From main street to Wall street and everywhere in between, there’s been an outpouring of lamentations, exclamations and downright indignation and concern.  But what are we all going to do about it? How about slow down?

That’s one of the concepts behind a new movement called Slow Money. Based very much on the Slow Food concept, Slow money is the closest thing we’ve seen yet to a return to the fundamentals and meaning of “investment”. Here’s the def:

A concept under development by Woody Tasch, Chairman of Investors’ Circle. Inspired by the mission of the Slow Food Movement, Tasch considers that “fast” money investments (such as venture capital) is expected to return a profit quickly but is rarely invested long enough to create sustainable ventures. This is especially true of early-stage companies in some industries (such as biotech, high tech, and food development) which often require longer time frames to generate competitive returns. Slow money is invested with an understanding of the natural dynamics of these businesses and investors set their expectations of financial return around these processes.

PURETALKS, will be presenting a talk by Woody Tasch on the topic. In partnership with StartingBloc, NYU Reynolds Program in Social Entrepreneurship, Green Leaders, and Pure Project and hosted by  NYU Stern’s Berkley Center for Entrepreneurial Studies it’s sure to be enlightening. So if you want to learn more, stop in. Your wallet will thank you.

Eventbrite it here and see below for info.

PURETALKS presents: Slow Money: An Evening with Woody Tasch

Join us for an inspiring and innovative talk with Woody Tasch, Chairman of Investors’ Circle and Founder of Slow Money

A founding group of advisors, funders and members are making 2008 the year of Slow Money. The newly organized 501c3, incubated by Investors’ Circle, is designing strategies for investing in local food systems and promoting new definitions of fiduciary responsibility around principles of carrying capacity, cultural and biological diversity, non-violence and care of the commons.  Woody Tasch will present the vision, mission, and strategy for the new intermediary and share from his recently published book, Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money.

Q & A and and catered reception to follow.

Hosted by:

NYU Stern’s Berkley Center for Entrepreneurial Studies

In partnership with:

StartingBloc, NYU Reynolds Program in Social Entrepreneurship, Green Leaders, and Pure Project

Slow Money - An Evening with Woody Tasch

NYU Stern - Henry Kaufman Management Center
Cantor ballroom (top floor)
44 West 4th St.
New York, NY
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
7.00 ~ 8.15PM
Catered reception to follow
RSVP: By November 14, 2008
Post-event Social Networking hosted by StartingBloc
Apple Restaurant
17 Waverly Pl. (near Greene)
New York, NY
8.45 ~ 10.00pm

PURETALKS is a collaborative series of conversations touching on topics of creative expression, sustainable practice and social entrepreneurship.  The goal of these talks is to inspire and ignite activity among its participants, and to offer a platform to support this activity.  These conversations will take the form of action workshops, networking events, lectures, and conferences.

About Woody Tasch:
Woody Tasch is Chairman of Investors’ Circle, a national non-profit network of investors dedicated to “Patient Capital for a Sustainable Future.” Since 1992, Investors’ Circle has facilitated the flow of over $130 million to over 200 sustainability-minded early-stage companies and venture funds, including over $24 million to 37 food companies. He is Chairman and President of the newly formed NGO, Slow Money, an intermediary dedicated to catalyzing the flow of capital to enterprises that support soil fertility and local food communities.
The mission of Slow Money is:
•    To promote entrepreneurship that preserves and restores soil fertility, appropriate-scale organic farming and local food communities.
•    To catalyze increases in foundation grant-making and mission-related investing in support of sustainable agriculture and local economies; and,
•    To incubate next-generation socially responsible investment strategies, integrating principles of carrying capacity, care of the commons, sense of place, diversity and non-violence.

Woody Tasch, Investor’s Circle, Slow Money