This class focuses on providing an overview of some of the most pressing social and environmental issues of our time, and explores a few innovative approaches that entrepreneurs have taken to respond to these issues. Students will use this class as inspiration for their major group assignment.

1. APS 1015H: Social Entrepreneurship
Class 3: Identifying Key Issues in Social
Entrepreneurship
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Instructors:
Norm Tasevski (norm@socialentrepreneurship.ca)
Karim Harji (karim@socialentrepreneurship.ca)
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2. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
Agenda
• Admin stuff
• Key Issues in Social Entrepreneurship
• EWB Session
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3. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
Admin Stuff
• October 6 Class Cancelled!
• Idea Jam to be rescheduled to October 13
• “Identifying potential” class will be integrated into
weeks 5 and 6
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4. Live Case
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5. Break
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6. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
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7. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
Lemelson Foundation - Examples
• Low-cost baby warmer built
by local craftsmen; has cut
the neonatal mortality rate in
half
• Little Cool: refrigerator that
sells for $70 that is quiet,
portable, and energy-
efficient
• Iko-toilet: technology-
enabled sanitation “kiosks”
• Soy milk maker for an
orphanage
• Chlorinator for community
water systems
• Portable solar cooker
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8. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
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9. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
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10. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
Safe Water as a Market Opportunity
Huge global need for access to safe drinking water. Diarrheal disease
causes 1,600 deaths a day…
Opportunity: a large unmet demand
Business model issues:
– Market creation entails developing customer awareness of the link
between water quality and human health, as well as the need to
understand consumer preferences—in taste, convenience, health
benefits, and aspirations.
– Distribution involves the ability to design a reliable supply chain for
deploying and maintaining treatment plants that can provide treated
water at affordable prices.
– Financing solutions must cover the up-front capital costs of water
purification technology.
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11. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
Case Study: Naandi Foundation
• Largest community-scale water-treatment program in the
world; focused on rural villages w/o access to clean water
• A hybrid business model that incorporates both a social
enterprise and an NGO
• Program has grown in 3 years to around 800 units located in 4
states that serve three million people daily; scaling up (2009)
• Subscription-based model (prepaid, incentive to use daily)
• What sets Naandi apart / why is it successful?
– Efficient business-like approach that optimizes the entire value chain
– Forming trusted partnerships with state and local governments that aid
business development
– Intensive, sophisticated marketing designed to change community
perceptions and behaviour
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12. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
Case Study:
• Largest community-scale water-treatment program in the
world; focused on rural villages w/o access to clean water
• A hybrid business model that incorporates both a social
enterprise and an NGO
• Has grown in 3 years to around 800 units located in 4 states
that serve three million people daily; scaling up (2009)
• Subscription-based model (prepaid, incentive to use daily)
• What sets Naandi apart / why is it successful?
– Efficient business-like approach
– Forming trusted partnerships with state and local governments
– Intensive, sophisticated marketing
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13. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
The Opportunity Restated
“But there is no magic here—simply excellent and
intelligent execution. The approach is potentially
replicable, if others follow Naandi’s pioneering
strategies.
Moreover, there appears to be strong interest in both
private and public sources of capital in supporting
scalable clean-water solutions.
These factors argue strongly that the sector is positioned
to scale, and that a businesslike entrepreneurial
approach can play a significant role, whether carried
out by an unusual NGO like Naandi, by a commercial
entity, or by a hybrid value chain involving both types of
organizations.”
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14. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
The Mobile Revolution: Drivers
Explosive growth:
– 3.3 billion people using mobile phones, projected
to grow to 5.2 billion by 2011.
– More subscribers in developing countries than in
developed countries.
Increased performance and functionality
– technological advancements (Moore’s Law,
smartphones, cloud computing)
Greater openness: for applications and devices
*Mobile
is
not
a
silver
bullet.
Applica4on
is
more
important
than
access.
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15. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
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16. © Karim Harji & Norm Tasevski
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