Grameen Creative Lab Lecture and Boot Camp

The newly launched NUS-GCL Initiative for Social Business (National University of Singapore-Grameen Creative Lab) will be kicking it off with a public keynote lecture by Mr. Hans Reitz, Founder and CEO of GCL on the morning of 16 March morning. Mr Reitz and his team will also be sharing GCL experiences to interested participants at the boot camp (16 March afternoon to 17 March 2011).

Making Sustainable Social Impacts through Innovation-Driven Social Businesses: A Unique Two-Day Learning Program on 16-17 March 2011

While maximizing profits and financial returns have become the key driving force for economic activities in the world, social problems continue to increase globally, to some extent even driven by the negative impact of profit maximizing businesses. It becomes obvious that we need to question whether people should benefit the economy, or the economy benefit the people. How can we redesign at least parts of the business world in order to solve problems rather than creating them? How can we mitigate greed and mistrust, but at the same time also use proven business methodologies and technological innovations to solve prevalent social problems?

One idea to address these questions is the concept of social business, which is spreading rapidly around the world. Just as many for-profit entrepreneurs and corporations have exploited business and technological innovations to provide new products and services for the higher income population segments in the advanced economies, many socially-minded entrepreneurs and corporations are creating new, innovation-driven social businesses to make sustainable social impacts among the poor in the developing world.

To catalyze interest in social businesses among entrepreneurs, corporate managers and policy makers in Singapore and Asia, the NUS Entrepreneurship Centre (NEC) is teaming up with The Grameen Creative Lab (GCL) to organize a unique two-day event, comprising of a public lecture and a bootcamp on social businesses.

Public Lecture

Topic: Social Business – Counterculture in the Economic World

Event Details

When: Wednesday 16th March 2011
Time: 915am-2pm
Where: National University of Singapore, Hon Sui Sen Auditorium, 1 Hon Sui Sen Drive, Singapore 117592

Register here.

Boot Camp

Topic: Boot Camp for Social Business

Who should attend:
Anyone interested in setting up a social businesses (including individual entrepreneurs, private companies, NGOs, foundations and governments)

Programme in Summary:
- Introduction to Social Business
- Case studies of successful practices
- Experience sharing & brainstorming session
- Innovative idea generations and presentation
- Pitching session
- Mentoring/ Feedback
- Dinner cum networking Session

Event Details

When: Wednesday-Thursday 16-17th March 2011
Where: Kent Ridge Guild House, Dalvey Room, Level 2, 9 Kent Ridge Drive Singapore 119241
Cost: Current NUS Student/Staff/NUS Alumni: S$25 per pax for 1.5 – day event. Others: S$100

(Pricing is inclusive of lunch, dinner and tea-break, and course materials where applicable)

Register here.

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