Archive for Entrepreneurship

This story originally appeared in our June 30th, 2011 e-magazine. Click here to download the pdf e-magazine.

Ecotourism is a booming industry in Latin America, especially in the Tambopata region of southeastern Peru. But is it the best use for limited land?

In 2008, the Tambopata region of southeastern Peru – located in the southwest Amazon eco-region and the Tropical Andes biodiversity hotspot – boasted 37 ecotourism operations based around the Tambopata National Reserve.

Industry in the area traditionally revolves around slash-and-burn agriculture, cattle ranching, Brazil nut extraction, timber extraction, alluvial gold mining and private reserves, but the area is increasingly taking advantage of the ecotourism market – estimated by a 2010 report at $28.8 billion a year in developing countries alone. » Continue reading “Is ecotourism good for the amazon?”

This story originally appeared in our June 30th, 2011 e-magazine. Click here to download the pdf e-magazine.

Pablo Handl, Co-Founder of the HUB São Paulo (Brazil), and Julieta Villacaña, Coordinator at the HUB Oaxaca (Mexico), share their experiences and views on the social enterprise landscape and its future in both countries.

What is the state of social entrepreneurship in your countries?
JV: The scene of social entrepreneurs in Mexico is gaining momentum, but in Oaxaca, the term itself is not well known. The people who work for social transformation [do] not yet see clear value in social entrepreneurship, as [the] idea of being able to live [off] social transformation is still under discussion and [a] conflict within organizations and among traditional activists, [who] have [spent] more time working [towards] change, at least in our state.

PH: The ecosystem around social entrepreneurship in Brazil is rich and reaching a new level of sophistication. However, there is a weak legal framework and public policy support for entrepreneurs. The investment landscape is not ready to invest in ideas yet. Most investments are made in up-and-running social enterprises. » Continue reading “Building hub spaces”

By Tony Sheldon

As a social enterprise moves beyond its start-up phase, there is good news and bad news – and it is the same: the challenges you face in launching your enterprise will continue to be the challenges you face in managing and growing it.  Certainly the challenges evolve, and the specifics change, but you will continue to grapple with the same underlying issues: financing, staffing, profitability and impact.   » Continue reading “Beyond Start-Up”

In Forbes, Eva Pereira makes the distinction between “opportunity” entrepreneurs and “necessity” entrepreneurs. This is the difference between someone creating a technology start-up and selling street food. Growth happens by investing in the “opportunity” entrepreneurs.

Pereira writes:

According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, a non-profit research organization, economic growth is not driven by these “necessity” entrepreneurs, who decrease in number as the economy develops. The key to fostering growth is to support “opportunity” entrepreneurs, who choose to start new enterprises in response to market needs.

One of the key reasons this is true is because “opportunity” entrepreneurs create jobs, and many argue that job creation is the best way to stimulate and sustain economic growth. While “necessity” entrepreneurs create a job for themselves, the value is limited. » Continue reading “Moving Away from Necessity Entrepreneurship”

By Maya Pillai

Hans Reitz, who co-founded the Grameen Creative Lab with microfinance guru Muhammad Yunus, defines a social business as a “non-loss, non-dividend company with the purpose of solving a social problem.” The Lab officially launched in India earlier this year and brought the concept to an audience already well-versed in the social enterprise space.

But is this model the best way to solve social problems?

At the launch event, Reitz explained that the company has a social goal but offers products and services at prices that are self-sustaining. The company’s investors get back only what they invested. » Continue reading “Challenging Muhammad Yunus’ “Social Business””

By Kate Sutton

After meeting someone like Dr. Sam Prince you are left with an overwhelming feeling of inspiration—a belief that with passion anything really is possible. Prince is passionate about three things: health care, education and business. With these passions, it is not surprising Prince is a doctor, a Mexican food entrepreneur and a philanthropist. However, when it is revealed Prince is all these things at the age of 27, it is surprising.

Prince is not your typical entrepreneur. Prince trained as a doctor at the Australian National University in Canberra. While studying, Prince worked in restaurants to pay the university bills. He was particularly interested in an American food franchise concept: Fresh – Mex – Grills, as it’s name suggests, fast, fresh, healthy Mexican cuisine. It was during his medical studies when Prince started Zambrero, a Mexican restaurant, which has multiplied into 17 restaurant franchises across Australia. Zambrero’s profits go towards the Emagine Foundation to deliver health and education projects in Australia and developing countries. » Continue reading “Meet Sam Prince: Australian Serial Entrepreneur”

By Bharathi Ramasubramanian

American political scientist Samuel P. Huntington, in his work The Clash of Civilizations, famously stated that cultural and religious identities would be the main sources of conflict in the post-Cold War era. An assessment of conflicts over the past two decades, from the Bosnian crisis and the Rwandan genocide in the early 1990s to the ongoing crisis in Darfur and Israel/ Palestine, shows the accuracy of his prophecy.

A key to post-conflict reconstruction is the development and strengthening of local institutions. It is often the case that local civil society organizations relying heavily on foreign donors tend to adapt their work to outside demands. This dilutes reconstruction, and efforts become increasingly disconnected from their beneficiaries, members and communities. Effective post-conflict development requires a clear understanding of the dynamics of the conflict-torn community and some success stories prove that local communities know best how to create opportunity for themselves and rebuild their towns and villages. » Continue reading “Post-Conflict Development: From the Bottom Up”

Malnutrition is a serious concern in developing countries. In Kenya, Edom Nutritional Solutions has developed a premixed porridge and a maize flour product to combat malnutrition. Beyond Profit talked to Winstone Edward Odhiambo, the Co-Founder and Managing Director, about the unique product and its future.

What exactly is the Edom solution?

Our solution lays emphasis on preventive approaches to tackle the root cause of malnutrition by manufacturing a protein, mineral and vitamin rich precooked porridge product and maize meal flour and avail them to the malnourished through affordable retail distribution in rural areas, low market urban areas and smaller outlets in the villages in smaller packs of 250 grams that the majority millions in the bottom tier of the socio-economic pyramid can easily access and afford. » Continue reading “Premixed Porridge Tackles Malnutrition in Kenya”

The Unreasonable Institute brings together 25 entrepreneurs with mentors and impact investors to help them jump start their enterprises. This year, 45 finalists were selected and final acceptance to the institute was based on an online fund-raising platform. Over the next two days, Beyond Profit brings you interviews with two of the enterprises that made it in.

BioSense Technologies’ pilot project, the ToucHb, is a non-invasive way to test for anaemia, which affects two billion people and accounts for one million deaths per year. Testing for anaemia is usually invasive, expensive, time-consuming and requires medical know-how. BioSense is trying to change all this to bring anaemia screening to poor areas. Beyond Profit talked to Abhiraman Viswambharan. » Continue reading “Unreasonable Interviews: BioSense Technologies”

This past Sunday, the Grameen Creative Lab officially opened its doors in India with a workshop in Mumbai. Hans Reitz, the Creative Advisor to Professor Muhammad Yunus and co-founder of the Grameen Creative Lab, and Aarti Wig, who will head the lab’s efforts in India, led the event.

Beginning the event with a chime from his large gong, Reitz explained Yunus’ definition of social business: a business working for the social good in which original investment is returned and all profits are reinvested into the expansion of the company. » Continue reading “Grameen Creative Lab Expands to India”