Corporate Supporters

Arc'Teryx

The company:  Arc`teryx (www.arcteryx.com) builds the finest products possible. The Arc`teryx advantage is achieved by merging unrivaled designs with the best quality, highest performing materials and assembling them in the most innovative and most durable manner for the intended use.

The partnership:  Arc'teryx is providing Smallbean with the donated backpacks used in our MobileCAP units. Thanks to the amazing support of Arc'teryx, the MobileCAP units bound for libraries throughout Kenya this July will be housed in a variety of Arc'teryx packs.

Quest Software

The company:  Quest Software (www.quest.com) creates and supports smart systems management products—helping customers solve everyday IT challenges faster and easier. Quest products and people are dedicated to helping customers manage their critical applications, databases, Windows infrastructure and virtual environments.

The partnership:  Quest Software provides Smallbean with generous corporate funding for our MobileCAP initiatives in Kenya. Quest also donates pens, notebooks, and USB flash drives for use in Smallbean computer labs throughout the developing world. 

Voltaic Systems

The company: Voltaic Systems (www.voltaicsystems.com) makes products that produce and store their own power to run electronics anywhere. Voltaic bags use fabrics made from recycled PET materials (i.e. soda bottles). The Voltaic solar backpack was designated as one of PC News Weekly’s Top 50 Gadgets.

The partnership: Voltaic Systems provides Smallbean with solar bags and thin film solar panels utilized by our Citizen Archivist Projects in Africa.

Everbright Solar

The company:  Everbright Solar (www.everbrightsolar.com) is a vertically integrated manufacturer and factory direct seller of various solar cells and DIY solar components. These products include: Evergreen string ribbon solar cells, mono crystalline and multi crystalline solar cells, UL certified solar panels, grid-tied and off-grid panels for battery charging, and solar turnkey systems.

The partnership:  Everbright Solar provides Smallbean with the solar panels powering Smallbean technology labs in Tanzania and other locations.

FHO Partners

The company:  FHO Partners (www.fhopartners.com) is one of Boston's premier commercial real estate providers. FHO's philosophy is to provide clients with a menu of critical real estate-related services while retaining an entrepreneurial, creative and highly responsive spirit.

The partnership:  FHO provided Smallbean with support in our efforts to locate office space for the new Smallbean world headquarters.

Institutional Partners

Technology and Culture Forum (TAC) at MIT

The organization: The Technology and Culture Forum (TAC) at MIT (http://web.mit.edu/tac)sponsors lectures and programs that address critical issues of our time and supports initiatives that explore the role of science and technology in promoting positive social, ecological, and economic change. Student involvement is at the core of TAC's work at MIT. As members of TAC's Steering Committee, students help identify needs and interests of MIT students, assist in the development and organization of programs, create innovative and community-building activities for MIT students and are mentored by TAC staff. The TAC also seeks to stimulate discussion about the ethical implications of scientific discovery and technological innovation.

The partnership: TAC is providing Smallbean with support and guidance as we develop partnerships with students, faculty and staff at MIT to further the Citizen Archivist Project both domestically and internationally. Thanks to our partnership with TAC, the Smallbean World Headquarters is now located at the MIT Annex, a facility that houses both international visitors and student-run international initiatives. TAC's own Mary Beth Mills-Curran is Smallbean's Chief Development Officer. The annex is located at 515 Beacon Street, so come by and visit us anytime!

Design Museum Boston

The organization:  Design Museum Boston (http://designmuseumboston.org) is a non-profit organization with the goal of creating and maintaining a network of virtual and physical exhibit spaces online, in Boston, and across New England. Design Museum Boston showcases exciting design work and its impact differently than a traditional museum. Through a decentralized network of physical and virtual exhibits, it brings programming to galleries, retail environments, public spaces and the web. The vision is to expose the public at large to the design process from a social, economic, and environmental point of view.

The partnership:  Design Museum Boston has selected Smallbean for its first "Design a Difference" program, an innovative program to educate the public on the transformative power of design by helping nonprofits find innovative solutions to economic, social, and environmental problems. Design Museum Boston will be bringing together the best designers from throughout New England to help Smallbean redesign the solar suitcase used to power Smallbean Citizen Archivist Project computer labs around the world.

Newton-Tanzania Collaborative

The organization:  Newton Tanzania Collaborative, Inc. (NTC) (www.newtontanzania.org) is a Newton, Massachusetts based 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission of building mutual relationships between schools and communities in the United States and Tanzania. Since 2006, NTC has fostered a relationship between the communities of Newton, Massachusetts and Kwala, Tanzania, including school-to-school cultural exchange partnerships, several exchange visits to and from Kwala, and the completion of numerous high impact projects to improve educational opportunities for children in Kwala.

The partnership:  Smallbean launched our Citizen Archivist Project pilot in Tanzania in conjunction with Newton-Tanzania Collaborative in February 2010 and continues to work with NTC in Kwala.

Maria's Libraries

The organization:  Maria’s Libraries (www.mariaslibraries.org) is promoting and developing an integrated network of libraries and library services in Kenya, fully connected with each other, the Kenyan national system, and the world. Maria's Libraries is working to build a modern library in Busia, Kenya, connect libraries currently outside the Kenyan national library system, and creating philanthropy networks to support libraries throughout Kenya. 

The partnership:  Smallbean is working with Maria’s Libraries to launch our MobileCAP pilot at five rural libraries in Kenya in July of 2010.

Citizen Schools

The organization:  Citizen Schools (www.citizenschools.org) partners with middle schools to expand the learning day for low-income children across the country. Since 1995, students at Citizen Schools have developed the academic and leadership skills they need to succeed in high school, college, the workplace, and civic life. Citizen Schools is at the forefront of a movement to educate children, strengthen communities, and increase access to the American Dream.

The partnership:  Smallbean is partnering with Citizen Schools to operate our Citizen Archivist Project in Brighton, Massachusetts.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

The organization:  MassArt (www.massart.edu) is the nation’s first independent public college of art and design. MassArt's professional baccalaureate and graduate programs prepare students to participate in the creative economy as fine artists, designers, and art educators, and to engage in the well being of their society. As a national leader in visual art and design education, the college influences contemporary culture through the accomplishments of its alumni and the creative activities of its faculty and staff.

The partnership:  MassArt provides Smallbean with work study funding and access to other resources within their academic community.

Boston Public Library

The organization:  The Boston Public Library (www.bpl.org) was the first publicly supported municipal library in the United States, the first large library open to the public in the United States, and the first public library to allow people to borrow books and other materials. The Boston Public Library contains 8.9 million books and 22 million items across all media formats, making it one of the largest public libraries in the nation.

The partnership:  The Boston Public Library has been working with Smallbean to design and implement our Digital Archive. The BPL is working with Smallbean to conduct our MobileCAP initiative at five rural libraries in Kenya this summer.

AfricaSOMA

The organization:  AfricaSOMA (http://asoma.ipower.com/) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to facilitate creative educational opportunities among and between disadvantaged youth in Kenya and their global peers. AfricaSOMA is involved in building community libraries, supporting secondary school education, fostering global art exchanges, and facilitating volunteer teaching opportunities.

The partnership:  AfricaSOMA is working with Smallbean at our Elangata Wuas MobileCAP site in Kenya. Thanks to the strength of the on-the-ground relationship with the community and the amazing community library AfricaSOMA helped to build, the Citizen Archivist Project is flourishing in Elangata Wuas.

We Care Solar

The organization:  We Care Solar (www.wecaresolar.com) is a California-based nonprofit organization that designs and constructs solar power installations for hospitals in Africa. We Care has provided health workers in Nigeria and Rwanda with solar energy for reliable lighting, blood bank refrigeration and mobile communication.

The partnership:  We Care Solar provided Smallbean with the solar suitcase design used to power Smallbean technology labs in Tanzania and other locations.

Individual Supporters

Smallbean thanks the following principle donors who have made Smallbean’s operations and growth possible through individual donations of greater than $1,000.

The Edlow Family Fund

Pan Godchaux

Jeremy and Jean Hewens

Jay and Jenn Lohse