One goal of ConvergeUS, the brainchild of the TechNet IT CEO network and Twitter cofounder Biz Stone, is to convene diverse groups to work on a "technology innovation blueprint," a plan for using technology and social media to drive social change, its founders said. ConvergeUS will work with three other groups each year to work on social issues, with a summit every year where top thinkers in technology and social issues will gather in Silicon Valley, said Rey Ramsey, TechNet's CEO.

"We have some things really left to do for America," Ramsey said during a kick-off event. "Everybody in this room understands the transformative power of technology. There's almost no area in our lives untouched by technology. But there is remaining work to be done in the social sector."

A relatively slow pace of technological innovation in the social sector, compared to other areas of tech growth, "gnaws at me," Ramsey said.

ConvergeUS builds on a philosophy at Twitter that "doing good" is important, Stone said. "You can really have a positive global impact, you can make money, and you can have a lot of fun along the way," he said. "This is a new definition of success for business. You have all of these three things together, or you don't have success."

Julius Genachowski [cq], chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, praised the effort. "Anything that we can do to support this effort to converge our best minds, our best talent, our best platforms in the technology space, the business space, and the social space will pay tremendous, mutually reinforcing dividends for the country," he said.