Inventure Management Ltd.: Sustainable Sanitation Design

Inventure Management Ltd.: Sustainable Sanitation Design: It's confirmed that the first participating company presenting on the SEED Forum Nairobi is : Sustainable Sanitation Design : Sustainable...

The Social Entrepreneur's Dilemma | Share on LinkedIn

The Social Entrepreneur's Dilemma | Share on LinkedIn:

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WORLDWIDE #JELLYWEEK 2012

We are Jelly #100

WORLDWIDE #JELLYWEEK 2012:

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Inventure Management Ltd.: SEED Forum in Nairobi, Kenya

Inventure Management Ltd.: SEED Forum in Nairobi, Kenya: Then it's official! We are planning the first SEED Forum in East Africa on the 21. June 2012 in Nairobi, Kenya. We are SEED Forums pa...

Africa Impact Report

Africa Impact Report:

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Social Enterprise Europe - What is Social Enterprise

Social Enterprise Europe - What is Social Enterprise:

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SocEntLab East Africa: Nobel Peace Price to Africans

SocEntLab East Africa: Nobel Peace Price to Africans: Nobel Peace Price to Africans, Africas first female president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, peace activist Leymah Roberta Gbowee and yemenite T...

Inventure Management Ltd.: VC4Africa Meetup - Oslo, Norway - Eventbrite

Inventure Management Ltd.: VC4Africa Meetup - Oslo, Norway - Eventbrite: Our fellow member Svein Mork Dahl has stepped forward with the idea to host the first VC4Africa meetup to be help in Oslo, Norway. I think ...

Africans want to be entrepreneurs and don’t want to rely on handouts – Dambisa Moyo

Erin Burnett interviewed Dr. Dambisa Moyo, the author “Dead Aid: Why Aid is Not Working and How There is a Better Way For Africa.”

Moyo argues that Africa needs innovative ways to finance development, which includes trading and accessing capital markets. In a nutshell, Dr. Moyo’s argument follows the old Chinese Proverb about how giving a man a fish feeds him for merely a day, but teaching a man to fish feeds him for a lifetime. Dambisa Moyo completed her Ph.D in Economics at Oxford University and has a Masters from Harvard University.

In May 2009 Dr. Moyo was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME Magazine. The clip is from June 10, 2009. Is this conversation and the points she makes in this interview still relevant going into 2012?

Inventure Management Ltd.: Roundtable Africa Conference

Inventure Management Ltd.: Roundtable Africa Conference: Roundtable Africa Conference : "Round Table Africa is organizing the international Sustainable Business Conference “Business resilience, sus...

The hopeful continent: Africa rising | The Economist

The hopeful continent: Africa rising | The Economist:

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SocEntLab + *iHub_ Nairobi

Our new innovation playground in Nairobi. Come visit!


*iHub_ – Nairobi’s Innovation Hub for the technology community is an open space for the technologists, investors, tech companies and hackers in the area. This space is a tech community facility with a focus on young entrepreneurs, web and mobile phone programmers, designers and researchers. It is part open community workspace (co-working), part vector for investors and VCs and part incubator.



*iHub_ Nairobi:

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Can Venture Capital Save The World? - Forbes

Acumen Fund and similar VC Funds are doing a great job here in Africa, but what I could wish for is even more seed capital. A recent survey showed that the access to seed capital is essential, and ranked as the number one factor hindering entrepreneurs today. Hope we in the future can see even more seed funds and VC funds operating in Africa.

What I want is more startup and business accelerator programmes, and more knowledge sharing between entrepreneurs in Africa and the developed world. We've been working on an idea of an online "virtual" startup programme connecting local entrepreneurs here in Kenya with mentors in Norway using videoconferencing and social media. If we succeed I think both parties can benefit from it. Our local entrepreneurs can get knowledge and hopefully access to seed funding, and our mentors will get access to investment opportunities and knowledge about an up and coming emerging market.

Acumen fund opened the eyes of many for a new kind of philantrophy, but at least many European donors are still old school, and wants to build health clinics and childrens homes. Something tangible to take pictures of and show off at home.

Can Venture Capital Save The World? - Forbes:

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So You Want to Become a Social Entrepreneur? 7 Points to Guide You Along Your Way! | SocialEarth

So You Want to Become a Social Entrepreneur? 7 Points to Guide You Along Your Way! | SocialEarth:

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Friendly Safari East Africa: Want to go on safari in Kenya?

Friendly Safari East Africa: Want to go on safari in Kenya?: In cooperation with SocEntLab and local actors in the tourism industry in Kenya, we can now offer exclusive, tailor-made safaris in Ken...

Why Africa is not high on the agenda of most companies in the West

Why Africa is not high on the agenda of most companies in the West:

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Official Google Africa Blog: Google Trader comes to Kenya

Official Google Africa Blog: Google Trader comes to Kenya:

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Inventure Management Ltd.: KENYA Investment Guide

Inventure Management Ltd.: KENYA Investment Guide: KENYA Investment Guide Openness to Foreign Investment The Government of Kenya encourages foreign direct investment. Multinational ...

Nobel Peace Price to Africans

Nobel Peace Price to Africans, Africas first female president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, peace activist Leymah Roberta Gbowee and yemenite Tawakkul Karman.There have been several female head of states in Africa, but not elected.

Carmen Pereira (1937-)
Acting president of Guinea Bissau from 14 May 1984 to 16 May 1984, in the capacity of chairman of the National People's Assembly.

Sylvie Kinigi (1952-)
Acting President (de facto) of Burundi from 27 Oct 1993 to 5 Feb 1994.

Ruth Perry (1939-)
Chairman of the Council of State (a six-member collective presidency) of the National Transitional Government of Liberia from 3 Sep 1996 to 2 Aug 1997. Perry has been, excepting Burundian premier Sylvie Kinigi, who acted as president briefly de facto in early 90s, Africa's first female head of State under a republican system.

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (1939-)
President of Liberia since 16 Jan 2006. She is Africa's first elected woman head of State.

Rose Francine Rogombé (1942-)
Interim president of Gabon from 10 Jun to 16 Oct 2009.

A different kind of safari

Some memories from last year. And yes. We got the financing.

In June, travelled a gaudy crowd norwegians to Kenya. It was desired to try to realize a vision of a school in rural Kenya for solar power, water purification, clean energy. The vision that had emerged through collaboration between Kvadraturen Education Centre / Vest-Agder County Council and Kisumu Polytechnic. 

Norwegians who had strayed to Kenya was the County Council Mayor Thore Wester Moen, Head of the Comiteef or culture and education Olav Haavorstad, Regional Manager Kjell Abildsnes, Erling Andresen (Senior, Kvadraturen School) from the VAF and the ARC-Aid CEO Spinnangr and the undersigned, Svein Mork Dahl.

Our goal for the trip was to create a common understanding between the Norwegian and Kenyan partners on the framework for the project, and through meetings with the Kenyan authorities to create local ownership of the project. The desire to meet local authorities to take us on a different safari through Kenya's political landscape.

Happiness is a quiet hour on the terrace before you find the bed. The sound of Africa. Thunder rolling in the distance, and lightning that lit up the sky in a constant strobe lights as on nature's own nightclub. Tomorrow is the party for invited guests and kids program at ARO DC. I hope the storm comes this way, but from what I've heard it's way to the Rift Valley, so tomorrow's festivities should be secured.

We have already met our Kenyan partners from Kisumu Poly, and visited DCen in Bondo, and PC in Nyanza. These state representatives serve as a form of county men, so our courtesy visits here are important for the rest of the trip. Important to go official channels. African courtesy visits are a fascinating spectacle for us Northerners. More form than content. You use like 10-15 minutes to introduce himself and thank the other party to have the opportunity to meet before you use the last quarter of the allotted half hour on the facts. 

We are gathered for a "nightcap" on the terrace to get the whole mind. The program for the trip are not yet nailed down and ready, so we do not know yet who we will meet next week. This is Africa, so we go to bed knowing that uncertainty is our only sure clue.

It's Saturday and party at the center of many invited guests, singing and dancing and hired musicians. Let me particularly impressed by the children the program appearance. The center has also been honored with visits by the Secretary in the Ministry of Education, which bodes well for the rest of our mission. The rest of the weekend precursor quiet with a visit to Bondo, and Godfrey newly opened restaurant. Tighten to NOK, although the food is not kept winning standard. Personally I suspect that the meat that was served was a goat, but the joke that I saw a stray dogs here in the place that now is gone ..

We hope to have met Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Nyanza, when he and President Kibaki are here because of the funeral of a member of parliament, but it can not do, we decide to follow them back to Nairobi. All flights are booked by the funeral guests, so we decide to drive to Nai. We stops at Tea Hotel, an old British colonial hotel in the Rift Valley, and the feel of a bygone era. One can feel the history in the walls where wallpaper is loosened, and the hotel fading along with the remnants of the British Empire.

After a week in Majiwe it is a shock to come to Nairobi. A vibrant international city with well over 3 million people, buildings, a vibrant nightlife, and otherwise is known for having some of the world's worst traffic jams, and a few years ago was known as Nairobbery colloquially. We still do not know if we get a meeting with the Prime Minister's office, but we live in hope.

While we wait for clarity we will visit the Nairobi National Museum, and will be so short notice innkallt to PMs Office.Vi have managed to get to a meeting, and are excited about how we and our vision will be taken in mot.Vi throws us in the taxi who spend 40 minutes on the few kilometers to the Treasury Building.

Hurry is lastverk said, and when we arrive waiting room to the PMs Office is we sit and wait. One hour, two hours. After three hours we are summoned to a meeting where we will be greeted by a delegation led by Caroli Omondi, the 35-year-old chief of staff to Raila. For once, I'm not the youngest in the room.

For us the meeting is a journey. They have put themselves into the matter, know what we are talking about and have input and reviews. Best of all is that we get assurances that this is something that Kenya wants, and it assures us that Kenya is willing to assume the obligations that will accompany the establishment of Solskolen. Now it's just up to us mzungus to obtain financing.

The journey is over, and we can go home with memories of a safari like no other. 

Easen Newsletter

East African Social Enterprise Networks is the hub in spreading social Entrepreneurship in East Africa. Here are our newest newsletter.

Here you can read the EASEN Newsletter: EASEN Newsletter 9th September 2011:

Inventure Management Ltd.: Three startup investments in 48 hrs @IPO48 Nairobi...

Inventure Management Ltd.: Three startup investments in 48 hrs @IPO48 Nairobi...: The second IPO48 in Nairobi saw an increase in everything: startups submitted to our platform, participants and onsite mentors and last,...

Mara Foundation - Finding sustainable and replicable solutions to some of Africa's biggest challenges

We are joining the Mara Foundation mentorship programme to help grow entrepreneurship in East Africa.

Mara Foundation - Finding sustainable and replicable solutions to some of Africa's biggest challenges:

Interested doing business with Norwegian companies...

Inventure Management Ltd.: Interested doing business with Norwegian companies...: The Norwegian-African Business Summit is a must-go-event for decision makers in companies with international ambitions, people in charge of...

Whats preventing Entrepreneurship in Africa?

This past week Venturecapital4Africa conducted a poll with members on VC4Africa. Specifically,weI wanted to know what the community feels prevents (more) entrepreneurship on the continent. Is it the entrepreneurs, tough business models, lack of exits, the government, corruption or a lack of capital?





Akinyele Aluko, one of the respondents writes from the University of Calabar in Nigeria,’The hardest is getting funds for a start-up, however, other attendant problems are lack of ideas because our R&D system is very poor so innovation is limited. Corruption is another serious problem as well as lack of sincerity by our government.’ Fred Oduke, from the Makerere University in Uganda, expands, ‘It’s hard to get investors ready to invest in new ideas or emerging businesses. As well, we have a very hostile business environment, where government, being the biggest buyer, is deeply tipped in corruption and only those connected can access government contracts. However, it is not all doom, as democracy takes root, opportunities beckon those investing in new ideas and especially pro-poor targeted enterprises; 90% of African are poor, yet they are consumers. Pro-poor business ideas are bound to pay most, especially where ICT is the driver.’

Putting more emphasis on the role of corruption and government, Fidel Buchi Anyi writes from Lagos, Nigeria, ‘Corruption is the greatest impediment to entrepreneurship in Africa! It is corruption that drives poor and inconsistent government policies, volatile political environment, sit-tight rulership, non-access to project financing, multiple taxation, etc. Remove corruption and the business environment will be cleared up to allow brilliant ideas to thrive. Fair competition and honest productive collaboration can only flourish in an environment where corruption is treated with disdain and trust can grow.’ Oliver Wassmann, from the Technische Universiteit Berlijn, shifts the focus again when he writes about the need for better education. He says, ‘The one and single most important issue in Africa is lack of education. And when I say lack of education, I mean lack of knowledge and lack of good values! Education drives the behaviour of human beings. How often did I meet really motivated people with brilliant ideas who miserably failed to live up to their promises? Pointing the finger to government and corruption from my point of view is too simplistic. Corruption flourishes all over the world, also in countries like the US and Germany, yet they are still prospering.’ Clearly all of these challenges play a role in putting together the right ecosystem businesses need to thrive. But which factor stands out heads above the rest?

Not surprisingly ‘Hard to access finance’ is ranked as the number one factor hindering entrepreneurs today. So why does the community cite this as the number one challenge? Is it because the entrepreneurs have bad ideas unworthy of investment? I don’t buy this as many of the ideas we see on VC4Africa are not only important they are actually essential – serving a basic life need in critical sectors like agriculture, health or housing. I wish I could say the business plans I read in other parts of the world were as relevant! So the ideas don’t seem to be part of the problem to me, even if we need different business models and some creative implementation needed to execute them successfully.

So what does ‘Hard to access capital’ actually mean? Is it hard to find money for businesses? Is this to say there is no/little money available or instead that there is money but for some reason it is hard to move? And in this case is it because the entrepreneur lacks the skills, network, model and circumstance needed to make an investment worthwhile or does the money get stuck because the broader political, economic and social context don’t make sense? The infrastructure doesn’t effectively facilitate investment or the money simply doesn’t see the market developments needed to offer viable exits down the road? Again, all of these pieces play a role.

That said, investment capital is seriously required by thousands if not millions of entrepreneurs building businesses across the continent. And I strongly believe there is always money for a good idea in a growing market. In furthering this discussion I reach out to the community again and ask the same question from a different perspective, ‘What is the hardest part about investing in Africa?’Share your thoughts and help spread the word.

See some of the other comments made by respondents:

NEACC- Promoting trade: About us

NEACC- Promoting trade: About us: "The Nordic - East-African Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit, nongovernmental organization established by Nordic and East-African business..."

Welcome to Mikono Knits

We are hooking up with Mikono Knits to upscale their social business.

The vision of Mikono Knits is to be an inspiring ethical fashion label, creating stylish and unique knitwear, thereby providing a sustainable source of income for underprivileged Kenyan women.

Natural Kenyan wool and cotton are the raw materials utilised in the designs. Drawing mainly on Western designs, African 'flavours' are added using African handmade buttons, beads and shells.

For more info on us, Mikono Knits, and how to purchase our products please contact us at caxtus (a) inventure.no

Welcome to Mikono Knits:

Arendalstidene - Hjerte for sosialt entreprenørskap

Akkurat nå er han i Kenya, men Svein Mork Dahl fra Arendal har ikke alltid vært engasjert i bistandsarbeid. Tidligere var han en kaldblodig aksjemegler.

For å lese hele teksten hos Arendals Tidende:

Arendalstidene - Hjerte for sosialt entreprenørskap

Inventure Management Ltd.: Rediscovering entrepreneurship in Kenya

Inventure Management Ltd.: Rediscovering entrepreneurship in Kenya: "Svein Mork Dahl’s sabbatical: more adventure than he asked for Rediscovering entrepreneurship in Kenya Business consultant Svein Mork Dahl ..."

iTrend.no - om innovasjon: Svein Mork Dahl: Sosialt entreprenørskap i Kenya

iTrend.no - om innovasjon: Svein Mork Dahl: Sosialt entreprenørskap i Kenya: "Svein Mork Dahl bor i Nairobi, Kenya. Her har han vært siden høsten 2010. Og han har ikke tenkt å dra hjem igjen med det første. Svein har b..."

Inventure Management Ltd.: Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Afric

Inventure Management Ltd.: Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Afric: "Sub-Saharan Africa’s recovery from the crisis-induced slowdown is well under way, with growth in most countries now back fairly close to the..."

Inventure Management Ltd.: East-Africa (EAC) Brief Economic Outlook April 201...

Inventure Management Ltd.: East-Africa (EAC) Brief Economic Outlook April 201...: "Members of the East African Community (EAC) are among the fastest growing economies in sub-Saharan Africa, and more broadly in the develop..."

Kenya Social Investment Exchange has launched

Yesterday launched East Africa's first stock exchange for social enterprises.

The reason is to give investors the opportunity to invest in quality assured social enterprises, and promote social entrepreneurship within the region through access to capital that may increase the scalability and impact of social enterprises.

It will also initially be quoted a fund for investments in social enterprises, or Social Purpose Enterprises (SPEs) that it is known as down here.

Exchange is supported by the Nairobi Stock Exchange, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Aga Khan Foundation.

I think this is a big step forward for social entrepreneurship in the region.

How giving up on a single cup of Caffè latte can save a life - World Malaria Day

Courtesy of Wikipedia

The World Health Organization says about 3.3-billion people – that’s half of the world's population – are at risk of malaria.

While early diagnosis and prompt treatment are two basic elements of malaria control, prevention saves lives and can strengthen the economies of countries in which the disease is common.

Loss of productivity and increased deaths among youth are a result of malaria. This means poorer countries are most affected by malaria…and most of these countries are in Africa.

I've had malaria twice after my first visit to Africa. The worst attack cost me a week in hospital with high fever and some terrible joint pains. But with proper treatment you will get over it.

That treatment is not common in the rural areas of Africa, and being in a constant state of malaria illness greatly reducess both productivity and quality of life.

Around the  World round 300.000.000 people gets Malaria every year, and about 2.5 million dies from it. Every year. Mosty children under the age of 5 and pregnant woman.

A incecticide treated mosqito-net costs from $5 and last for 4-5 years. This is long enough to protect the mother and child through the crucial years. So giving up on a single cup of $6 Caffè latte can save a life.

World Malaria Day is on 25 April each year.

Svein

Caxtus Social Enterprise lanserer nettbutikk

Caxtus Social Enterprise lanserer nettbutikk i samarbeid CafePress. 

http://www.cafepress.co.uk/caxtus

Caxtus Social Enterprise er en sosial bedrift i Nairobi, Kenya,
startet av Svein Mork Dahl og Lillian Wangondu våren 2011.

Nettbutikken vil gi Caxtus SE flere inntektskilder, og gjøre oss bedre i stand til å skape utdanningsmuligheter og arbeidsplasser for barn og unge i Kenya. Caxtus Social Enterprise finansierer veksten sin gjennom salg av social shares - sosiale aksjer. Eventuell avkastning på sosiale aksjer reinvesteres i selskapets prosjekter for å skape mest mulig sosial effekt. Svein Mork Dahl

E-post	caxtus@inventure.no
Telefon	+254701359259
Hjemmeside	http://www.caxtus.com

Sosialt Entreprenørskap i Øst-Afrika

Bilde fra Partnershipforchange.net

Sosialt Entreprenørskap brer om seg. Nå har man også et nettverk oppe og går her i Øst-Afrika. Sosiale Entreprenører fra blant annet Kenya,Uganda og Tanzania, samt noen mzungus (hvite) fra blant annet UK, Nederland og undertegnede fra Norge samlet seg til årets første frokostmøte i Nairobi på tirsdag 22. februar. Fokuset var primært på hvordan man kan skape arbeidsplasser for ungdom i Øst-Afrika. 


East African Social Enterprise Network : http://easenetwork.net/


Caxtus Social Enterprise, nå SocEntLab East Africa, ble stiftet en måned senere for å være en pådriver i dette arbeidet, og for å vise at ting kan vokse og gro der hvor ingen skulle tro.

Svein Mork Dahl & Lillian Wangondu

21.03.2011