promoting entrepreneurship & innovation

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Promoting creative minds and innovation among the youthMarc Lepage, Africa knowledge & innovation advisor

UNDP Africa Regional Service Center, Addis Ababa

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Large scale initiatives…

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…entrepreneurship..

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..Government scheme…

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Governments need to encourage entrepreneurship and provide job-focused training to help the millions of young unemployed people on the continent, says OECD

Mix!

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Agenda•Mind of an entrepreneur

•Social innovation in Africa

•What more can we do – way forward

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Entrepreneur

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Social Entrepreneurs

-The social entrepreneur harnesses entrepreneurship skills to do social good

-Combines the passion of a social mission with an image of business-like discipline, innovation, and determination

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Definition of “Social Enterprise”

•A social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximize profit for shareholders and owners.

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Social Entrepreneurship (1)

What is it? What do they do?

• Applying practical, innovative and sustainable approaches to benefit society

• Focus on marginalized and poor• Starting for-profit or earned-income ventures by not for profit organizations

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Social Entrepreneurship (2)

How different from NPO and NGO?

• NPO and NGO

→ 　 make social values mostly by donations.

• Social Entrepreneurs

→ make social values mostly by BUSINESS.

=SUSTAINABLE

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Role of Social Entrepreneurs• To develop employment

• To make social and environmental Innovation

• To create new goods and services• To promote Equity• To serve the poor and marginalised• To open new areas• To make financial models work for users• To offer wider social benefits• To Assist the government

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Program areas of Social Entrepreneurs

1. Economic & Job Opportunity creation

2. Community & Rural Development

3. Environment & Nature Protection (Eco)

4. Market & Microenterprise Development

5. Institutional & Organizational Development

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Examples of Social Entrepreneurs

• Prof Mohamad Yunus

– Grameen Bank, Bangladesh

• Bill Drayton

– Ashoka Foundation-Innovators for the public, USA.

• David Kuria

– Ecotact Kenya (Ikotoilet), Kenya

• Ingrid Munro

– Jamii Bora MFI, Kenya

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Characteristics of Social Entrepreneurs (1)

• Social Catalysts Are visionaries who create fundamental social

changes by reforming social systems and creating sustainable improvements.

• Socially aware Social improvement, as opposed to the

creation of profit, should be the ultimate goal • Opportunity-seeking Pursue their goals relentlessly, seeing every

obstacle as an opportunity

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Characteristics of Social Entrepreneurs (2)

• Innovative They are creative, willing to think outside the

box and ready to apply ideas to new situations.

• Resourceful Acting boldly without being limited by

resources currently in hand• Accountable “Am I creating value for the people I am

serving? Do I understand their needs?”

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Ways of becoming a Social entrepreneur

Most importantly…

Love your society & environment and

don’t give up to change it in a good way!!

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Are you?

Let’s look at few

examples

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Innovation is about

Needs and Solutions

Innovation = New approach + Unmet social need

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THE NEED

Cheap, affordable and clean electricity for low income

families

Access to Energy

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THE NEED

Differentiating between

genuine and fake drugs

Health Security

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THE NEED

Decent toilets in low-income

urban centres

Urban Equipments

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THE NEED

Basic financial

services get to people in

the rural areas

Mobile Banking

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THE NEED

Decent & affordable

housing for low-income urban

and rural dwellers

Housing

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THE NEED Improving

access to clean water

Hippo Water Roller Project

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Steal with pride…and learn!

Knowledge is outside.

Work with young people.

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Skills matching: Concree

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Funding opportunities

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Innovative funding

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Malawi innovation fund

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Rwanda: YouthConnekt

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Incubators

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Innovation hub: IceAddis

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Ethiopia: entrepreneurship development center

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Technology Innovation Agency

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Rwanda: mobile app contest

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partnership approach: engage with social Innovation hubs in Africa& Centers across Africa.

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Where will you go tomorrow?

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THANK YOU! Questions?

marc.lepage@undp.org