Enterprise Financing Journey: Khainza Energy
Published: 18 June 2020
Khainza Energy (SEED Low Carbon Award Winner 2018) is committed to transform organic waste into clean, safe, and affordable cooking fuel and to provide this renewable energy solutions to Ugandans. It is an innovative circular economy business that obtains organic waste from smallholder farms and local households for processing and refinement into high-purity methane. Read more
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Enterprise Financing Journey: Green Bio Energy
Published: 18 June 2020
Green Bio Energy (SEED Low Carbon Award Winner 2014) produces eco-friendly briquettes, made from carbonised 100% recycled bio-material, that burn for longer and hotter than other briquettes, and provide social and environmental impacts in Kampala, Uganda. Read more
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Filling the Missing Middle Financing Gap | Scoping Paper, India 2020
Published: 16 June 2020 Kathrin Kirsch, Marlena Kiefl
This scoping paper provides the basis for the implementation of the collaborative, multi-step process of the SEED Practitioner Labs Climate Finance in India in 2020. India’s vibrant landscape of MSMEs presents an opportunity for diversified socio-economic growth. In light of climate change, climate-smart enterprises – offering products and services for climate change adaptation and/or mitigation – are well-positioned to absorb global climate finance flows to create environmental, social and economic impacts in line with India’s climate action objectives. However, climate-smart MSMEs cannot fulfill their full potential as they lack appropriate access to finance to grow and scale their operations resulting in a missing-middle-financing gap. Read more
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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 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
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
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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Filling the Missing Middle Financing Gap | Scoping Paper, Indonesia 2020
Published: 08 May 2020 Maggie Sloan, Net Pornlumon Nirachatsuwan
This scoping paper provides the basis for the implementation of the collaborative, multi-step process of the SEED Practitioner Labs Climate Finance in Indonesia in 2020. Indonesia’s richness in biodiversity and vibrant landscape of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) present a significant opportunity for the country to meet its development objectives while reducing its climate impacts and improving climate resilience across sectors. In particular, climate-smart SMEs – offering products and services for climate change adaptation and/or mitigation – are well positioned to absorb and scale the environmental, social and economic impacts of global climate finance flows in line with Indonesia’s climate action objectives. Read more
SDGs:
Supporting the Resilience of Eco-Inclusive Enterprises during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Published: 06 May 2020
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, enterprises around the world are now facing several sudden challenges such as not generating revenues anymore, missing customer base, productions on-hold, transport constraints et cetera. In order to support eco-inclusive enterprises that are or have been part of the SEED programme, SEED has launched an online workshop series tackling these issues eco-inclusive enterprises are currently encountering. Read more
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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SEED Award Finalist AET AFRICA Makes Face Visors for Frontline Workers
Bhongo Jacob Source: DispatchLive
SEED Award Finalist AET AFRICA Featured on DispatchLive as they make protective personal protective equipment (PPE) to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus in South Africa. 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
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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
Farmerline Educates Farmers in Rural Communities About COVID-19
Farmerline Source: Farmerline
Farmerline is reaching out to farmers across Ghana through mobile voice messages translated in local languages to give them vital information and awareness of COVID-19. They are also running a campaign on social media to enlist volunteers to record voice messages in 13 additional local languages. Read more
