Inspiration, Education and Capacity Development to Enable Sustainable Entrepreneurship

Sustainable Entrepreneurship is becoming a powerful tool that entrepreneurs can seize to meet their social, environmental and economic objectives. Sustainable entrepreneurs are critical actors for changing existing sustainable consumption and production patterns on the basis of individual initiatives. They introduce new, sustainable products and services into existing markets, open opportunities for sustainability conscious consumers and in general support societal efforts to support sustainable lifestyles.

 

Short story of the SMART Start-up

Since 2007, the CSCP has been working in promoting sustainable entrepreneurship by positioning sustainable consumption and production (SCP) as a field of opportunity to advance creativity, drive innovation and facilitate entrepreneurship. The Centre has consolidated its activities and initiatives under the overarching SMART Start-up initiative, within which the CSCP has provided training programs and developed tools to sensitize the academic community and young entrepreneurs towards sustainable entrepreneurship.

 

SMART Start-up for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

SMART Start-up ICT is the outgrowth of the CSCP experience in the area of sustainable entrepreneurship that  began with the Introducing Sustainable Lifestyles and Sustainable Entrepreneurship into African Universities and Colleges from 2007 through 2010. SMART Start-up ICT stemmed from a need to improve the quality of entrepreneurship and ensure sustainable practice in the ICT industry by inspiring not only the industry, but the society at large.

 

The journey of the SMART Start-up ICT Programme 2011-2012

 

The SMART Start-up ICT Programme focused on stimulating sustainable entrepreneurship and developing skillsets of younger generations in China, South Africa and Brazil. Working with universities and colleges in these emerging markets, SMART Start-up ICT promoted sustainability concepts as an opportunity for potential entrepreneurs. The Programme provided a platform

for collaboration between multinational companies, micro entrepreneurs, and supportive organizations in civil society.

 

Workshops all over the world

The project set its first perk during a four-day long workshop that took place in Cape Town, South Africa, on April 2011. The organization of this SMART Start-up - ICT training was supported by South African National Cleaner Production Center.

The second training in October 2011 at T-Systems in Shanghai was organized by the CSCP together with Deutsche Telekom, T-Systems China and China Guanghua Foundation. A multidisciplinary group of young Chinese entrepreneurs from Shanghai and talented students from Fudan, Jiatong, and Tongji Universities was selected to join this unique entrepreneurial experience.

 

Entrepreneurs meet multiple stakeholders

 

Apart from participation in an interactive training program, these young Chinese entrepreneurs and students were also given a unique opportunity to join the SMART Start-up ICT Multi-Stakeholder Meeting on the Future of Sustainable Business and Entrepreneurship combined with the Workshop. In March 2012, the CSCP together with T-Systems concluded the ICT edition of SMART Start-up with a last training  at the facility of T-Systems in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Besides

participation in this event, the SMART Start-up trainees were given an opportunity to join the Workstudio The Future of Sustainable Lifestyles and Sustainable Entrepreneurship - Innovation towards Sustainable Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Consumption and Production on the ICT Sector. The event opened an interdisciplinary dialogue to a broad range of sustainable business and entrepreneurship stakeholders from Brazil, including entrepreneurs, policy makers, NGOs, academia, companies and investors, as well as the next generation of Brazilian sustainable entrepreneurs.

 

 

Background

Deutsche Telekom provided kind support for the SMART Start-up ICT project 2011 - 2012.