A new 100-day fellowship program from SAP, created in collaboration with impact investing leader Acumen, aims to help entrepreneurs in India and East Africa in the early growth phase of their businesses to scale their enterprises and find faster, more sustainable solutions to poverty.
The program kicks off with a 10-day leadership boot camp in Silicon Valley, where CEOS will learn how to build a strategy for scale from experienced tech entrepreneurs, business experts and impact investors.
When they return to their countries, the entrepreneurs will receive on-site mentorship, assistance and ongoing support to get clear on a plan of execution.
The startup companies participating in the SAP Social Entrepreneur Fellowship program include:
- Sanergy, a provider of affordable and accessible hygienic sanitation, Kenya
- Esoko, a developer of a mobile platform to transform rural farming, Ghana
- Sproxil, a developer of mobile authentication technologies to protect consumers from counterfeit medicine, India and East Africa
- Standard of Excellence in Education Development (SEED), which aims to transform low-cost, private K-10 education, India
- Orb Energy, a solar technology provider for emerging markets, India
- SolarNow, which aims to increase energy access in rural areas, Uganda
- Burn Manufacturing, a provider of high-efficiency, clean cookstoves, Kenya
- Frontier Markets, a provider of clean energy products to rural villages, India
- Virtual City, a developer of cost-effective mobile solutions to the supply chain and agribusiness industries, Kenya.
According to a statement from SAP, the companies all have proven business models with the potential to scale and replicate across multiple markets, while the entrepreneurs have demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership.
The fellowship will address questions such as the evolution of the business model, go-to-market approach, recruiting and people development, leadership skills and development, process implementation, use of IT, and financial management.
During the fellowship, Acumen will provide its suite of post-investment resources, including technical assistance and mentorship to the CEOs during implementation, while SAP will provide functional expertise to ensure they have access to information and technology insights.
Image credit: Sanergy
