Finance & Sustainability Internship Program is a proposed non-profit organization with the objective of providing participants with real-world experience combining financial tools with sustainable development. The objective of establishing this non-profit organization is to further develop the strong interest in international sustainable finance, as evidenced by the success of Columbia‘s Finance & Sustainability course. Participants in the internship program will include both MBA students and employees of developing country sustainable finance institutions.

 

Deliverables

 

Survey results + Mini Business Plan

Yemeksepeti wanted to expand internationally to major cities that have similar characteristics to Istanbul, large urban population with increasing ADSL penetration and good restaurant delivery base. Yemeksepeti is opening in Dubai and evaluating the market in Eastern Europe. A HBS intern did an international analysis for Yemeksepeti during the summer of 2008 and also concluded that Mexico, Sao Paolo, Buenos Aires and other major South American cities have tremendous market potential.

 

Deliverables

 

Market study in a few cities to be selected from Mexico City, Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Lima, Bogota, Santiago

Our team developed the US Business development strategy for SFC. The team combined an assessment of the capabilities of rural Indian women with the market opportunity for their services in the US. Our team also researched the opportunity for outsourcing services from the US as well as formulating a marketing strategy that includes outreach, and the development of strategic partners.

 

Deliverables:

1.    Recommend which services SFC should offer to U.S. based clients: immediately and over a two year

2.    horizon

3.    Determine the training needs for recommended service offerings

4.    Develop a plan for reaching out to potential clients

5.    Develop sample marketing materials (optional)

6.    Develop relationship with potential clients (optional)

Our team leaded the development of its 2009 business plan. Pozitron has made significant gains with its mobile banking application and expects great success from its mobile sales force automation (currently under development). The company will be looking to raise domestic and foreign capital starting early next year, and thus wants to prepare a thorough business plan to support its financing campaign. Pozitron's Head of Business Development, Firat Isbecer, worked closely with the students to develop the business plan.

 

Deliverables

 

A business plan, recommendations for the company on market analysis, management and operational structures. The students are also invited to participate in pitching the business to investors outside of Turkey.

Deliverables

 

Benchmarking report on high-quality, low-cost business models around the world. Power point presentation for how Lifespring can customize/leverage best practices to scale up.

The project involved studying and analyzing lending models being deployed by key MFIs around the globe that have been able to scale their operations effectively. Our team laid out a framework based on their decision on which MFIs to study in more detail. Analysis primarily focused on what kind of lending models allowed the selected MFIs to expand their operations efficiently, how did they structure the lending process, what products could they scale-up efficiently, what were the key bottlenecks they faced and what were their solutions. Based on this, our team developed a business plan/work plan and made recommendations for a suitable lending model that allowed KeyCredit to expand its microfinance clientele in an operationally efficient and sustainable manner. The goal was to serve 6,000 clients (a 20-fold increase) by 2010. (Please refer to the background section for  strategic objectives).

Microlumbia provided resources in terms of contacts in the industry and other sources of information that student team can leverage in their study. Microlumbia has successfully established relationships with some of the leading players in this space such as MFIs (India, Mexico etal), investors and other industry experts who will be able to extend their support and provide insights on a mutually convenient basis. In addition, Key Credit will also provide resources for research on microfinance industry in Africa.

Deliverables

 

Develop a lending model customized for KeyCredit to help attain its stated strategic objective of growing its microfinance operations 20-fold efficiently.

The Human Rights Clinic at the Law School is one of the primary vehicles for HRI‘s project work. The Clinic works with governments, think tanks, and civil society organizations to provide legal expertise. Past projects include advising the governments of Liberia and the

Democratic Republic of Congo on contract reviews and renegotiations, assisting Sao Tome yPrincipe on revising its Oil Revenue Management Laws, and working with World Bank consultants on the Chad-Cameroon pipeline.

 

Our team worked with law students to do comprehensive analysis of at least two major oil and mining contacts. The business student project team gathered relevant oil and mining industry information required to create model of the contract and run sensitivity analysis based on various scenarios. Law students provided legal analysis of the contracts as well as provide legal support to the business student team.

 

Deliverables

 

Economic model that can be given to host government officials and local activists for use and adaption for other contracts Report detailing assumptions, findings, and how the contracts could be improved, if relevant, etc

PowerPoint presentation summarizing key findings for presentation to government officials and local activists (this may require two separate presentations, depending on the skill and experience level of the government/local activists)

Training sessions for government officials and activists (optional)

Out team developed a project evaluation methodology. They did this by first understanding existing Give to Colombia evaluation procedures, as well as other benchmark organizations procedures. Our team also included donor requirements in consideration, as well as performance measures that will strengthen the organization itself. The team will test the evaluation methodology on-site in Colombia, and present an implementation plan.

 

Deliverables

 

1) A Power Point presentation for G2C outlining the key findings and recommendations

2) A Template to facilitate and standardize future project evaluations

3) Training session for G2C‘s staff on how to implement the proposed evaluating methodology (optional).

4) Training session for G2C‘s staff on how to multiply this methodology and train other NGOs in the future to have a greater impact.

Launched in 2006, Enterprise Solutions to Poverty mobilizes and supports leading companies and entrepreneurs in building profitable and inclusive businesses that incorporate millions of low income people as suppliers, distributors and consumers of asset-building products. Our goal is to double the income and assets of over 50 million low income people by 2012.

ESP will initiate activities in Kenya at end 2008 and build up its program and network of key actors throughout 2009 and beyond. ESP worked with our team of Columbia MBAs to identify leading large local companies, MNCs and emerging entrepreneurs who can be champions for change, and develop a viable strategy for ESP to successfully promote inclusive businesses in Kenya, making a major impact on low income people.

 

Deliverables

 

1. Identification of 20 to 30 large local companies and MNCs capable of being champions for change in Kenya and completion of a 2-page profile on each. Each profile should include:

a) Profile of CEO – background, strategic vision

b) Information demonstrating how each company meets the criteria supplied by ESP

c) Description of the part of the business model which engages low income people

d) Analysis of how many low income people engaged, how much they are earning, how this

segment has grown over the last five years

e) Students‘ assessment of potential areas for action

2. Identification of 15 to 20 emerging entrepreneurs in Kenya capable of being champions for change and completion of a 2-page profile on each, based on same requirements outlined in (1) above.

3. Recommendations – presented in Powerpoint format – for ESP‘s strategy for Kenya, including:

a) Recommended members of ESP Innovation Groups in the four target sectors, with

potential leaders identified for each.

b) Recommended members of ESP Entrepreneurs Network with potential leaders identified.

c) Of the potential ESP activities in country, which ones do companies feel would be most

useful in building inclusive business strategies in Kenya? (Note: ESP has already

identified a list of potential activities to be carried out in each focus country. We will

share and discuss these activities with the MBA team.)

Launched in 2006, Enterprise Solutions to Poverty mobilizes and supports leading companies and entrepreneurs in building profitable and inclusive businesses that incorporate millions of low income people as suppliers, distributors and consumers of asset-building products. Our goal is to double the income and assets of over 50 million low income people by 2012.

 

ESP will initiate activities in Brazil at end 2008 and build up its program and network of key actors throughout 2009 and beyond. ESP is looking for a team of Columbia MBAs to identify leading large local companies, MNCs and emerging entrepreneurs who can be champions for change, and develop a viable strategy for ESP to successfully promote inclusive businesses in  Brazil, making a major impact on low income people

 

Our team identified and profiled leading large local companies, MNCs and emerging entrepreneurs in Brazil that are engaging significant numbers of low income people as suppliers, distributors, and consumers of products that build income and assets, based on information gathered from interviews, ESP internal resources, and secondary sources. The team also developed ESP‘s strategy for Brazil, based on the research and analysis discussed above, focusing on issues of large firms and young entrepreneurs.

 

Deliverables

 

1. Identification of 20 to 30 large local companies and MNCs capable of being champions for change in Brail and completion of a 2-page profile on each. Each profile should include:

a) Profile of CEO – background, strategic vision

b) Information demonstrating how each company meets the criteria supplied by ESP

c) Description of the part of the business model which engages low income people

d) Analysis of how many low income people engaged, how much they are earning, how this segment has grown over the last five years

e) Students‘ assessment of potential areas for action

2. Identification of 15 to 20 emerging entrepreneurs in Brazil capable of being champions for change and completion of a 2-page profile on each, based on same requirements outlined in (1) above.

3. Recommendations – presented in Powerpoint format – for ESP‘s strategy for Brazil, including:

a) Recommended members of ESP Innovation Groups in the four target sectors, with potential

leaders identified for each.

b) Recommended members of ESP Entrepreneurs Network with potential leaders identified

c) Of the potential ESP activities in country, which ones do companies feel would be most useful in building inclusive business strategies in Brazil? (Note: ESP has already identified a list of potential activities to be carried out in each focus country. We will share and  discuss these activities with the MBA team.)

Development Alternatives is a development firm that implements comprehensive development solutions in areas including crisis mitigation and recovery, democratic governance and public sector management. They are working in Morocco with USAID.

 

In an effort to build on the “Energy Houses” initiative and capitalize on Morocco‘s service sector by linking it to international suppliers, the Program is conducting a Solar Energy Technology Value Chain Analysis. Our team’s general objective was to assess current value chains and make recommendations on how to improve their viability and the competitiveness of local firms

 

Deliverables

1)    A comprehensive map of internationally available solar energy-related industries and commercial networks with a (potential) interest in serving the North African region and more specifically, the Moroccan market (characterizing commercial links between regional, national and international actors). The map will be complementary to and merged with the one elaborated in the preliminary ground work.

1.    A presentation of key preliminary findings to local partners (namely local firms identified in the preliminary groundwork).

2.    A final report (providing complementary information, explanation and comments on deliverables 1, 2 and 3).

Cosmética Beleza & Cidadania (CBC) was founded in 2003 with the aim of helping poor women from slums in Brazil to become professional workers while at the same time, helping them improve their self-esteem, confidence and position in society. To this end, CBC founded Belissima in 2006. At the time, Belissima was currently in its pilot phase as a social business producing small glass tiles (pastilhas) to be creatively used by designers in decoration and fashion. Our team helped Belissima move from a pilot program to a social business unit that helped to CBC expand its social impact and at the same time, and provided their organization with financial resources that contribute to its sustainability. The key question for this project was: What is the most appropriate business model to transform Belissima into a sustainable social business?

 

Deliverables

 

A strategic business plan defined, including among its different elements:

An benchmark analysis of Ermelino Matarazzo unit, and of other social business organizations working with glass (Ashoka Fellowship will be a valuable source)

A detailed business model for Belissima, including the social impact foreseen for this project

A commercialization and distribution strategy

An organizational structure and description of capabilities and competences required

A detailed financial analysis

A analysis of potential dissemination strategy

MADRE is an international woman’s humans’ rights nonprofit organization based in New York. MADRE recently began selling unique items hand-crafted by woman from all over the world on its web store. Our team increased the consumer base and business of the new web store.

 

Deliverables

 

Report outlining the best marketing strategy for MADRE's online store. The report will include market research on what kidns of products appeal to various consumers, and what price points will be successful. It will also include a plan for low cost outreach, and general marketing guidelines on product variation and changing stock.

Lifespring is a chain of small maternity hospitals focused on low income clients. A previous MBA teach developed an Activity Based Costing strategy, our team benchmarked high-quality, low-cost business models around the world. Our team alsol identified best practices and key organizations that excel at providing high-quality low-cost service to customers.

Deliverables

Benchmarking report on high-quality, low-cost business models around the world. Power point presentation for how Lifespring can customize/leverage best practices to scale up.

Women's World Banking is a global network of microfinance providers and banks. Frogtek is an early stage social venture founded by former student David del Ser, CBS '08. Its mission is the employ cutting edge mobile technologies to support micro-entreprenuers.  Frogtek and Women's World Banking worked together to design and develop an affordable business support system that can benefit both micro-retailers and suppliers. The system acts as a cash register, inventory manager, accounting application, and multimedia education resource. Our team examined how IT is used for business processes in the developed world, understood the operation of a typical micro-retailer, and contrasted the two the produce a set of recommendations implemented with Frogtek's products. These recommendations were successfully tested during a visit to micro-retailers in Colombia.

Deliverables

Slide deck including: Cost/benefit analysis, requirements for implementation, expected challenges, and social/economic impact.  List of recommended features and feature by feature model of Frogtek's social impact.

The Associação Saúde Criança Renascer (means Child Health Rebirth), founded in 1991 by Dr. Vera Cordeiro, is a non-profit, non-religious, and non-governmental organization. The project was created due to the concern of Dr. Vera Cordeiro and a group of public health professionals with the suffering and misery of the children they treated at Lagoa‘s Hospital. Renascer‘s mission is to break the vicious cycle of poverty, suffering - illness - hospital admission and subsequent readmission and / or death, by assisting not only the child but his/her entire family. The Renascer‘s main goal is to create the basis for improving their health and well being with economic self-sufficiency. For this, Renascer makes an action plan for the families in 5 areas: Health, Housing, Income Generation, Citizenship and Education.

Our team assisted Renascer to expand its operations from Rio de Janiero region to a national and international scope. This required a definition of a network model, including issues of knowledge exchange, governance and sustainability. Simultaneously, organizational structure required to support this growth. Renascer has developed a franchising-like model for this expansion in collaboration with a pro-bono group of Mckinsey & Company. Working with a McKinsey consultant, our team further developed the model.

Deliverables

1. Implement plan for establishing the new structure that will work as an strategic partner.

2. Offer a range of services (IT, Marketing & Communications, Training, etc) while harmonizing with the franchising strategy and secure the service quality.

3. Revise for-profit practices in the way Renascer would measure the service quality through the organizations in the network Financial plan for central structure and network a communication plan for investors that would support fundraising and the financial sustainability of Renascer‘s growth strategy.