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Microsoft, Accenture Join to Provide Tech Support to Social Enterprise Startups
Through the programme, Microsoft Research India and Accenture Labs will help social enterprise startups test and validate proof-of-concepts, conduct design thinking sessions to help them re-envision the impact of their solutions, and provide support in exploring and using Microsoft technologies.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Technology
- Tags
- startups
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‘Failing to Win’ as a Social Entrepreneur: A Q&A with Zoona Co-Founder Mike Quinn
Mike Quinn had no savings when he co-founded Zoona in Zambia in 2009. He also had $50,000 in student debt. During an early cash crisis, he had to ask his retired parents to mortgage their house and wire him $100,000. Yet he and his co-founders built Zoona into one of Africa’s first fintech success stories before Quinn stepped away last year. In this Q&A – the first in our series “The Untold Stories of Social Entrepreneurs” – he discusses the lessons he learned from Zoona’s successes and failures.
- Categories
- Finance, Social Enterprise
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Microsoft, Accenture join to provide tech support to social enterprise startups
Intending to help deepen the reach of entrepreneurs and start-ups that are focused on social impact and sustainability, the joint initiative by Microsoft and Accenture aims to provide hands-on support and technologies to social enterprises, helping them build scalable solutions and business models that can lead to more tangible and lasting benefits.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- startups
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Sell Benefits, Not Features: Why Social Enterprises’ Marketing Shouldn’t Focus on Their Impact
Social enterprises tend to put their positive impact at the center of their marketing efforts – after all, that's the passion behind their business. But according to storytelling strategist Menno Moffitt de Block, there's a problem with that approach: Many people may care about this impact, but few care enough to change their purchasing decisions because of it. He explains why these businesses should focus primarily on their benefits to the customer – not their social impact.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Uncategorized
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Bottom-up Solutions to the Climate Emergency: Three Innovative, Eco-Inclusive Enterprises Take a Local Approach
We just reached the end of the hottest decade on record, and local communities – particularly in the Global South – are bearing the brunt of the impact. As climate change disrupts development efforts and worsens global food crises, population displacement and water scarcity, there's a growing need for more resilient communities. The SEED Awards highlight eco-inclusive enterprises that are addressing this challenge – authors at SEED discuss some promising examples.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy, Environment, Social Enterprise
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A Future Beyond Short-Term Profit: A Movement Builds for Mission-First Business Structures
Business as usual is not working to solve major world problems—in many cases it’s actually causing them, due to flaws built into the foundation of conventional business and investing structures. Jasper van Brakel of RSF Social Finance discusses how this realization is sparking a grassroots global movement behind mission-first business, rooted in stakeholder governance and seeking profit as an engine for creating social, cultural and ecological good.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
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Climbing the Tech Adoption Mountain: Seven Ways Nonprofits and Social Enterprises Can Leverage Technology for Greater Social Impact
Nonprofits and for-profit social enterprises now benefit from a vast array of technological innovations – but they often struggle to implement them. Devon Ferreira at Originate shares insights from some of the leading minds in the nonprofit and social enterprise world, about how impact-focused organizations can adapt to the challenges – and leverage the opportunities – of new technologies.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Technology
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Tackling Africa’s Youth Employment Challenge: Can Social Enterprise Play a Role?
Social enterprise is becoming an increasingly popular business model in Africa – a clear sign that the continent is gradually shifting from aid-led solutions to enterprise-led solutions. Yet despite their potential, social enterprise markets and ecosystems remain in their infancy, says Stephen Hunt at the Challenges Group. He explores how social enterprise can address one of Africa’s key development challenges: employment and job creation for young people.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
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