Amra Tareen, Allvoices.com1

CEO & Founder
San Bruno - CA United States

The big idea: In 25 words or less, please tell us how this Fast 50 Nominee is helping to address the planet's problems.

Allvoices is the first citizen journalism Website that doesn’t edit user-generated content and through the use of a proprietary algorithm can validate contributed content.

Please describe how this nominee is using business as a force of positive change. What technology, idea, or strategy is the nominee using -- and what problem, such as global warming, poverty, or pollution, does it address? (suggested length: 100 words)

After 9/11 Amra, a Pakistani Muslim immigrant, felt isolated by American society as only a small, extremist group of Middle Easterners were being heard. Amra felt the majority of these people were not being given the opportunity to tell the truth about the world around them. In 2007 Amra joined Relief International as a volunteer and traveled to her native home of Pakistan to help women with children receive micro-credits in order to get their life back in order after the 2005 earthquake. Amra was inspired by the individuals she met, and again felt that these were the individuals that needed to have a voice in the world, and a place to share their experiences. Perhaps more importantly, Amra structured her company so that all contributed content is unedited. To validate events, each one is processed through a complex computer algorithm using more than 4,000 professional and online news feeds. It also provides context with geo-coding and linking of relevant content. This way, individuals from all over the world are given a forum for community discussion on any issue of interest and importance. At it's core, Allvoices is about democracy and giving power back to the people whose voices have the ability to make a difference.

What are the results, both financial and social? How has the nominee's business performed, and what impact has it had on the problem it addresses? (suggested length: 100 words)

Having been in Beta for four months and just entering its full launching stage, Allvoices has shown tremendous growth since its inception in April 2007. With its unique visitor traffic doubling with each month, and 12 percent of users returning (competitors have less than 10 percent) Allvoices is positioned for exceptional growth as it continues to build its community of contributors all over the world. With venture funding, Allvoices is prepared to reach its social and economic goals by the end of 2008 and begin making its impact in the age of new media.

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