Social Capital Markets: Cindy Chen on Breaking Silos via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Guest blogger Cindy Chen is a 1st-year MBA student at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, and is interested in helping businesses incorporate impactful social and environmental factors into the design of profitable strategies. Prior to Haas, Cindy worked on business development and consulting for the manufacturing and supply chain of labor-intensive goods in developing countries. She is a graduate of M.I.T. with a degree in Management Science. By Cindy Chen Here at Social Capital Markets, Breaking Silos was another great panel, and one that was especially relevant to our present moment in history. The session's original agenda was the dismantling of silos as the keystone of the new social capital movement. But given the meltdown of the financial sector in recent weeks, the... Social Capital Markets: Roxanne Miller on New African Capital via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Guest blogger Roxanne Miller is a 2nd-year MBA student at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, focusing her studies on the intersection of international development, social enterprise and technology. She spent this past summer interning at Unitus and working on an ICTD health care project in Uganda. Prior to Haas, Roxanne was a Kiva Fellow in Tanzania and spent several years in marketing roles at Yahoo! and American Express. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Communications.By Roxanne MillerKevin Jones recently said that "markets convene in conversations" and part of the impetus for SoCap08 was to foster a space for dialogue. By the time Tuesday afternoon rolled around, the conversations were flowing. As I tried to hurry between... Social Capital Markets: New Spin on Old World Development via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Aden Van Noppen is a senior at Brown University where she studies International Development. She is also an intern for Acumen Fund, where she works to develop programs that teach college students about private sector solutions to poverty. Aden was formerly an intern for Dalberg Global Development Advisors where she worked on the development of the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs. By Aden Van Noppen These four panelists are without a doubt putting a new spin on development. All four use investment as their social impact tool of choice, but what made the panel so compelling is understand how and why they have all chosen to do it a little differently. Charly Kleissner, co-founder of KL Felicitas Foundation, moderated the panel of Vineet Rai from Aavishkar, Jill Chen from the... Guest Post: Roxanne Miller on “Beyond Microfinance” via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Guest blogger Roxanne Miller is a 2nd-year MBA student at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, focusing her studies on the intersection of international development, social enterprise and technology. She spent this past summer interning at Unitus and working on an ICTD health care project in Uganda. Prior to Haas, Roxanne was a Kiva Fellow in Tanzania and spent several years in marketing roles at Yahoo! and American Express. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Communications.By Roxanne MillerWalking into the "Beyond Microfinance" panel at the Social Capital Markets Conference I was excited about listening to the speakers because of what I'd read about the Clinton Global Initiative commitments that both Root Capital and Leapfrog... Social Capital Markets: “We Are Jealous of Microfinance…” via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
... said Christine Eibs Singer from E+Co, referring to the way that industry has been able to achieve the "investment class status", raise millions in capital and at the same time operate under common standards under the leadership of organizations like CGAP. The need for such a coordinated approach among those supporting "Small and Growing Businesses" is the starting point of the Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE). A panel discussing the network marked a high point Tuesday afternoon during the Social Capital Markets Conference.Andrew Stern, a partner at Dalberg, moderated a conversation among organizations representing some of the leading practices that are part of the network.(This post continues past the break; click "Read More" to...
Social Capital Markets: “Moving Beyond Wishful Thinking” via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Katherine Fulton kicked off Day 2 of the Social Capital Markets Conference this morning. Her address focused on the complexities of this moment in history for the economy as a whole and for the social capital markets movement in particular. Ms. Fulton addressed the driving forces behind impact investing and the social capital markets movement, Monitor's characterization of the current moment for the sector and the critical success factors to move the sector forward towards consolidation and efficiency. Money seeking diversification, values-driven investment, talent demanding new career paths and more individuals interested in combining money and meaning in their careers are just some of the driving forces behind this movement. The question is no longer whether it's possible... Social Capital Markets Veterans Discuss Big Issues; Jed Emerson Avoids “Getting Kicked in the Nuts” via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
It’s Tuesday morning at Social Capital Markets, and I’m already feeling a bit overwhelmed. But this panel is too good to miss - Matthew Bishop, Jed Emerson and David Chen, with Kevin Jones moderating. You know that – particularly with Bishop and Emerson – you’re bound to hear honest, blunt opinions on the social capital markets movement from this group. Jed Emerson is the first to speak. I’ve known his work for a while, met him last year at an Acumen Fund event - but I never knew he is trained as a social worker. Having worked in San Francisco with homeless youth, he moved to work with George Roberts on the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund (now known simply as REDF). While at REDF, he began to explore metrics in depth, which led to work with a range of social... Social Capital Markets: Mike Lee on Money and Meaning via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Guest blogger Mike Lee is a 2nd-year MBA student at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and leads the Net Impact chapter. Prior to Haas, Mike worked as an evaluation consultant for NGOs and Foundations and also at Ashoka. Mike is an alumnus of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs and has blogged about social enterprise on Skoll’s Social Edge site. He is a graduate of Harvard University with an interdisciplinary degree in Social Studies. By Mike Lee It’s great to be blogging here on NextBillion. Props to Rob Katz, Moses Lee, Francisco Noguera and many others for creating one of the most vital blogs around for us hard-headed idealists. Today, I sat in on a stellar panel, titled "Money and Meaning." Not exactly an easy task for the panelists as those two... Social Capital Markets: David Auerbach on Market Creators via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Guest blogger David Auerbach works on strategic growth projects for Endeavor, a global organization that supports high-impact entrepreneurs. He is a 2003 graduate of Yale University.By David AuerbachThe "Market Creators" panel at SoCap08 provided an excellent primer in what opportunities are out there for investors looking to focus on both social gains and financial gains. As the moderator - Todd Johnson of Jones Day - observed, social returns come in many different forms: Wal-Mart's Sustainability 360 might have an enormous social impact. That doesn't mean a social investor would necessarily want to invest in Wal-Mart, however. So how do you sift through all the investment opportunities out there?The panelists represented a variety of organizations that are looking to... Social Capital Markets: “The Sector is Still in a Rudimentary Stage” via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Asad Mahmood, who leads Deutsche Bank's social investing arm, took the stage for today's keynote address at the Social Capital Markets conference. His intervention closed the formal sessions that took place during the first day of conference. I met Asad a couple of years back in Cartagena, Colombia, during a Microfinance conference where he was intervening. Back then he spoke about mainstream financial institutions entering the stage for investment in microfinance, and today he did the same but referring to the broader "social investment". I thought he did a good job summarizing some key trends that surround this space, which some times seem difficult to keep up with given the pace at which new players and entrepreneurs seem to be entering the stage day after day.(This... Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship Launches via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Do we need another Fellows program? That was my initial thought when I first heard of the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship and its related Legatum Fellows program. After all, there are so many programs dedicated to identifying and supporting existing or budding social entrepreneurs - Skoll, TED, Ashoka, GSBI, Agora, Echoing Green, Pop!Tech, Acumen Fund - the list goes on. Would Legatum be able to add any real value alongside these existing programs? The answer, I think, is yes. Legatum just formally launched its program yesterday, but in reviewing their materials and speaking with their Managing Director, I am more than cautiously optimistic that Legatum is going to make a significant impact in the base of the pyramid space. Why am I optimistic? First of... Want to Quit Smoking? Try a Mobile Phone via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
The base of the pyramid conversation often involves talking about the size and composition of BoP markets (wich, in fact, was the topic of my previous post) and how to create business models that sustainably create wealth for the people in those communities and the firms involved.I recently came across a very interesting paper from the World Bank which sheds light on something we have not touched upon that much (if at all): the changes in expenditure patterns of BoP consumers as new products enter the market. The paper is entitled "So You Want to Quit Smoking: Have You Tried a Mobile Phone?", and authored by Julien Labonne and Robert S.Chase.The basic idea is very simple: how do the spending patterns of BoP consumers change as they gain access to more products?(This post... BoP 101: A Review of “Must-Read” Literature for Those Interested in the Base of the Pyramid via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Thanks to Francisco Noguera for his contribution to this post. Please note that the following should not be seen as an exhaustive compilation of everything that has been written about the base of the pyramid. I encourage NextBillion readers to comment and make suggestions to enrich this compilation of literature and resources. As the leaves are starting to change, and the mornings are becoming a little more brisk, it is apparent that it is back to school season. In the spirit of this shift, I would like to offer up the following list of books, articles and cases that comprise what we here at NextBillion.net consider the essential pieces of base of the pyramid reading.I often get questions from students and readers about simply where to start. There is so much out there, and although... NextBillion.net Welcomes Staff Writer Mark Beckford via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
The NextBillion.net team is proud to introduce its newest member: Staff Writer Mark Beckford. Mark is a veteran of corporate base of the pyramid strategies. He worked for Intel from 1995 through 2008, where he had a prominent role shaping the company's strategy in emerging markets. He helped design and lead their World Ahead program, among many other impressive roles. Mark's extensive experience include working/living in China and Europe and growing markets in India, Brazil, Russia, and 41 other countries. He has presented at leadership gatherings around the world, including the World Economic Forum, World Congress of IT, and others.Mark describes himself as a "passionate expert in digital access as a pathway to both social good and world progress". He writes... Events in NextBillion’s Community via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
In addition to the Social Capital Markets conference, there are a number of interesting events covering base of the pyramid-related topics happening in the coming weeks and months. A quick overview: Sustainable Innovations at the Bottom of the Pyramid, September 26-27, Helsinki, Finland - The conference will address technological, social, and business innovations in the context of social and ecological sustainability. NextBillion ally and Emerging Futures Lab principal Niti Bhan will be blogging about the conference and its BoP content. Stay tuned for more updates. Progress Through Innovation, October 7, Cambridge, Massachusetts - Progress Through Innovation, the inaugural conference organized by the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship, will focus on international... Less than Four Days Left to Vote on American Express Members Project via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
American Express recently unveiled the top 25 projects selected as semi-finalists for Members Project, the online initiative that invites cardmembers and the public in general to come together and submit, discuss and vote for projects to make a positive impact on the world, which American Express will fund with $2.5 million. Since July, people from across the country and the Members Project Advisory Panel helped choose the top 25 projects from the more than 1,000 that were submitted. In less than 5 days (this round of voting ends 9/29), cardmembers will determine which projects advance to the top five. Over the past month, Cardmembers came together to share their ideas that may help shape our future. Photos and videos were used to encourage project submissions on the site and tools were... NextBillion at the Social Capital Markets Conference Next Month via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Like Tony Bennett, I once left (a bit of) my heart in San Francisco. That was in 2004, at Eradicating Poverty Through Profit, the first major conference to discuss market-based approaches to poverty alleviation – the "bottom of the pyramid" idea. Now, nearly four years later, I am again heading west for a conference – one with the same sort of potential to change the way we think; this time, about social capital. The aptly-named Social Capital Markets conference is the brainchild of Kevin Jones, a participant in that 2004 conference and a longtime NextBillion ally. For three days next month, a group of investors, venture capitalists, businesspeople, practitioners and academics will gather in San Francisco to think about how and when to deploy social capital. Acumen... Guest Post: Reflections on my Summer Internship with Agora Partnerships via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Guest blogger Liliana Valle is an MBA candidate at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. She recently worked as a Summer Associate with Agora Partnerships in Managua, Nicaragua. By Liliana ValleThe time had finally come, I knew some day I would be back. This summer I had the opportunity to work for Agora Partnerships in Managua, Nicaragua. Although I left Peru, where I'm originally from, at the age of 10 and was raised in the USA, I always had a strong connection to my roots. I knew some day I would be back in Latin America to help its growth and development, but I didn't know when or how. Prior to starting at the Duke's Fuqua School of Business, I had a vision of how my personal and professional experience could be of value to developing countries. ... Job: Program Officer, Skoll Foundation via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Position: Program Officer Location: San Francisco, California Organization: The Skoll Foundation was established in 1999 by eBay's first president, Jeff Skoll, who serves as our founder and chairman. The foundation's innovative approach to philanthropy is based on the belief that small investments can spur significant social change. The foundation is focused on social entrepreneurs working six key issue areas - tolerance and human rights, health, environmental sustainability, economic and social equity, institutional responsibility, and peace and security. Description: The Program and Impact team seeks a Program Officer who brings a combination of intellectual curiosity, a passion for social change, a focus on tangible results and a desire to work within a team culture that... Pop!Tech Fellows Focus on Development Through Enterprise via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Andrew Zolli is at it again. On Tuesday, Zolli's Pop!Tech announced its inaugural class of Social Innovation Fellows. Biased as I am towards all things "base of the pyramid", I immediately browsed through the list of Fellows with my BoP filter on. By my count, 7 of the 16 fellows fall under the BoP umbrella, meaning that they use market-based approaches to solve the problems of poverty. Nice! I have a bit of a history with Pop!Tech, having been invited by Andrew and his team to live-blog the event last year. If Pop!Tech puts even half as much effort into this Social Innovation Fellows program as it does the conference, then it's bound to succeed. Already, the signs point to go - just look at the program's (top-notch) advisors and faculty:Paul Polak,... Introducing Social Entrepreneurs from GSBI 2008: Meet Christopher Benz, from CraftNetwork via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Turning a Great Experience into a Remarkable Experience via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
I have always looked forward to receiving my quarterly copy of the Stanford Social Innovation Review in the mail. Without exception, I find what I am looking for: engaging and thought provoking articles, a rich discussion on trends and ideas in this space, great book reviews like the recent one of Out of Poverty by Paul Hudnut ... the list could go on and on. I had no complaints. Like I said, I constantly look forward to it! I was getting good and relevant content on the topic I am most passionate about. I was grateful for that and it kept me motivated to renew my subscription on time. But who doesn't like surprises? This fall, my "SSIR experience" took a drastic shift -a very positive one indeed, as I opened my mailbox and found a beautiful, clean and very crisp looking... Job: Executive Director, Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Position: Executive Director, Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs Location: Washington, D.C. Organization: The Aspen Institute, founded in 1950, is an international nonprofit organization. Its mission is twofold: to foster values-based leadership, encouraging individuals to reflect on the ideals and ideas that define a good society, and to provide a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues. The Institute is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has campuses in Aspen, Colorado and on the Wye River near the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Its international network includes partner Aspen Institutes in Berlin, Rome, Lyon, Tokyo, New Delhi and Bucharest, plus an array of leadership initiatives in Africa, Central America, India and the... Social Entrepreneurs from GSBI 2008: Meet Neelam Chhiber, from Industree Crafts via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
This Might Just Be Your BoP Dream Job via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Jocelyn Wyatt was. So were David Lehr and Keely Stevenson. John Tucker is. Joel Montgomery is about to be. Pablo Halkyard might have been; in fact, I might have been also. What the heck am I talking about? The Acumen Fund Fellows Program, of course. (For the record, Pablo took himself out of the running when McKinsey offered him a job; as for me, I rescinded my application when I was offered a full-time gig here at Acumen Fund. That should also serve as a full disclosure, but if not: I work for Acumen Fund.) Back to the topic at hand...if you read this site regularly and care about market-based approaches to poverty alleviation, then this might be your dream job. Seriously - how else can you spend a full year living and working at the nexus of development and enterprise,... Job: Research Associate, Growing Inclusive Markets via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Position: Research Associate / ConsultantLocation: New York City, United States Organization: Growing Inclusive Markets Initiative, United Nations Development Programme. The new flagship UNDP multi-stakeholder Initiative on "Growing Inclusive Markets" is UNDP's most visible strategic and sustained global advocacy tool for the important role of the private sector in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.(This post continues past the break; click "Read More" to continue)read more... Event: How Everyone Can Be a Social Investor via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
NextBillion ally and friend Kevin Jones passed along word that the Good Business Network is hosting an interesting event next week in San Francisco about social investing and low-income markets. If you're in town, be sure to check it out. Event posting: How Everyone Can Be a Social Investor. From the post:(This post continues past the break; click "Read More" to continue)read more... Social Entrepreneurs from GSBI 2008: Meet Zipporah Ongwenyi, from Binti Africa Foundation via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
Job: Country Director for New Ventures India via NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Eradicating Poverty through Profit
If you are currently located in/ can re-locate to Hyderabad, have a strong interest in the acceleration of sustainable SMEs and their role as a driver for sustainable development, or know someone who fulfills these characteristics, please read on and see the attached file for a full job description. Applications are due next September 19. Position Summary: The World Resources Institute (WRI) and CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre (CII- Godrej GBC) is seeking an entrepreneurial and dynamic Country Director for its New Ventures India program with a background in business/finance and an interest in sustainable business and investment.New Ventures is a business accelerator that works toward long-term, sustainable natural resource use by supporting environmentally- and...