Social Entrepreneurship and Business Responsibility – Vikasa International Center

1. We believe that social innovation and entrepreneurship serve as transformational solutions to issues of poverty and sustainability. In particular, we nurture and facilitate social entrepreneurs and micro-entrepreneurs to realize their social and business goals. Social Entrepreneurship and Business Responsibility

2. WHAT WE ENVISION HOW WE INTEND TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN We see the evolution of a just and peaceful society taking place through the teaming up of business – both small and medium, as well as large industry – with communities, through the aligning of sustainability with corporate vision; and through social enterprise and innovation, championing social change through creative solutions. • Social Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Promotion and Micro-Enterprise Development: focus on women and youth • Facilitating and nurturing MSME’s & Clusters and existing start ups towards social responsibility • Offering social and sustainability solutions to six key sectors (Mining, FMCG, Beverages, Pharma, Textiles and Paper & Pulp) on meeting social challenges WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO Vikasa International Center, a wing of the non-profit Bala Vikasa, is the culmination of 37 years of working with communities across 6000 villages in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, through various community driven development programs which have impacted close to four million rural poor. We bring this intimate knowledge and experience of sustainable development to all our collaborations and projects. It forms the foundation of our philosophy and approach, which has evolved to meet the needs of current contexts. Today, we believe that encouraging and aiding entrepreneurship and social innovation is crucial to reducing inequality, creating employment and solving challenges of environmental and social sustainability.

3. NOTHING WORKS LIKE ENTREPRENEURSHIP The most important agents in an economy are indubitably its entrepreneurs, and the climate in India today is tuned to that fact. From government policy to venture capital investments, the entrepreneurial spirit is being linked to economic growth and creating jobs at the required rate to accommodate a burgeoning youth population. However, it remains a challenge to promote inclusive entrepreneurship and sustain start-up businesses. Evidently, access to capital and other kinds of support remain restricted to a few sectors, in the large cities. Vikasa committed to fostering the culture of entrepreneurship by: nurturing innovation in markets by building financial linkages; empowering new entrepreneurs and start-ups with the necessary skills, training and resources; prioritizing the social aspect in all entrepreneurial ventures and assisting entrepreneurs with capacity building, incubation services and financial linkages. International Center is SERVICES FOR ENTREPRENEURS Mentoring and follow-up Developing entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, fostering ideas and innovation Facilitating Developing social value and business plan for product/ service financial linkages/ venture capital aspiring social Orientation on value addition and supply chain Providing start- up incubation and support services Feasibility and market assessment – market scan on pricing

4. Micro Entrepreneurship Social Entrepreneurship We have been working with women and youth for over 35 years, and it is this experience and expertise we bring to our micro-enterprise development initiative. Our focus will be on removing impediments to micro- entrepreneurial success by fortifying their knowledge and management practices with key business skills and improving access to investment and financial linkages. In this regard, we create a space for capability development on assessing local needs and products, developing business models and facilitating institutional linkages and mentoring. We believe that social entrepreneurship is the panacea to tackle the dual challenges of poverty and sustainability we face with growing concern in India today. Increasingly, social enterprises are seen as units of business acumen committed to identifying and implementing sustainable and profitable solutions to local problems. Vikasa International Center is doggedly committed to championing the cause of social entrepreneurs, and tying this in with corporate investments in social business ventures. We facilitate capability development, institutional linkages, mentorship and access to capital. Start-ups For those entrepreneurs who have just launched out and are running into roadblocks, we offer integrated support services through our network of national and international service providers in the space of know-how and technology, business development and linkages with strategic partners/ mentors. We also offer a unique combination of impact investor and venture capital support in accelerator facilitation. Regulatory, financial and administrative help form part of the services, and networking opportunities with potential investors, practitioners and collaborators are endless. VIKASA INTERNATIONAL CENTER 201, Zamarud Residency, Somajiguda, Hyderabad 500 082. www.vikasacenter.org | 91 94405 32787 l vijay@balavikasa.org facebook.com/vikasacenter @vikasa_center