Enterprise Brief: RISE
Published: 06 July 2015
RISE sells solar products to smallholder farmers in rural Tanzania by leveraging innovative consumer financing and utilising existing distribution networks by its partners. RISE’s purpose is to make renewable energy services available and affordable to consumers in Tanzania’s most rural regions. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: RK Renew Energy PLC
Published: 06 July 2015
RK Renew Energy PLC uses local resources to produce improved ceramic cookstoves. Women from rural and semi-urban areas are trained to build the ceramic stoves and to distribute and sell them in Ethiopian refugee camps. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: STM Solar Technologies Manufacturing
Published: 06 July 2015
STM Solar Technologies Manufacturing is the first company in Ethiopia to offer solar power solutions for electricity and lighting. The enterprise also provides families with micro-finance credit to acquire such systems, as well as training and repair services. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Village Energy
Published: 06 July 2015
Village Energy is building a rural renewable energy technician network to service and sell solar systems. It recruits and trains technicians as franchisee entrepreneurs directly at the village level, providing vocational training, business set-up support, branded marketing, and spare part and product inventory. Read more
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Increasing the impact of social enterprises in developing and emerging economies
Published: 25 June 2015 Aline Margaux Wachner, Lisa M. Hanley, Tim Weiss
A recent large-scale survey published by Zeppelin University and Siemens Stiftung generally support the idea that social enterprises can have a positive impact on poverty reduction. However, it also reveals some caveats, which have led us to derive concrete recommendations for action. Read more
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What role for eco-entrepreneurship in the Post-2015 agenda?
Published: 19 June 2015 Anais Mangin, Helen Marquard
The Millennium Development Goals have shaped development cooperation in the last 15 years, and there has been progress towards eliminating poverty worldwide. Nevertheless, much remains to be done. Read more
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Explore SEED through the new Virtual Exhibition and learn about the SEED Winners’ impacts through the new SEED Case Studies
Published: 27 May 2015
SEED is launching a new interactive multimedia feature which will enable you to look into all aspects of SEED’s activities: the Virtual Exhibition, as well as new in-depth Case Studies that have emerged from the latest SEED research. Read more
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Green Bio Energy, a SEED Story from Uganda
Published: 26 May 2015
Green Bio Energy is a social enterprise, which offers low-income Ugandan families access to cost-saving, eco-friendly and safe energy solutions. They produce and sell Briketi Charcoal Briquettes, as well as an own brand of energy-efficient stoves, Briketi Eco Stoves. The enterprise also provides individuals and organizations with trainings on micro-enterprise management or briquettes production, and sells equipments for small-scale briquettes production. Read more
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The SEED Virtual Exhibition - to be launched on 27 May 2015!
Published: 11 May 2015
Embark with us on a journey towards SEED's vision of a world of flourishing communities where social and environmental entrepreneurship drives sustainable development. Experience how SEED Winners achieve measurable impacts and see how SEED is joining forces with others to build an enabling environment for eco-entrepreneurship. Read more
Greening South Africa’s economy: improved business development support for social and environmental enterprises
Published: 06 May 2015 Julia Rohe-Frydrych, Rest Kanju
According to World Bank, South Africa ranks as an upper-middle income economy, representing the second-largest economy in Africa. While disposing of an abundant supply of natural resources and a modern infrastructure, unemployment, poverty, and inequality remain a challenge. Read more
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SEED Winners stand out in International Climate Initiative (IKI) photo contest
Published: 24 April 2015
The International Climate Initiative (IKI) invited all IKI projects and their partners to participate in a photo competition themed „IMPACTS“. Twelve winning photos were selected, among them the SEED Low Carbon Award Winners Un Litro de Luz (Colombia) and Nuru Energy (Uganda). Read more
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SEED Awards 2015 - Apply by 31 March 2015!
Published: 06 February 2015
In 2015 SEED will make available up to 31 SEED Awards, for which SEED has received support from the European Union, the Government of Flanders, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the international law firm Hogan Lovells. Additional support is provided by the Government of the Netherlands and other SEED Partners. Read more
SEED Annual Report 2014
Published: 17 December 2014 Amélie Heuër, Anais Mangin, Helen Marquard, Jona Liebl, Mirko Zürker, Rainer Agster
2014 was truly exceptional; a year where SEED recognised over forty new SEED Winners - remarkable enterprises that generate grassroots eco-solutions at the grassroots. This and more great SEED achievements in our annual report. Read more
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GroFin’s investment for the future: Kenyan women entrepreneurs are good ‘jockeys’
Published: 08 November 2014 Rishi Khubchandani
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Social and Green Enterprises – How to Create Enabling Frameworks to Increase their Contribution to Sustainable Development?
Published: 04 November 2014 Amélie Heuër
Over the last four years, SEED has hosted a series of unique multi-stakeholder for a focussed on the Green Economy and Africa - the SEED Symposia - where each year innovative and promising start-up enterprises, that won a SEED Award for their remarkable efforts to address social and environmental challenges at the grassroots, are presented. Read more
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Promoting entrepreneurship for sustainable development: why, and how?
Published: 23 October 2014 Helen Marquard
When UNEP, UNDP and IUCN decided to register the SEED Initiative as a Type II partnership at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, they clearly thought they were on to something – but possibly not quite what SEED is now. Read more
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From Mobile Solar Computer Classrooms to Novel Baobab Products: Green Entrepreneurship is Thriving Across Africa and Beyond
Published: 10 September 2014
Nairobi plays host to one of the largest gatherings of start-up social and environmental enterprises ever, as 41 green entrepreneurs are celebrated at the 2014 SEED Awards Africa Symposium. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: L’s Solution Ltd.
Published: 05 September 2014
L’s Solution Ltd. is a social enterprise that provides rural communities in Northern Tanzania with efficient and clean solar and cooking technologies. The enterprise imports, markets, sells and installs power systems, pumps and industrial installations to households and larger local organisations. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Appropriate Energy-saving Technologies Ltd.
Published: 05 September 2014
The enterprise sells and distributes biomass charcoal briquettes and cook stoves in Teso region, Uganda. Formed to help address local deforestation and environmental degradation, the staff put emphasis on partnering with local groups to provide the region with clean, sustainable cooking fuel. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Wana Energy Solutions
Published: 05 September 2014
Bringing gas nearer to people, undertaken by WANA Energy Solutions, markets and sells LPG. The company focuses on finding financial solutions for those who struggle to afford clean energy - offering hire-purchases, creating pay-as-you-go community kitchens and allowing rural customers to pay for gas with produce. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Green Bio Energy
Published: 05 September 2014
Green Bio Energy (GBE) offers low-income Ugandan families cost-saving, safe and environmentally-friendly energy solutions including energy-efficient cookstoves and eco-friendly charcoal briquettes. The enterprise’s Briketi Charcoal Briquettes and Eco Stoves replace inefficient products that contribute to deforestation. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Green Heat (U) Ltd
Published: 05 September 2014
Green Heat offers an alternative to conventional waste management and environmentally destructive use of charcoal and firewood for home cooking and heating. Household and agricultural waste is funnelled through biogas digesters producing a low-cost, safe and reliable source of energy. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Kataara Women’s Poverty Alleviation Group
Published: 05 September 2014
Kataara Women’s Poverty Alleviation Group runs an innovative small-scale enterprise selling handicrafts made from elephant dung paper, and energy-efficient cookstoves. The enterprise aims to not only alleviate regional poverty but also to conserve its environment for future generations. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: KingFire Briquettes
Published: 05 September 2014
KingFire is an urban recycling initiative using organic material otherwise considered waste to create briquettes. Sourced from local materials, the briquettes offer an alternative energy source to firewood or charcoal and provide quality, affordable, sustainable fuel for heating and cooking. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: The Mobile Solar Computer Classroom
Published: 05 September 2014
Mobile Solar Computer Classroom is helping to bridge the digital divide in Uganda by making computer skills accessible, affordable and relevant to rural schools and community libraries in Uganda. The enterprise uses solar-powered computers to bring its technology to its trainees Read more
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