INSEAD Social Impact Catalyst - Hub Challenge Lab

The INSEAD - HUB Challenge Lab took place on May 22nd, 2013. This was the third year that we have run this very popular and successful event. The Hub Challenge Lab is an interactive workshop where participants work with social entrepreneurs who have won HUB Fellowships on their businesses (while eating pizza and drinking beer)!

The event took place the evening before the INSEAD Entrepreneurship Forum on Impact Investing: Creating an Industry from Innovations. So it was a great way to get into the spirit of social entrepreneurship and impact investing and drew some expert impact investing practitioners to the Lab as well as current MBA students and alumni.

The participants listened to presentations by Christoph Birkholz and Ruth Armale on the Hub model and the Global Hub Fellowship programme.  You can see more information about the details of the event below. The goal was to provide valuable feedback to the two entrepreneurs on particular challenges they face in their work. Some good brainstorming and sharing, hopefully led to valuable insights for the Hub fellows.

We look forward to hosting again next year!

Details of the event:

The INSEAD - HUB Challenge Lab - Wednesday, May 22^nd, 19:30h – 22h - INSEAD Europe Campus

Description

INSEAD Social Impact Catalyst and the HUB Fellowship (http://fellowship.the-hub.net) collaborate on a unique ’Challenge Lab’. Prototyped in various HUBs across the globe, the Challenge Lab creates the space for discussing real challenges of Social Entrepreneurs to generate innovative solutions, imaginative ideas and out-of-the box approaches. Participants:     get engaged and inspired, share their knowledge,  come up with concrete solutions, and  develop their network in the social entrepreneurship scene.

Facilitators

• ·         Ruth Armalé, Managing Director, Global HUB Fellowship
• ·         Christoph Birkholz, Co-Founder and Managing Director, HUB Zürich
• ·         Christine Driscoll Goulay, Associate Director, Social Entrepreneurship Initiative
• ·         Carolin Fedier, Managing Director, Superar Suisse
• ·         Aubrey Manganye & Xolisa Hilita, Founders, Maxima Energy Holdings  - participating by video conference

Participants

Selected MBA students and attendees to the INSEADEntrepreneurship Forum on Impact Investing, who are passionate about Social Entrepreneurship.

Social Ventures

Superar

((superar)) suisse is a non-profit association for the promotion of active singing, dancing and instrument playing of children and adolescents in Switzerland, with a focus on socially disadvantaged schools and areas. In four hours of ((superar)) lessons a week, abasic aesthetic education is provided and moreover, self-confidence, self-discipline and social integration are promoted. ((superar)) suisse is part of the emerging ((superar)) network that started as a co-operation of the Wiener Sängerknaben, the Konzerthaus Wien and Caritas Vienna in 2010 and partners with El Sistema Venezuela, the world’s most successful musical-social initiative.

Maxima Energy Holdings

Maxima Energy Holding was conceived as a result of Aubrey's and his partner Xolisa's passion for recycling where they started by recycling used newspapers, vegetables and clothes through worm farming. After visiting the supplier of our worm farms they discovered that he was producing biodiesel for domestic consumption. They investigated the commercialization of biodiesel and their findings indicated that not only does the demand outweigh supply, but also that the business is sustainable, scalable, profitable and has the capacity to create employment.

Challenge Lab Programme:

• Intro – 15 min
• o INSEAD Social Impact Catalyst
• o HUB & HUB Fellowship
• o Challenge Lab
• Presentation of Superar and Maxima Energy Holdings and their key Challenges – 45 min
• Work session in groups – 45 min
• Idea pitching – 15 min
• Open group discussion: Main take-away’s – 30 min
• Dinner & Drinks will be served during the session