Course description
Business and Impact Planning for Social Enterprises
People in every corner of the world are innovating to solve social and environmental problems in their communities. In the past decade, new programs like MIT Solve have emerged to support those social entrepreneurs and drive partnerships to accelerate their impact. However, many startups find it difficult to develop business plans that clearly communicate their work and impact — vital factors in securing funding and other growth opportunities.
This five-week course helps early-stage social impact startups define three key aspects of their business:
- Impact Opportunity: What is the scale of the problem you are working on? How many people are impacted? and What impact might you make?
- Customer Discovery: What specific group will your solution serve, and how will it impact their lives? How can you better understand this group?
- Theory of Change: How can you be sure that your work addresses the problem you’re solving? How is your approach unique?
- Planning for Scale: How can you reach more people to scale your positive impact? Where will you gain the funding needed to expand?
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
Prerequisites
No formal prerequisites. A basic awareness of business concepts is useful, and a project that you are working on is beneficial if not required.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
What you'll learn
- How to describe key aspects of a social impact startup, such as impact opportunity, theory of change, and plans to scale
- How to analyze the social ventures of your peers and predecessors and apply that analysis to your own work
- Gain confidence in your ability to identify and address social and environmental challenges
- Course assignments can be used as part of applications to social entrepreneurship programs such as MIT Solve
Course delivery details
This course is offered through Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a partner institute of EdX.
2-4 hours per week
Expenses
- Verified Track -$49
- Audit Track - Free