Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Yesterday marked the closure of the residential part of Bootcamp. But before sipping on chai salted with farewell tears, we had a lot to do.  

We'd kicked off the first day with a talk by Rajendra Joshi, a seasoned social entrepreneur with two decades worth of experience and success in transforming slums. Enlightening as the conversation was, participants also wanted perspective from the other end of the spectrum - successful social entrepreneurs still in the challenging early stages of their respective journeys. So participants sat with Level 2 UnLtd India investees, listening to their stories - Raj, Jyotika, and Jui of Cycle Chalao led an interactive conversation, as did Sagar of Students FUEL and Vasumathi of QMed Knowledge Foundation.  

One of the key messages from each conversation is that failure is a critical part of the journey. Failure shapes the learning curve; when managed well, it opens doors and provides insight. The Cycle Chalao crew talked about how their early struggles quickly taught them to whittle their focus and narrow their scope of work. They scrapped campaigns and activities that would have spread them too thin. Raj attributes much of their success to incubation support from UnLtd India and other key advisors; he also stresses that it's important to know what advice to take and what to respectfully decline.  

Participants spent much of the rest of the day working on their pitches. They'll be presenting to the UnLtd India panel early next week, which will determine whether they become investees and at what level.  Today they're in Bombay HUB, UnLtd India's collaborative working space for changemakers, presenting mock pitches to volunteer panelists from our network.  

 As we boarded the bus home, laden with learnings and samosas, participants continued to weave the conversations they'd started three days back. These interactions are the foundation of the support UnLtd India provides. It is human connection that drives social change. When the right people connect in positive, meaningful ways, they are capable of anything.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

• a Theory of Change workshop that helped Level 1 applicants articulate the connection between their outputs, outcomes, results, and goals
• one-on-one mentoring sessions with experts, enabling applicants to refine their marketing, finance, admin, HR and legal strategies
• a surprisingly fascinating session on legal structures by Noshir Dadrawala (Center for Advancement of Philanthropy) that kept people energised despite the venue's attempt to make everyone comatose with a giant Maharashtrian lunch
• small-group leadership coaching sessions for Level 2's with the expert facilitators of Flow Consulting

One of the investees looked bewildered during an afternoon chai break. When asked why, she replied that the Theory of Change workshop was an epiphany of clarity for her venture. Within an hour, though, she was wracking her brain over the appropriate legal structure for her organisation. This roller coaster is common for start-up social entrepreneurs. Often, the initial challenge is translating your ideas and passion into something that's easily accessible for other people. That's where UnLtd India's incubation support comes in, helping the clarity win out over the confusion.

On tap for this evening: a pre-dinner capoeira workshop and some late-night Bollywood acoustic karaoke.  (Mildly incriminating) photos and videos coming soon.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Early this morning, on the outskirts of Bombay, a new group of start-up social entrepreneurs convened in the tropical greenery of Bhayender. Wielding bottomless cups of chai, bootcamp participants spent the day connecting with one another, exploring each other's ideas to change the world.

Though we didn't spend as much as the Commonwealth Games did on their opening ceremony (we don't have nearly as much to prove), our inaugural session was almost as star-studded.  Rajendra Joshi, founder and managing trustee of SAATH- not to mention Schwab's 2009 Social Entrepreneur of the Year in India and Senior Ashoka Fellow - blessed us with the story of his journey as a changemaker. For more than 20 years, Saath has transformed the way people look at slums from the inside out. The organisation provides integrated health, education, and employment services, empowering Gujurat's urban poor to create inclusive cities. 

Amongst the many insights he shared, Mr Joshi said that he realised the need to collaborate with municipal governments early in Saath's history. It hasn't been easy - mid-tier beuracracy and ineffeciency can be impedements to progress.  But by patiently cultivating relationships (which sometimes means giving government partners more public credit than they merit), SAATH has dramatically increased its capacity for impact. 

Mr Joshi warns that collaborating with one sector can incur the wrath of another - for example, SAATH's consultancy with corporates initially alienated it from some of the NGO world. Rajendra's advice: prioritise impact and forget about trying to please everyone. SAATH's endeavors into the private sector have enabled it to self-sustain through income generation; this was driven by Mr Joshi's belief that an organisation dependant on foundation money stifles its own ability to grow.

After Rajendra's session, participants delved into one another's work, attitudes, and perspectives. Among the topics of conversation during this afternoon's world cafe - what is the spark behind your idea and how does it define you? How have your challenges and fears shaped the course of your journey? How has your idea changed who you are; why are you the person to bring this idea into the world?

Tomorrow - clinics and coaching sessions on theory of change, legal structures, marketing, and leadership.  

Here we go.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Tomorrow marks the start of the second Social Entrepreneur Bootcamp, complete with a new group of start-up changemakers doing amazing things. These potential UnLtd India investees are working with men to end domestic violence, cultivating organic microgardens on the rooftops of Bombay, educating the young public about HIV/AIDS, and much more.  

Over the next four days, they'll hone their strategies, exchange ideas, collaborate with mentors, and prepare themselves to pitch to the UnLtd India panel. The days are intense but packed with opportunities to connect on both personal and professional levels.  

All the while, we'll keep you updated with the stories and perspective that make Bootcamp the powerful experience that it is. As always, let us know what you think! We'll share your comments, tweets, and emails with the participants.

Looking forward to it!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Great work, Danesh, Sidd, and Akshay!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Social Media Training.pptx Download this file

Check out Elise Meyer's presentation on social media within the social sector.  She goes from a broad introduction of the topic to specific case studies of who's doing it well and who's not.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Ketan Desphande and Hemant Kabra lead Student's Fuel, an organization that educates students in rural communities about entrance exams and admission processes to ensure fair access to higher education.  They're celebrating a huge victory today.  The state government was considering a bill that would make it impossible for any student not born in Maharashtra to study here.  Thanks in large part to their advocacy, the bill has been overturned. 
Well done, gentlemen.  Well done indeed.
 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

This morning, while potential Level 1 investees braved the sweltering sun in the name of teambuilding, the Level 2’s connected with expert
mentors. These experts on legal structures, finance, marketing, and HR offered one-on-one sessions to work through project-based issues

and to develop customized plans. The benefits were mutual, says Biki Duggal, marketing expert from Locus Infotainment – “once I realized the motivation with which these people carry themselves, it was hard not to carry inspiration forward and start to see myself eventually” setting up a venture “to give back to society.”

Just in case anyone hadn’t been floored by inspiration by lunchtime, Ashoka Fellow Vishal Talreja told his story to the group. As a young business professional, Vishal founded Dream a Dream, an empowerment program for street children in Bangalore. Reflecting on the peaks and valleys of his journey, Vishal recalled the words of a mentor during a time of crisis, when Dream a Dream was soaring but internal strife threatened to break up the organization. “All that he said was, ‘stick to your work. Do what you’re doing with the children. Don’t let go.’ God help me, I stuck to those words.” Often, we talk about the need for structures and systems because passion alone can’t sustain an organization – but in this case, re-connecting with their original passion allowed the team to regroup and move forward. Dream a Dream has reached the lives of over 3,000 children, with a core of about 150 who have turned their lives around completely.

Afternoon sessions on creative problem solving and self-reflection culminated in a powerful group sharing process. Several participants brought forward their challenges and issues they face as changemakers – family demands to earn more money and self-doubt, for starters. The group opened up a space for guidance and advice, relating shared experiences and emotions. After just three days together, the trust that is present in this group reveals strong bonds that will be pillars of a long-term ecosystem of peer support.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

raj_funding_news.AVI Watch on Posterous

Raj Janagam just found out that he received an intent from a company to contribute angel capital he needs to scale Cycle Chalao! to a whole new level.  Check out the video - his excitement is contagious.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

What did we learn today?  We learned that:

•    Passion takes your far.  Solid theories of change and business plans take your passion farther.

•    Alumni UnLtd India investees have done some incredible stuff; mistakes and frustration have been stepping stones in all of their journeys. 

•    The five L’s of social media – look, listen, lounge, learn, launch –are as critical for changemakers as they are for corporates.

Spotlight on Ashish, a Bootcamp participant who is leveraging his business world expertise to create level playing fields in the informal sector.  Maid in India, his start-up, will be an online recruitment and engagement platform for domestic workers (like maids, cooks, drivers, and nannies) and potential employers.  Ash also wants the site to link workers to training that improves the quality of their services – learning to cook healthy meals and getting certified as childcare providers, for example.  The plan is to charge employers a premium for the service; this will create insurance funds for the domestic workers they hire. 

With thirteen years of experience in the private sector comprising consulting, finance, and entrepreneurship, Ash seems well-equipped to pull this off.  So why is he at Bootcamp and seeking UnLtd India support?  “The expertise I’m surrounded by – not just from my peers, but also the people who’ve been working in the sector for a number of years” creates a “sounding board [that] is invaluable, no matter how experienced you are.” 

In other news of the day, several changemakers have started developing a strategy to address the most pressing issue we face at Bootcamp – the venue’s restriction against wearing shorts.  Updates to come as they develop.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

And we’re off.  This morning, thirty-six budding social entrepreneurs convened in Bhayender, where the lush green hills and lack of noise pollution make you forget you’re in a suburb of Bombay.

Bootcamp participants have come equipped with a diverse set of ideas for leading social change.  Here’s a cross-section: Shireen wants to create self-empowerment groups for burn victims, Aarti privately educates girls whose parents don’t let them go to school, and Raj has launched a viral marketing campaign to bring cycle-commuting to the mainstream.  The backgrounds of these changemakers are as varied as their ideas; the communities they represent run the socio-economic, communal, and ethnic spectrum.

This diversity is critical.  One of the most important elements of support that UnLtd India can offer is membership within the investee community.  This community comprises brilliant people whose work, experiences, and approaches to problem solving create a powerful network of inter-connected resources.  Integrating greater diversity – of people and of ideas – strengthens the community tremendously.

That’s why much of Day 1 was devoted to building personal connections.  Participants learned about each other’s initiatives through speed-dating-style one-on-one conversations.  They then connected on an emotional level through a World Café, exploring the triggers, challenges, and fears that have shaped their paths of changemaking.  And of course, many of the most powerful connections happened over chai breaks.
It’s important to note that, though they are all potential UnLtd India investees, this is not a competition for the participants.  At the end of Bootcamp, all will present their plans to a panel of external experts.  The panel will assess whether the participant is a good fit for UnLtd India and vice versa; we’ll invest in anyone and everyone who matches those criteria.

One of the day’s highlights was a talk with Shilpi Kapoor of BarrierBreak Technologies, India’s premier accessibility consulting firm.  Shilpi’s story of making technology accessible to the blind and visually impaired yields terrific insight. Disillusioned by the lack quality control she found in the non-profit sector, she launched a private company because she feels it’s the best way to achieve her mission of empowering the visually impaired.  She also spoke of uncompromising ethics, citing examples of contracts she has lost because she would not give bribes.  All of this resonated clearly because of her straightforward, unapologetic style that conveys the attitude, “If you’re with me, get ready to work. If you’re not, get out of my way.”

Tomorrow the intensive idea refinement begins.  Be sure to follow the transformations here and on twitter @socentbootcamp.

What ideas would you bring to Bootcamp?  What support do you need to get your idea off the ground?

Permalink | Leave a comment  »