WELCOME TO
THE GLOBAL SOCIAL BUSINESS COMPETITION
“SENStation invites ambitious students to create their own social business!”
GSBC: creating and supporting the social businesses of the future!
In the second edition of the Global Social Business Competition, graduate students from around the world are invited to create their own innovative social business: applying a sustainable business model to tackle the world’s most demanding problems. In an online competitive format, the student teams are supported throughout the development of their projects: with an illustration of some of the world’s most pressing problems, provided by NGO’s; with feedback from experienced social entrepreneurs; with inspiration during the SENS24 conference; with coaching from McKinsey consultants and finally with financial support, decided upon by a world-class jury.
GSBC 2013: how will you Bring SENS to Life?
Whether you are a student looking for a way to change the world for good, an experienced social entrepreneur willing to share your knowledge, a professor who would like to offer students practical experience, or just generally interested in social business: there are endless ways in which you can contribute to the GSBC and Bring SENS to Life!
GSBC 2013 Finalists
GSBC 2013 Winner
GSBC 2012 Finalists
GSBC 2012 Winner
FAQ
What is the GSBC?
In 2013, SENStation is once again organizing a Global Social Business Competition (GSBC), in collaboration with CARE International, Transparency International, McKinsey & Company and CEMS. The GSBC is designed to engage students in the field of social entrepreneurship. Hosted at the online SENStation platform, it enables them to develop and share their social business ideas and to get inspired by other projects. Most importantly, the GSBC gives students the opportunity to test their ideas by generating feedback from experienced social entrepreneurs and other experts.
In addition, the five teams that reach the finals will receive coaching from McKinsey & Company.
So… is this for you? Well, are you motivated by the thought of doing good? Making sustainable positive change happen? Meeting like-minded people and transforming your ideas into reality? If any of this applies to you, check out the info on how you can join the Global Social Business Competition and start making your positive change happen!
Who can join?
The Global Social Business Competition is open to teams of 1-6 students. Each team should have at least one student from one of our partner schools and universities.
1. You can find a list of partner schools here.
2. If you want to join but your school is not in the list, please contact us.
3. If you are a school or university that would like to partner and let your students join the GSBC, please contact us.
Team requirements:
1. Teams consist of 1-6 students.
2. At least one of the students should be enlisted at one of the participating universities. Not all students need to be registered at one and the same university.
What are the themes?
Projects can be submitted to the GSBC under the following three themes:
1. Eradicating poverty through education (by CARE International)
2. Promoting transparency and whistleblowing (by Transparency Int’l)
3. Creating jobs at the Bottom of the Pyramid (by SENStation, in which you are recommended to follow prof. Muhammad Yunus’ 0-divident model)
For more information about the themes and how to use them, check out the ‘themes’ button at the top.
How do I join?
Step 1: Send an email to GSBC@beta.senstation.org with an application form
Step 2: Sign up to SENStation and complete your profile
Step 3: Create your project
Step 4: Generate attention by writing Positive News: create your audience and keep them updated about your progress
Step 5: Find feedback: search our network of experts by market experience and skills, and invite them to review your project
Step 6: Attend the SENS24 conference to get inspired, learn from experienced social entrepreneurs, and advertise your project
Step 7: Browse other projects, get inspired and share your thoughts: helping others will help you as well!
Step 8: Have a look at the other deliverables and start preparing them, including a short video about your project.
Finally: plan your work well! The earlier you meet the deliverables, the more chance you give others to help you improve your ideas and the higher the chance you will win the competition!
What can we win?
The winner of the Global Social Business Competition will receive a grant of at least €1,000 to implement their project. In addition, you can get the following benefits from participation:
- all finalists receive coaching form McKinsey & Company
- all participants get free access to the SENS24 conference
- all participants get access to the network of experts and experienced social entrepreneurs on SENStation and the opportunity to tap into their knowledge and feedback
How are the winners determined?
There are two selection moments in the GSBC: to determine the five finalists and the eventual winner. The five finalists will be determined by online voting on SENStation. The eventual winner will be decided upon by a professional jury consisting of experts from social business, NGOs and academia, based upon the following criteria: sustainability (40%), social impact (40%) and innovativeness (20%)
What is the SENS24 conference?
On 24 March, 2013, SENStation will hold its first SENS24 online conference on Social Entrepreneurship. The conference will be a 24-hour online event, with inspiring social entrepreneurs as speakers. SENS24 will cover a broad range of topics, but all answering part of one fundamental question: what does it take to build a successful social enterprise? Each hour, one presentation will be given by an experienced social entrepreneur. The presentations will take around 30 minutes, after which there will be a live Q&A with attendants.
Participation is free for all GSBC participants!
Who won the first Global Social Business Competition?
The first CEMS Global Social Business Competition, held in early 2012, was won by team Hessex from the University of Sydney. Hessex is offering pay-as-you-go solar lighting to consumers at the Bottom of the Pyramid, hence tackling both a social and an environmental problem.
Want to help the participating teams?
Become an agent of positive change and help the teams in the GSBC realize their projects! Do you like the Global Social Business Competition, but don’t have your own project? Don’t worry, you can still play a major role in making positive change happen in the GSBC! To contribute, sign up to SENStation (it takes one minute) and indicate your experience and skills. Then, have a look at the teams participating in the GSBC and find the ones where your expertise is most relevant. Take a look at the team’s plans and give your feedback for improvement, or even offer your network, skills or resources to the team in building their project! Are you a business, NGO or university and interested in collaborating in this or the next GSBC? Please visit the partners section or contact us.
What happens with my idea once I put it online?
Sharing an idea for a start-up business can be a tricky matter. On the one hand, it enables you to generate feedback and other types of help on the idea. On the other, it risks having your idea taken away and implemented by someone else.
It is our experience that, in the social business world, the benefits of sharing your idea far outweigh the risks. We work in a collaborative community, where people are motivated by creating greater social value, not greater personal wealth. Therefore, as SENStation, we will always encourage being as open as possible about your plans and ideas, to give others the greatest possible chance to help you in the best way they could. That being said, we of course understand it when you do not share every detail of the ‘secret sauce’ that makes your idea stand out, especially if this isn’t critical in enabling others to help you.
Finally, a word on our own role: as SENStation, we reserve the right to use your project image(s) for communication and marketing purposes (see GSBC regulations). We do so, because it helps us represent both your project and our platform to the outside world in a more effective way, with increasing benefits for both. We will never, as a platform or as an organization, ‘steal’ any content from your project, be it images or the idea itself. If you have any doubts or worries about this that may prevent you from signing up to the GSBC or sharing your project, please do not hesitate to contact us.