1. Preliminary Research & Market Analysis
Program Initiation Document
May 2011

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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