SEED: 2023 Highlights
Published: 20 December 2023
We have been hard at work supporting SMEs and promoting their crucial role in advancing sustainable and eco-friendly future, as well as fostering the transition to a circular economy. We are delighted to share some of our most meaningful achievements and activities, as we reflect on the passing year. Read more
KLYN Consulting Partners with SEED to Strengthen the SME Ecosystem in Zambia
Published: 22 November 2023
KLYN Consulting (KLYN) stands as a distinguished Management Consultancy and Business Advisory firm based in Lusaka, Zambia. Specialising in the delivery of tailored entrepreneurship and enterprise development support to Small and Medium Enterprises, KLYN has been a dedicated SEED implementing partner in Zambia since the initiation of SEED eco-inclusive enterprise support activities in 2019. The organisation has actively collaborated with all three SEED Accelerators and three SEED Catalysers. Read more
SEED is returning to Morocco!
Published: 21 November 2022
In 2022, many years after SEED’s last Award in Morocco, SEED is launching new activities to support green entrepreneurs. The aim is to strengthen innovation and job creation for a more sustainable and inclusive economy in Morocco. Read more
SDGs:
SEED Female Entrepreneurship Month
Published: 08 March 2022
SEED's Female Entrepreneurship Month aims to recognise the women who are working towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. SukkhaCitta, Like Mountains, Womenergy265 and Amaati Group are great examples of this. Read more
SDGs:
Journeys to Scale
Published: 12 July 2021 Luis Ebert, Mirko Zürker
In this primary edition of a series of reports, we illuminate the black box of eco-inclusive entrepreneurship by providing readers with a first-of-its-kind comprehensive typology on eco-inclusive SMEs. Read more
Eco-Inclusive Enterprises Driving Green Recovery Pathways
Published: 09 July 2021 Benita Rose, Mirko Zürker, Sonya Ong
This snapshot report is intended for national policy makers and shapers; global policy and finance institutions; researchers and civil society networks. Drawing on direct insights from micro, small and medium enterprises as well as eco-system support organisations, it highlights the existing support gaps, concrete examples and new opportunities for catalysing a green, inclusive recovery from COVID-19. Read more
Building Materials a New Market for Trash
Tonderayi Mukeredzi Source: YesMagazine
“We wanted a solution to plastic waste as well as a profitable solution that would also improve the lives of people as much as it improved our environment,” says Fadzai Munyuki, the managing director and one of four co-founders of a waste management start-up called Kudiwa Waste and Energy Solutions (KWES). Read more
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AET Africa, a SEED Story from South Africa
Published: 03 May 2021
AET AFRICA innovates, manufactures and supplies energy efficiency products for water heating and cooling systems and also conducts research on innovating those technologies. Read more
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SEED Alumni Social Meet-Up
Published: 23 March 2021
SEED held our first SEED Alumni Social Meet-Up session last Thursday with participants of the past SEED Catalyser and Accelerator programmes from all over the world. Read more
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SEED Covid-19 Resilience Workshops and Grants (SEED Alumni Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe)
Published: 28 January 2021
During a 2-day workshop in each of the three target countries (Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe), SEED will provide you with the most relevant tools to work on your enterprise resilience. Read more
Siyabuddy, a SEED Story from South Africa
Published: 27 January 2021
Siyabuddy empowers community members to collect waste from different sources like shopping centres, hospitals, illegal dumping sites, etc. The company trains the collectors on waste separation, pays them per kg collected and ultimately sells the collected waste to recyclers all across South Africa. Read more
SDGs:
Enterprise Resilience: Six Critical Factors to Protecting Your Start-Up’s Future
Published: 24 September 2020
To better understand what resilience means for MSMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic, SEED interviewed 30 eco-inclusive enterprises. Unsurprisingly, MSMEs have been strongly affected by the economic shock of the pandemic. From these interviews, SEED has outlined the six critical factors for protecting the future of your enterprise. Read more
Eco-Inclusive Enterprises: Accelerating Southern Africa’s Green and Inclusive Economies
Published: 02 September 2020
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) provide 50% of jobs, contribute to over 35% of the GDP in emerging economies, and overall make up 90% of registered firms across the world. They are especially impactful in emerging economies as they work toward inclusive growth and equality for marginalised populations. At SEED, we focus on growing eco-inclusive enterprises which in turn contribute socially, economically, and environmentally to empowering the 5.2 billion people at the bottom of the pyramid worldwide.
This report examines the yearly impact of 80 of our eco-inclusive enterprises in three of our SEED countries: Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. These locally embedded enterprises, 51% of which are women-led, demonstrate that driving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can indeed be profitable and with a success rate of 82.5% still in business, they show long-lasting impact in each of their communities and sectors. Read more
This report examines the yearly impact of 80 of our eco-inclusive enterprises in three of our SEED countries: Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. These locally embedded enterprises, 51% of which are women-led, demonstrate that driving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can indeed be profitable and with a success rate of 82.5% still in business, they show long-lasting impact in each of their communities and sectors. Read more
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Nature's Nectar Limited (Zambia) wins Energy Globe Award
Energy Globe Award Source: Energy Globe Award
The 2019 SEED Africa Award Finalist is awarded National Winner of the "Energy Globe“ World Award for Sustainability. Read more
SDGs:
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
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
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
Malawian Enterprises share their Fundraising Tips for Small Enterprises
Published: 27 March 2020 Alina Weiss, Sonya Ong
Seven of our SEED Malawi eco-inclusive enterprises – Chonona, Green Impact Technologies, Green Ventures, Honey Products, Hortinet, InteWaste and Ziweto – were recently able to raise significant funds that will help them to scale-up and achieve their full impact potential. We asked them to share their fundraising journey and learnings with you. Read more
Promoting Zimbabwean entrepreneurship at Sankalp Africa Summit 2020
Published: 13 March 2020
As part of a panel at the Sankalp Africa summit 2020, four SEED representatives joined a panel on impact investing in Zimbabwe to do some myth busting and explain present investment opportunities in the country. Read more
Meet Mwinilunga District’s beekeeping ambassador
Source: Mining for Zambia
Sustainable beekeeping will help reduce poverty and protect forests for future generations, says Davies Ilunga Read more
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Lighting up rural South Africa with SolarTurtle
Published: 21 June 2019 Linde Wolters, Sonya Ong
Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, James Van der Walt tell us how being on a ferry in Ireland and a monastery in New Zealand inspired the founding of his eco-inclusive business idea. These days, they’re busy with SANEDI working on developing Baby Turtles which would be smaller, cheaper versions of their original prototype. Read more
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A Year at SEED | 2018
Published: 31 January 2019
Our annual visual report (A Year at SEED | 2018) celebrates achievements across both our Direct Enterprise Support and Ecosystem Building programmes plus shares our involvement in key high-level dialogues and milestones in organisational development, while introducing you to this year's SEED Low Carbon Award Winners who offer innovative solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Read more
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Belle Verte, a SEED Story from Mauritius
Published: 19 April 2018
Belle Verte aims to create a national closed-loop waste management system and raises awareness on the need to reuse and recycle waste through creative workshops. Read more
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WASHKing, a SEED Story from Ghana
Published: 04 April 2018
WASHKing produces, supplies and installs biodigester toilets out of eco-friendly material for low-income urban households in order to improve health and economic conditions and to keep the environment clean. Training on using the toilet and after-sales services complement the package. Read more
SDGs:
Unique Quality Product Enterprise, a SEED Story from Ghana
Published: 07 March 2018
Unique Quality Product Enterprise trains marginalised women suppliers in agronomic practices to farm Fonio, an indigenous grain that has low water requirements and can withstand adverse weather conditions. The enterprise dries, de-husks, packages, stores and markets Fonio cereal products for household consumption. Read more
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