2. Table of Contents
I. Context
II. Our Vision
III. Work to Date
IV. Scope and Objectives of this Program
V. Program Structure
VI. Delivery Approach
VII.
VII Detailed Work Plan
D il d W k Pl
VIII. Proposed Governance
IX. Investment Case
X. Stakeholder Engagement Plan
Appendices:
• Detailed Delivery Approach
• Detailed Budget
• Risks Log
• Issues and Actions Log
• Curricula Vitae
3. I. Context
Our Start
A number of expert advisors f
b f d from a range of private-, public- and civil-sector organizations h
f bl d l have graciously and generously d
l d l donated their time
d h
and experience to inform our work to date. It is through their input that we have moved from a number of ideas to a coordinated program
with which to demonstrate that it is possible to reliably project the social outcomes associated with a given venture, and thus contribute to
the industry’s creation of a predictable, universally accepted SROI (social return on investment) metric. We have chosen to test this
hypothesis by narrowing our scope to: a specific social goal – poverty alleviation, in a specific geography – Sub-Saharan Africa, utilizing a
specific investment class – early stage investments. We have chosen poverty alleviation in Sub-Saharan Africa and due to the life and death
severity of the issue, and we have chosen early stage business activity due to it’s demonstrable capacity for making a lasting impact.
Background Documents
This project initiation document, builds upon earlier work in developmental entrepreneurship: 1) A conceptual design of a venture
accelerator and joint equity investment fund; 2) Academic research covering the forecasting of early stage investments’ social outcomes; 3) A
toolkit for developing
t lkit f d l i country entrepreneurs t id tif and screen opportunities f th
t t to identify d t iti for those th t are commercially competitive and socially
that i ll titi d i ll
beneficial; 4) Secondary research on the opportunity for launching a new venture accelerator and fund in Africa; and 5) A summarization of
the Soquent work and our direction. (See section III.)
Our Opportunity to Make a Difference
This earlier work has demonstrated that we are sitting at the conflux of three trends which together present a unique opportunity to make a
lasting impact in the alleviation of African poverty. First, there is a large wave of economic growth in Africa – across industry sectors, across
investment classes, and which is especially pronounced in certain countries. Second, developmental entrepreneurship has come of age, and
is now generally recognized as a vehicle by which we (riding the aforementioned wave) will impact poverty. Third, impact investing is growing
as an accepted investment alternative, and increasingly presents an opportunity to fuel these poverty-alleviating, early-stage enterprises.
Purpose of This Document
Having completed a range of secondary research activities and analyses, we are now positioned to undertake required on-site, primary
research. This document describes, in detail, our next step – a program of research and planning to enable a subsequent feasibility study. We
have gratefully received many expressions of interest and kind words of encouragement . We’d like to thank you for your continued support.
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4. II. Our Vision
Our Goal
To utilize business methods and tools to alleviate poverty and improve livelihoods
livelihoods.
Our Vision
We will be known through the success of our clients – a network of community-based businesses which we help achieve socially beneficial outcomes.
Our Local Accelerators
• Select socially beneficial and
commercially competitive clients
• Foster relationship networks
• Provide strategic advice and enable
capital investment
• Provide back office support
ff
capabilities
From the Center • Engage communities on the benefits
• Generate leading insight of supporting small business
• Open avenues of investment capital
• Build support mechanisms
• Ad
Advocate f public policy changes
t for bli li h
Our Clients
• Through their
commercial success,
they drive social change
– alleviating poverty
poverty,
improving health and
education standards,
and benefiting the
environment.
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