🌟 Welcome to BfE's First Rendezvous! Get in on the Buzz! 🎉
Hey BfE Crew,
Guess what? The BfE Quarterly Newsletter has officially landed in your inbox! 🚀 Time for a quick burst of energy and updates.
👋 Kick-off Message:
Catch a vibe with our Global President. What’s cooking at BfE? They spill the beans!
Welcome to our first external newsletter! We’re excited to share more news from across the organisation with you. If you’re reading this, it means that you’ve likely been our supporte for a while, or at least curious about what we do. Thanks for being part of our journey! We’re looking forward to growing the non-profit and recently publicized our first full-time paid Programme Manager position, which you can learn more about in this newsletter. If you know someone who would be a great fit, please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected].
Have a wonderful week ahead! Onwards and upwards.
🌈Startup Interviews:
Get the inside scoop from startup heroes, mentors, and industry rockstars.
Spoiler alert: Our debut story is here! We got to share a startup story through the lens of Jana Bunagan (Founder) at The Good Trade - Philippines.
In The Good Trade, we believe in a life that’s good and does good. We’re a sustainability platform that provides #AllTheGoodStuff to a community wanting to create change! Through either our choices in life or business, we make better alternatives more accessible than ever.
How did it start? The organization started as a zero-waste and sustainable fair in 2018, popping up in spaces that brought together like-minded brands and individuals who cared about the environment as much as they did about their stuff.
Because we’re all about conscious consumption, we made sure that our fairs were more than just buying and selling, there were talks and open demos, repair stations, recycling partners and opportunities to advocate for causes close to our hearts.
How did the Covid-19 Pandemic impact you? Following the pandemic, we made changes to the business model, like transitioning to online sales and launching a compostable packaging line to cater to the needs of our communities.
What does impact mean to you? Impact is at the heart of what we do and we only wish to leave a positive one. So when you shop with us, you’ll know exactly what impact you will make on your planet. We only work with brands who are zero waste & eco-conscious; mission-driven; vegan, plant-based & cruelty-free; and fair trade, artisanal, and local. Such products are overwhelmingly plastic-free, reusable, recycled, and compostable.
📚 Read & Roll:
Dive into case studies, articles, and snazzy infographics. Because who said insights can’t be stylish?
Today you get a chance to learn more about BfE!
Founded by students at the University of Cambridge in 2015, Bridges for Enterprise (BfE) began as a small club with big dreams: to make a difference in the world by empowering social enterprises. Through its flagship Incubation Programme, BfE provides pro bono advisory services to social innovators in developing countries. These services support them on the path to financial sustainability and impact creation in their communities. Nine years and global expansion to five student-run chapters later, BfE continues to make a difference in the social enterprise sector.
The BfE Incubation Programme is run by five student-run chapters based in top global universities, including BfE Cambridge (Cambridge University), BfE New York (New York University), BfE Singapore (NUS, SMU, Nanyang Tech), BfE Vancouver (University of British Columbia), and BfE New Delhi (Delhi University, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business). The Incubation Programme thrives on the collaborative efforts of passionate students and experienced professional mentors who generously volunteer to contribute their expertise and time to help support the growth of the cohort participants.
🚀 Reports & More Juicy Bits:
Stay in the loop with reports, infographics, and sweet opportunities from BfE and friends.
Each year, Bridges for Enterprise (BfE) accepts early-stage impact-driven startups into its Incubation Programme biannually for the Spring and Autumn Cohorts. The Incubation Programme offers a unique opportunity for early-stage social enterprises in emerging markets to receive free tailored advisory support over a 6–8 month multi-stage journey. Startups will work with BfE Chapters to further develop core aspects of their business, from optimising operations and fundraising strategies to risk management and product development. The structured approach includes 3–4 month-long Consulting and Finance Advisory engagements, complemented by optional legal and technical advisory assistance. This season we highlight last year's Autumn and Spring 2023 cohorts!!
9 startups selected for the Autumn 2023 Cohort
The Autumn 2023 Cohort had 73 applications from across the globe with 23 countries represented and a 30% representation in applications by female-led organisations. Regionally, almost 80% of applications came from Sub-Saharan Africa and 29% concentrated on the Food and Agriculture sector. Unlike in previous cohorts, the startup selection process was regionalized, with startups reviewed according to their geographical location (EMEA, APAC, Americas).
11 startups selected for the Spring 2023 Cohort
The Spring 2023 application round drew 133 applications from 35 countries, with 32% being women-led. After a multi-stage evaluation, the final 11 startups were admitted to the Incubation Programme, representing 8 countries.
🌐 Opportunity Knocks:
Discover funding, collaborations, roles and mentorship opportunities– your golden ticket might be a click away!
BfE is excited to be hiring for a paid full-time Programme Manager role!
Are you passionate about empowering visionary social entrepreneurs and scaling volunteer opportunities globally?
Are you eager to be in an entrepreneurial position helping to lead a global non-profit?
If so, we invite you to join our dynamic, multicultural team!
The expected start date is from July 2024.
🎉 Playtime & Events:
Get the lowdown on BfE events, workshops, and community vibes. Networking just got cool again!
Most of our student chapters are on summer break now and we expect events to resume as soon as they are back.
An upcoming application deadline may interest you or a startup in your network. BfE has a rolling application deadline, but we encourage startups to apply by 1st October to be considered for the Spring 2025 Cohort.
🚀 Tips & Polls Lightning Round:
Snackable tips for your entrepreneurial journey and quick polls for your two cents. We're all ears!
We’d love to hear from you! As we curate the newsletter for you, what would you like to know about BfE and/or receive in the BfE Briefs?
Cheers,
BfE Newsletter Squad 🚀
