4th Summer Edition

Innovating your commercial model for sustainability: Strategies, tools and support mechanisms for African social enterprises
August 25, 2022

Social enterprises are known to use business means—such as trading products and services—to tackle societal problems. Faced with a myriad of social-economic issues and dwindling charitable funds, new and existing African social enterprises need to develop innovative ways to generate income that can support and sustain their activities in a self-sufficient manner. So, how can social enterprises in Africa do that, and address societal issues in a commercially sustainable and scalable way?

This workshop for African entrepreneurs focused on the enterprise bit in ‘social enterprise’ and explored how alternative businesses can innovate the commercial aspects of their organizations to achieve social goals in Africa.

Participants benefited from a rich panel of speakers who shared their expertise in running, supporting and researching social enterprises and sustainable business models in key sectors such as education, waste management and circular economy, energy, and agriculture. The workshop was concluded with a Business Model Clinic where consultants listened to social entrepreneurs’ challenges and advised on business model innovation, with a view also to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

You can watch all the sessions again for free by subscribing to our YouTube page.