pivotal role in the community through involvement and support of …[more]

From June to August of this year, sixteen early-stage entrepreneurs took part in the Merrimack Valley Sandbox Summer Accelerator Program to move their businesses and non-profits forward through workshops, mentors, work space, and funding. On September 10th, the 2013 Sandbox Summer Accelerator Awards Celebration was held to celebrate the conclusion of the program. During the event, …[more]

Congressman Joe Kennedy recently launched a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Tour of Massachusetts where he has been visiting businesses, schools, and programs across the Commonwealth that highlight the state’s leadership in STEM education and workforce development.     On August 21st, Congressman Kennedy visited SPARK Academy in Lawrence to see the STEM innovation happening in the city. He …[more]