Status quo and future outlook: what does COVID-19 mean for BDS providers in India?
Published: 14 July 2020 Amar Munnolimath, Dr. Malini Balakrishnan, Elena Eckhardt
To assess the status quo and future outlook of what COVID-19 means for BDS providers in India, SEED India Hub invited BDS providers to take part in a virtual co-creation session. During the co-creation session that took place on 28th May 2020, BDS providers identified several challenges that both enterprises and BDS providers face due to COVID-19 and prototyped novel solutions addressing persistent challenges. Read more
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Scaling Policy and Financial Instruments for Eco-Inclusive SME Support | SEED South Africa Symposium 2020
Published: 06 July 2020 Camilla Shearman, Maggie Sloan
On 6th May, Mr Tlou Ramaru, Chief Director of Climate Change Adaptation in the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), welcomed enterprises, financial institutions, policy-makers, donors, and business development service providers to a Pitching Session during the online SEED South Africa Symposium 2020. This Pitching Session brought together stakeholders who have been actively designing policy and financial instruments to support the start-up and scale-up of climate-smart and socially inclusive enterprises in South Africa. Read more
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Supporting eco-inclusive enterprises in their immediate response to COVID-19 impacts
Published: 25 June 2020 Elena Eckhardt
SEED is supporting enterprise resilience in the context of COVID-19. Informed by a series of interviews with 30 SEED-supported enterprises conducted in early 2020, SEED launched a toolkit, workshop series for eco-inclusive enterprises, as well as a Training of Trainers for Business Development Services (BDS) providers across Africa and Asia to offer much-needed support. Read more
Why SMEs are essential to Uganda’s post-pandemic economic recovery
Published: 18 June 2020 Edirisa Sembatya, Lewis Akenji
The Covid-19 pandemic has jolted national governments the world over to provide emergency support to vulnerable parts of society and the economy. SEED has recently observed that many eco-inclusive MSMEs are pivoting their business models to stay relevant. However, challenges with working capital and the high cost of doing business show a need for a safety net or relief to MSMEs. Read more
Rebooting the economy during and after COVID-19 crisis by supporting eco-inclusive enterprises
Published: 28 May 2020 Ebenezer Kumi, Jonas Restle-Steinert
In many emerging countries like Ghana, reducing the impact of COVID-19 and charting the path to a regenerative economy during and after the pandemic may not lie in big financial stimulus packages for all types of businesses in general. A targeted and tailored support for eco-inclusive SMEs that are more concerned about social and environmental issues is essential. Read more
Digital Innovations: Data-Driven Eco-inclusive Enterprises
Published: 25 May 2020 Khawla Rammali, Sonya Ong
The use of and access to data allows enterprises to make better and faster decisions. Data can help reveal patterns and trends in human behaviour of relevance inside and outside the sectors enterprises operate in. Read about why ListenField embraces digital innovation and how it has helped them scale-up their impact. Read more
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BDS+ Special Focus Thailand: Three reasons to join a Training of Trainers in Thailand
Published: 22 May 2020 Lina Gutierrez, Linde Wolters
SEED ToTs grants business development service (BDS) advisors access to SEED tools,network and hub, helping you connect with peers, government and corporate actors, and inviting you to help build the ecosystem in the country. Read more
BDS+ Special Focus Malawi: Three reasons to join a Training of Trainers in Malawi
Published: 22 May 2020 Lina Gutierrez, Linde Wolters
SEED quality training contributes to the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malawi. This helps increase local livelihoods in the green sector and tackles Malawi’s pressing issue of unemployment, especially among the youth population. Read more
Adapting to business-not-as-usual during COVID-19
Published: 18 May 2020 Sonya Ong
Business was looking up for Fadzai Munyuki and her team at Kudiwa Waste & Energy Solutions earlier this year. Then operations had to stop suddenly following the orders of the Zimbabwean government, who like many others, initiated a 21 day restricted movement order as a response to the corona virus. Read more
Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development Goals (GO4SDGs)
Published: 11 May 2020
As part of Germany and UNEP’s commitment to step up their efforts to achieve the SDGs, the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) and UNEP launched the initiative ‘Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development Goals’ (or in short: GO for SDGs) in January 2020. Read more
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9 Ingredients for Successful Fundraising
Published: 04 May 2020 Tione Kaonga
In addition to fundraising tips shared by SEED supported enterprises in Malawi, Tione Kaonga, BDS provider and SEED Coordinator in Malawi shares his perspectives on conducting successful fundraising for eco-inclusive SMEs. Read more
The Art of the Virtual Pitch
Published: 30 April 2020
How can you capture the attention of your audience and deliver a strong message to alight their interest? Read below for some tips and tricks! Read more
Crowdfunding Campaigns That Need Your Support During COVID-19
Published: 28 April 2020
Crowdfunding is one way businesses are staying afloat during these difficult times, to mitigate their COVID-related financial losses and hopefully bounce back stronger. Here is a list of campaigns launched by enterprises. These campaigns aim to provide financial and non-financial support to health facilities and people in vulnerable conditions. We invite you to support these if you can! Read more
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How to Make the Most of the Lockdown Period for Your Enterprise?
Published: 21 April 2020 Kathrin Kirsch
The current global lockdown, finds many of us working from home, limiting interactions with team members, customers and partners and reducing new business opportunities. Henry Othieno, CEO of Tusafishe, shares some inspiring strategies on how Tusafishe is nonetheless making the most of the situation, and may just come out stronger from the lockdown. Read more
SDGs:
Resources and Financial Help for SMEs Affected by COVID-19
Published: 21 April 2020
COVID-19 is affecting all of us around the globe, but economic and financial support is especially needed in emerging and developing economies. Here you will find a list of funding resources available for SMEs across the world suffering economic disruption due to the pandemic. Read more
When a Crisis Presents an Opportunity for Innovation
Published: 20 April 2020 Linde Wolters
Flexibility and resilience are essential when it comes to adversity. “There are always opportunities,” says Gabriel Okello, the enterprise’s business development manager. “A crisis presents opportunities for innovation. Whether it is “mobile money solutions, combining deliveries or tracking and data-driven solutions.” Read more
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Eco-Inclusive Enterprises Innovating to Fight COVID-19
Published: 17 April 2020 Khawla Rammali, Linde Wolters, Sonya Ong
A few innovative SEED-supported enterprises are coming up with resourceful ways to not only keep themselves afloat but also to solve the problems their communities are facing due to the COVID-19 crisis. Read more
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An Inspiring Perspective on COVID-19 From Fang Thai’s CEO
Published: 15 April 2020 Supapim Wannopas
January 13 marked the first reported coronavirus case outside of China – it was reported in Thailand. A little more than 2 weeks later – on January 30, WHO declared COVID-19 a global public health emergency. This emergency doesn’t only pose a threat to individual health but, inevitably, also affects our healthy enterprises.
SEED had a chance to catch up with our 2019 SEED Awards winner from Thailand, Fang Thai Factory, on how they are doing and dealing with the epidemic. There are some key points we feel could benefit and/or inspire peers who face a similar struggle. Read more
SEED had a chance to catch up with our 2019 SEED Awards winner from Thailand, Fang Thai Factory, on how they are doing and dealing with the epidemic. There are some key points we feel could benefit and/or inspire peers who face a similar struggle. Read more
Fang Thai’s 5 Fundamental Factors to Help You Deal With Change
Published: 15 April 2020 Supapim Wannopas
Resilience is important to business, especially for those that are small in size or just starting out. Why? Because a small starter enterprise usually has built up fewer resources and network to withstand financial or other hardship for a long period of time. Yet, its strength is also in its size: its flexibility. This elasticity allows for a quick response, a shift in tactics and making changes easily. Here Jaruwan shares the five fundamental factors that allow her business to endure and adapt. Read more
BDS+ Special Focus India: Three reasons to join a Training of Trainers in India
Published: 10 April 2020 Lina Gutierrez, Linde Wolters
SEED is looking forward to bringing Training of Trainers (ToTs) workshops for Business Development Service (BDS) providers also to non-metro cities in India. SEED trains BDS providers on toolified and collaborative approaches that help early stage eco-inclusive enterprises have more impact. Read more
Digital Innovations by Eco-Inclusive Enterprises: In the Waste Sector
Published: 08 April 2020 Khawla Rammali, Sonya Ong
The improvement of waste management systems across the world is vital to reduce environmental degradation, but only 9% of the world’s plastic waste was recycled by 2015. But digital solutions can support changes in consumer behaviour and increase the education of residents on proper waste sorting techniques and the availability of door-to-door collection. Read more
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BDS+ Special Focus Zambia: Three reasons to join a Training of Trainers in Zambia
Published: 07 April 2020 Lina Gutierrez, Linde Wolters
Through the Training of Trainers (ToT), SEED is helping Business Development Services (BDS) advisors and enterprises harness opportunities that arise from climate change. Read more
How to improve your enterprise immunity to COVID-19? Some food for thought from SEED Indonesia Winner 2019 Mycotech
Published: 07 April 2020 Linde Wolters, Supapim Wannopas
The term “survival of the fittest” suggests that organisms best adjusted to their environment are the most successful in surviving, it seems this also applies to business in tough times.
Adaptiveness is certainly a quality that Adi Reza Nugroho, the CEO of Mycotech, an enterprise producing leather and leather products from mushrooms, has in spades. Resilient to changes, positive but not too optimistic, he hopes for the best but prepares for the worst. Here he shares his coping strategies dealing with the COVID situation. Read more
Adaptiveness is certainly a quality that Adi Reza Nugroho, the CEO of Mycotech, an enterprise producing leather and leather products from mushrooms, has in spades. Resilient to changes, positive but not too optimistic, he hopes for the best but prepares for the worst. Here he shares his coping strategies dealing with the COVID situation. Read more
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Digital Innovations by Eco-Inclusive Enterprises: In the Agriculture Sector
Published: 30 March 2020 Khawla Rammali, Sonya Ong
Digital innovations can bring significant benefits to stakeholders in the agriculture sector. Take rural farmers who face challenges including a lack of access to information on markets, need advice on productivity gains, and struggle with obtaining credit and low levels of financial inclusion. Read more
SDGs:
Digital Innovation for Eco-Inclusive Enterprises
Published: 30 March 2020 Khawla Rammali, Linde Wolters, Sonya Ong
Digital innovation is a great way to accelerate social, environmental and economic transformation, for enterprises to tackle challenges such as climate change, food security, gender equality, and scale-up solutions more quickly through technology. Read more
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