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New Media Ventures, the first national network of angel investors focused on creating political change, launched last week in New York. Investors in the network intend to provide seed funding to new media and tech startups that are developing "disruptive uses of technology" and, according to the press release, "have the potential to build progressive political power."

The Obama campaign is often touted as the premiere example of how social change can be affected by new technologies. From text messaging to Facebook to Twitter, these technologies were seen as key to engaging and motivating voters. But the history of Internet technologies and progressive political change certainly predates the 2008 U.S. Presidential campaign.