Social Business Accelerator

The Social Business Accelerator provides direct support to selected members of the Artemisia Network for Social Business, with the objective of catalyzing their businesses’ growth. The Accelerator also provides professional experience for people interested in developing a career in the field of social business.

For access to Accelerator services, one or more leaders of the social business must have previously participated in or collaborated with Artemisia initiatives. Subsequently the business’ potential impact will be evaluated. After being invited to join the Artemisia Network for Social Business, the business’ leaders—i.e., entrepreneur(s) and/or manager(s)—are eligible to request support as needs arise. Each request will be evaluated prior to approval.

In 2009, Artemisia conducted a survey to identify the key challenges that social business start-ups face in their first three years of operation. Based on the results, the following support services were developed:

Access to qualified human capital

One of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs is to attract talented, hands-on professionals to contribute to a new business. For this reason, the Accelerator helps connect skilled staff to social businesses by:

Providing AIESEC interns, generally recent graduates who aim to acquire professional experience in the field of social business and who have passed a rigorous selection process.
Providing selected interns from top universities in Sao Paulo. This service is only available for social businesses headquartered in the city Sao Paulo.
Allocating professionals from international partner organizations such as Stanford and LGT Venture Philanthropy (iCats).

Solutions for critical strategic challenges

To help start-ups find suitable solutions for their strategic challenges, the Accelerator provides:

Individual meetings for specific advice from business experts;
Group meetings with other participants in the Artemisia Network for Social Business that combine a specific problem solving methodology with feedback from market professionals.

Financing

Experience shows that while financial investment is not the only need a start-up has, it is nevertheless critical to help launch products, retain talented professionals and attract investors. The Accelerator therefore helps social businesses connect with aligned investors through events ranging from business review panels to happy hours to the Start-Up Lab

Strategic management consulting for social businesses

When a more profound intervention is deemed appropriate, the Accelerator provides in-house consulting services to social businesses for up to 20 weeks, using the following three-stage process:

Diagnosis: the organization is analyzed both externally and internally
Execution: a course of action is suggested based on the diagnosis, together with performance metrics
Implementation monitoring: lessons learned are documented and the course of action is implemented by the social business’ staff, with support from Artemisia

Accessing support services

Eligibility for support services is generally limited to social businesses whose leaders—entrepreneur(s) and/or manager(s)—have previously participated in Artemisia programs. For further information on programs, please click here.

Learn more about some of the social businesses supported by the Accelerator

To see the complete list, click here