Sameer Hajee, MBA ‘04D launched in 2008 a social venture - Nuru Light, which was a co-winner of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Sasakawa 2010 prize. This global award is given to organisations making significant contribution to environmental change and sustainable development. Sameer’s concept is a device which allows a portable light to be recharged by pedalling for 20 minutes. This is life changing for countries which are not wired for electricity and rely on light from burning kerosene which produces hazardous emissions Sameer’s innovative business model leverages microfinance mechanisms and creates jobs by empowering people to serve as distributors and rechargers of the lights.
INSEAD MBAs, EMBAs and alumni are increasingly interested in social ventures and impact investing. The INSEAD Social Impact Catalyst is a new initiative which aims to foster a vibrant social entrepreneurship eco-system at INSEAD capable of generating and scaling outstanding social ventures, corporate social initiatives, and support impact investing careers.
Vision
The SI Catalyst establishes a structured set of activities throughout the MBA programme for students who are passionate about social entrepreneurship and impact and fosters a thriving eco-system engaging current students with INSEAD alumni and other industry players involved in these sectors.
Structure
The SI Catalyst is an integrated sequence of speaker and networking events, workshops, project work and internships, supported by an online community, which engages MBA students from the start of the INSEAD programme to effectively ignite their social impact interests and passions. The programme connects the INSEAD community of students, faculty and alumni passionate about social impact.
Team
The SI Catalyst is directed by Christine Driscoll Goulay, Associate Director for Social Entrepreneurship. It leverages the capabilities and activities of the INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Initiative, the INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Executive Education Programme (ISEP), the INSEAD Social Innovation Centre and the INSEAD Centre for Entrepreneurship.
What MBAs are saying about the programme
"I cannot begin to describe how immensely my experience at INSEAD has benefited from the existence of the Social Impact Catalyst. I am so grateful to have a body on campus that supports those of us who are interested in pursuing a career in social impact after graduation. The faculty running the SI Catalyst have actively brought social entrepreneurs on campus, so students can learn from their experiences, for example coordinating the workshop led by Sameer Hajee, the founder of Nuru Light, a social enterprise that has won several awards. Also, they have supported the student-run social impact club, INDEVOR, with great passion and commitment, which has contributed enormously to its success." - Christine Chang, MBA July 2011, co-president INDEVOR student club
"The SI Catalyst provided me with a range of perspectives and individuals that I could not possibly have had access to - including one to one discussions with social entrepreneurs, field trips to social investors to large scale events such as the Venture Philanthropy Forum in Luxembourg and smaller ones with professors on topical issues such as impact assessment. The knowledge and connections in the social enterprise space, acquired through these events are far more than I expected when I came into INSEAD." – Lyn Ngooi, MBA July 2011
"Thanks to the assistance of the SI Catalyst and its support of the INDEAVOR club I have been able to really define what I aim to do after INSEAD. I knew I wanted to work in the world of Economic Development but thanks to a sponsored visit to the EVPA Conference in Luxembourg and a trip to London with the INDEAVOR club I have clearly defined my goal which is to raise a PE Fund in East Africa. These realization are in great part thanks to the assistance and focus that the SI Catalyst has made possible. I am really looking forward to the remaining 4 months of MBA and the interaction with the SI Catalyst." - Guy Brennan, MBA July 2011
"With the incredibly busy INSEAD student life, having Christine and the SI Catalyst has been a god-send. Its reduced the amount of time I’ve had to spend searching for things of interest and also organized some really good events that have helped me educate myself even further in the field of social enterprise." - Mukkul Dasgupta, MBA July 2011
Click here for the Structure and Sequence of Events for each MBA Class
Click here for a list of past and upcoming events
Contact: Christine Driscoll Goulay
Associate Director of the Social Entrepreneurship Initiative for further information.
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