innovation and enterprise

The Humanitarian Centre supports innovation and enterprise amongst the Cambridge Humanitarian Community.  Some of the most effective development and humanitarian relief comes through working within a local market system to find approaches that are financially sustainable and that nurture community and individual empowerment, and creating workable business models that generate a developmental outcome.

Social Enterprise Talks

During October/November 2009, the Humanitarian Centre welcomed three Cambridge-based speakers to give their own unique perspectives on what is meant by 'social enterprise'. A summary of the three talks can be found here.

Ken Banks of kiwanja.net came to talk about his experiences in Africa, and how his mobile software is being used to encourage social innovation in grassroots organisations around the world.

Read a summary of Ken's talk.....Listen to the recording.....View the presentation slides

Lynn Cunningham from Hotel Chocolat gave a presentation about the company's engaged ethics policy, and why they have not chosen the Fair Trade route.

Read a summary of Lynn's talk.

Jim Platts, of Cambridge University Institute for Manufacturing, came to tell the audience how his sustainable bamboo wind turbine blades are supporting schools in rural China.

Read a summary of Jim's talk........Listen to the recording......View the presentation slides

Social Enterprise links

Watch the video of Iqbal Quadir at the 2009 CUTEC Technology Ventures Conference, giving a presentation on his GrameenPhone venture - a wireless operator now offering phone services to 100 million rural Bangladeshi.

Read an article 'Social Enterprise: a new tool in the NGO sector?' by Ian Steed and Mark Corbin of the Humanitarian Centre, published in Networker, the magazine of BOND

The Skoll World Forum  Apply now to attend the 2010 forum in Oxford's Said Business School. World class speakers and panel discussions on aspects of global social entrepreneurship. The Social Edge, a linked discussion forum for social entrepreneurs, is a wealth of informative discussions.

Indovations.net is a trend-spotting, multimedia website featuring India-inspired innovations, from the Centre for India and Global Business, Judge Business School.