School for Startups (S4S) is a UK-based social business whose mission is to advance entrepreneurship’s contribution to equitable economic growth. We do this by inspiring and equipping entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses, by strengthening a country’s institutional capacities to train entrepreneurs at scale and by advising government and stakeholders on how to best ensure entrepreneurship generates economic and social benefit for all. S4S was founded in 2008 and developed by entrepreneurs… Show more School for Startups (S4S) is a UK-based social business whose mission is to advance entrepreneurship’s contribution to equitable economic growth. We do this by inspiring and equipping entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses, by strengthening a country’s institutional capacities to train entrepreneurs at scale and by advising government and stakeholders on how to best ensure entrepreneurship generates economic and social benefit for all. S4S was founded in 2008 and developed by entrepreneurs with decades of experience investing in, launching and growing new businesses in rich and poor countries. Since then, the quality of our work has led S4S to be commissioned to train over 40,000 entrepreneurs from Europe, Latin America and Africa. S4S now hopes to extend its engagement in Latin America, southern Africa, the Caribbean and India. S4S believes entrepreneurship can create jobs in large numbers and stimulate sustainable, equitable growth in these regions and economies and that S4S can help governments and stakeholders realise this potential. Show less

ECO Capacity Exchange is introducing a disruptive and highly innovative trade and finance solution that represents game changing potential in global economics. The solution includes an online marketplace that enables capacity to be traded using a unique credit mechanism that serves as an inclusive and trustworthy medium of exchange. This is an independently administered non-sovereign credit supply, valued on the basis of trade flow between the organisations participating in the Exchange. It… Show more ECO Capacity Exchange is introducing a disruptive and highly innovative trade and finance solution that represents game changing potential in global economics. The solution includes an online marketplace that enables capacity to be traded using a unique credit mechanism that serves as an inclusive and trustworthy medium of exchange. This is an independently administered non-sovereign credit supply, valued on the basis of trade flow between the organisations participating in the Exchange. It is full backed by real economy assets and credit, reducing many of the systemic risks associated with existing sovereign monetary systems. the ECO "solution" represents a fairer, more equitable and much lower cost means of financing trade, production and investment. Moreover It can be used to channel zero-cost finance and control over its use to producers of economic and social value in rich and poor countries previously prevented, by the distorted functioning of international and national private and public capital markets,from accessing the productive and working capital they need to grow and develop. Show less

Enterprise Answers Ltd is the consulting vehicle Kurt Hoffman uses to carry out client assignments and commissions and undertake independent research, analysis and communications around the issues of sustainability, enterprise-based solutions to poverty, social enterprise and social business development and harnessing the power of innovation to improve the lives of the most vulnerable. In his most recent assignments for UK DFID, the UN, US AID and the Rockefeller Foundation Kurt conducted… Show more Enterprise Answers Ltd is the consulting vehicle Kurt Hoffman uses to carry out client assignments and commissions and undertake independent research, analysis and communications around the issues of sustainability, enterprise-based solutions to poverty, social enterprise and social business development and harnessing the power of innovation to improve the lives of the most vulnerable. In his most recent assignments for UK DFID, the UN, US AID and the Rockefeller Foundation Kurt conducted original research and analysis into the challenges of enhancing the resilience of vulnerable communities in Africa and Asia and enhancing the contribution of innovation in the humanitarian assistance sector. This latter work was carried out with a team of colleagues from the Centre for Research into innovation Management at the University of Brighton where Kurt is a Visiting Fellow. Show less

TransFarm Africa is an independent investment and policy change initiative (designed by Kurt) whose goal is to advance the equitable commercialisation of small farmer agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. TFA aims to channel development and commercial finance, and effect policy reforms, in ways that will catalyze emergence of a new asset class of growth-oriented, mid-cap entrepreneurial agri-businesses all along the value chain whose business plans incorporate small farmers as suppliers… Show more TransFarm Africa is an independent investment and policy change initiative (designed by Kurt) whose goal is to advance the equitable commercialisation of small farmer agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. TFA aims to channel development and commercial finance, and effect policy reforms, in ways that will catalyze emergence of a new asset class of growth-oriented, mid-cap entrepreneurial agri-businesses all along the value chain whose business plans incorporate small farmers as suppliers, customer, partners or employees. TFA is up and running with $8 million of funding from Hewlett Foundation and US AID and activities in four countries Show less

As architect and then Director Kurt grew Shell Foundation into a highly effective, influential corporate social investment vehicle delivering enterprise- and market-based solutions to global poverty and environmental challenges. Over this period, Kurt: crafted an approach to programme development that identified entrepreneurial partners willing to share risks and jointly develop scalable, social enterprises;  developed unique project “framing”, management, “value assurance” & results… Show more As architect and then Director Kurt grew Shell Foundation into a highly effective, influential corporate social investment vehicle delivering enterprise- and market-based solutions to global poverty and environmental challenges. Over this period, Kurt: crafted an approach to programme development that identified entrepreneurial partners willing to share risks and jointly develop scalable, social enterprises;  developed unique project “framing”, management, “value assurance” & results measurement techniques to ensure lowest cost project delivery and highest value social ROI; worked with Shell business teams to develop and implement a variety of leading edge sustainable development interventions; & developed a unique understanding of how the private sector, particularly large corporations could best contribute to tackling social problems. By Oct 2008, Kurt had overseen development of 5 social investment platforms that deployed $40m in ways that triggered $1.4bn of investment by others in Foundation initiatives including:EXCELERATE Sustainability Ventures – a portfolio of 20+ projects featuring enterprise solutions to a wide array of climate change and biodiversity challenges. Grofin Capital (www.Grofin.org) – the most successful, private sector African SME financing facility w/ $350m under mgt, targeting SMEs needing $100,000 to $1m, w/350 transactions in 7 countries. Grofin has transformed the way SMEs are financed in sub Saharan Africa Envirofit Ltd (www.Envirofit.org) – a commercially run, not-for-profit company that has made and sold 250,000 “clean“biomass stoves in 20+ countries.  EMBARQ – Centre for Sustainable Transport (www.embarq.org) – a global network of transport experts using a $30m budget to create public-private partnerships to find sustainable solutions to urban mobility problems in 22 developing world cities. More than 1 billion people have traveld on "clean", sustainble Bus Rapid Transit systems designed by Embarq Show less