SEED Catalyser

Refining business models to optimise impact and investment readiness.

It has been an invaluable experience, other programmes give money, but this has given us so much more.
Lungelwa Tyali
SAG-SEED Winner Solar Turtle

[Our enterprise] has benefitted from an extended catalyser support to be able to not only develop its business plan but also bring some major structural changes in the operations of the company to render it more sustainable.
Founder
Belle Verte

Have you established an eco-inclusive enterprise but require further support to optimise your eco-inclusive impacts and attract additional investment?

As an eco-inclusive enterprise, the SEED Catalyser guides you to refine your business model in order to optimise your environmental, social and economic impacts and improve investment readiness as you scale-up. Through our SEED Catalyser programme, you will receive a tailored support package combining peer-learning and the SEED Catalyser Toolkit.

All SEED Award Runners-Up receive our Catalyser support – reinforcing our commitment to awarding the best and developing the rest. Select Catalyser participants are eligible to be chosen for a Catalyser SEED Grant and supported through the Catalyser process to optimally use this grant. SEED Award Runners-Up and Catalyser SEED Grant recipients are chosen by the international SEED Awards Jury.

If you are not yet a SEED Award Winner or Runner-Up and would like to receive SEED Catalyser support and be considered for a Catalyser SEED Grant, you can find out about upcoming SEED Awards openings and how to apply here.*

*Please refer to the SEED Awards call for applications for further details on applicant criteria and level of potential grant funding.

What does the SEED Catalyser offer?

As a Catalyser participant, you will be led through a comprehensive journey of enterprise development planning, guided by our SEED Catalyser Toolkit, ample peer learning opportunities and expert facilitation. We apply our experience of over fifteen years supporting the scale-up and impact multiplication of eco-inclusive enterprises to equip you with tools for development strategising, peer-based knowledge sharing and an international support network to bring your eco-inclusive enterprise to the next level.

DEVELOPMENT STRATEGISING

Develop an enterprise growth and support plan to guide strategising and receive collaborative and tailored SEED support services.

PEER LEARNING

Share challenges and design tangible business development solutions alongside peers during collaborative workshops using SEED Catalyser Toolkit.

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT NETWORK

Access an international support network of partners and associates and stay informed of opportunities arising through SEED affiliates.

The SEED Catalyser has generated key impacts to successfully support growing enterprises to attract investment and scale-up:

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Catalyser participants
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Received SEED Grants
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Business plans improved

How does the SEED Catalyser process work?

The SEED Catalyser enables you, as a growing eco-inclusive enterprise, to optimise your enterprise success by multiplying your environmental, social and economic impacts and improving your investment readiness to attract the necessary investment to scale-up. The Catalyser’s combination of capacity building workshops premised on small group (4-5 SEED Award Runners-Up) peer learning, personalised and ongoing virtual support and development of a comprehensive business growth plan enables you to set and reach your growth targets.

1 | SELECTION PHASE

Based on your eco-inclusive enterprise's development potential as a SEED Award Runner-Up, you will be selected to receive Catalyser support.

In order to receive Catalyser support, you must first be selected as a SEED Award Runner-Up by applying to one of our SEED Awards scheme. Once your SEED Award application has been submitted, your application is reviewed by the SEED team and shortlisted. If shortlisted, you are asked to provide additional documents attesting to your enterprise's activities and environmental, social and economic impacts. At this stage, your application is forwarded to our international SEED Awards Jury which is tasked with scoring and identifying both SEED Award Winners and SEED Award Runners-Up. As a SEED Award Runner-Up, you are invited to receive SEED Catalyser support.

Starter Toolkit

Starter Toolkit


Next step: Participate in capacity building workshops guided by SEED Catalyser Toolkit and peer learning.

2 | BUSINESS PLANNING WORKSHOPS

Participate in a series of 2 to 3-day business planning workshops guided by our hands-on SEED Catalyser Toolkit and ample peer learning opportunities.

During the SEED Catalyser, you will join with 4-5 other growing eco-inclusive enterprises who are SEED Award Runners-Up for collaborative and hands-on 2 to 3-day Business Planning Workshops structured around our SEED Catalyser Toolbox. The Catalyser Toolbox consists of tools for eco-inclusive impact goal setting and planning, market analysis and more. These workshops are designed to support you and your peers in sharing challenges and knowledge to design robust plans for your business development.

Starter Toolkit

Starter Toolkit

 

The hands-on and collaborative SEED Catalyser Workshops (two to three days each) include:

Kick-off Workshop introduces you to the SEED Catalyser Toolkit of hands-on business planning tools and supports you to identify key challenges and solutions.

Stakeholder Mapping Workshop guides you to map key relationships and stakeholders involved in your enterprise activities.

Impact Optimisation Workshop centres on strategies and business planning to multiply your enterprise's environmental, social and economic impacts.

Financial Planning Workshop assists you to improve your financial planning by applying our finance tools and to develop a support plan for financial investments.

Closure Workshop supports you to refine your business pitch and determine the next steps for business plan implementation.


Next Step: Apply your newly developed business development plan created during the capacity building workshop to take the next steps to implement your enterprise development strategy guided by expert support.

3 | ONGOING PERSONALISED CONSULTATION

Receive ongoing, personalised consultation with experts during a 6-month virtual business advisory support phase to refine your eco-inclusive business model.

The Business Planning Workshops are followed by a 6-month virtual business advisory support phase for business plan development. During this phase, you will refine your eco-inclusive business model while following a tailored support plan. You will be guided to design a solid business plan that addresses your enterprise's most urgent needs to scale-up your operations and optimise your social, environmental and economic impacts. At the end of 6-months ongoing  personalised consultation, your newly developed business plan will contain the next concrete steps for business activities over the following months to year. The emphasis throughout is on your investment readiness. At the end of the Catalyser process, you are well-equipped to attract investment for the next stages of enterprise growth.

If you have been chosen to receive a Catalyser SEED Grant, this stage will also guide you to plan and optimise the use of your grant funding.

Starter Toolkit


Next step: Apply the insights and SEED tools from the workshop and personalised consultation to implement the measures identified in your business development plan.

4 | ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

Benefit from our extensive network of eco-inclusive enterprises, experienced business development service providers and supportive partners as they work towards the next stages of enterprise growth.


SEED Grants

As a successful and highly motivated SEED Award Runner-Up and recipient of SEED Catalyser support, you are considered for a Catalyser SEED Grant intended to pay for your immediate necessary activities, measures or machinery required to scale-up your enterprise activities. Please apply to a relevant SEED Award scheme to be selected as a SEED Award Winner or Runner-Up. Details on other SEED Grants are advertised and dispersed via our SEED Platform.

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT SEED GRANTS


SEED BDS+ Advisors Support

As a Catalyser programme alumnus, you can also benefit from the additional tailor-made one-on-one support offered by SEED BDS+ Advisors, who can assist you to implement your newly developed plan for business growth.

CONNECT WITH SEED BDS+ ADVISORS


SEED Enterprise Profiling

SEED Catalyser alumni are supported through the profiling and networking opportunities offered by SEED. As a highly motivated Catalyser alumnus, you will be invited to participate in SEED events, including SEED National Dialogue Fora in your region. You will also receive the opportunity to display your individual enterprise profile on our website and we will support you wherever possible during the next stages of your entrepreneurial journey.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SEED EVENTS


Next step: Remain an active member of our SEED networks and continue to update us on how your enterprise is generating environmental, social and economic benefits for your target markets.

Currently, we offer the SEED Catalyser programme in the following countries:
Ghana
India
Indonesia
Malawi
Morocco
South Africa
Thailand
Uganda
Zambia

Image gallery

Meet past SEED Award Recipients – many of which have successfully taken measures to scale-up with the guidance of SEED Catalyser support.

SEED Library

In the SEED Library you can explore news, blog posts and publications related to the promotion of eco-inclusive entrepreneurship for sustainable development through the SEED Catalyser.

Supporters

Jonas Restle-Steinert

SEED Catalyser Expert

Our SEED Catalyser Expert is available to consult. We provide Catalyser support and the SEED Catalyser Toolkit via organisations such as incubators or accelerators on an ad hoc basis. Please contact us if your institution is interested in learning more.