In this first step of the Live Social Enterprise Creation Project, students will identify a social enterprise-related problem, fully frame and validate it, and then develop initial ideas for how to solve the problem. The emphasis at this stage is on deeply understanding a specific problem that a particular group of people have; one that can be solved by the creation of a new social enterprise. Students will identify a few initial solution ideas at this stage, but emphasis is on the problem.
Problem
Students will identify a social or environmental problem that they wish to address, selected from among the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG). They will fully explore, frame and validate their chosen UN SDG problem, such that they identify a specific unmet need that a specific group of people experience. The validation work will involve considerable interaction with the problem-holders (people who experience the problem that we wish to address).
The final, framed problem will represent the foundation of your future social enterprise.
Solution(s)
At this point only initial solution ideas are required. They should show some creative thinking/innovativeness, but they are not expected to be validated or well developed at this point.
Presentation
Prepare and deliver a 90-second presentation designed to attract potential partners (and investors) to support your venture. All team members must have a live speaking role in the presentation.
• Focus: Your presentation will focus on the problem your venture will address. Communicate and demonstrate to your audience that your specific, well-framed problem—which a particular group of people experience—is one that is real and important. At the end of your presentation, your audience should feel that they know exactly what the problem is, who has the problem, and that it is worth expending effort to solve this problem.
• Secondary Communication: You will give some examples of innovative solutions to the problem; initial ideas you would like to explore and test, but you will not have much detail or development of these at this stage.
Sample Solution