Projects for the disadvantaged

During my quest for looking for collaborating institutions who would help identify entrepreneur minded poor communities be they in the rural or the urban area, I am facing a whole range of challenges. Reaching out to the right community set is perhaps the biggest of all. There are too many do gooders in between the entrepreneur like me and the community. Each intermediary seeks to have a bit of the pie for themselves.

Political leadership is not adequately internet savvy to take advantage of opportunities that are presented on social networking sites like linked in. Inspite of the global diffidence on the political leadership of a country, this the group that the world has to live and work with. Its evolution into the world of internet is happening and I hope that in the future we can reach and connect with them to work with their constituents. Not only this will give us return in financial terms on the money that is deployed but there is an added attraction that somehow somewhere we have made a bit of a difference to the lives of the poor.

Community development

Most community development models have been developed by government agencies, charity groups, not for profit entities, corporate social responsibility providing corporates but rarely by communities themselves. Project development and financing institutions view communities and the poor as a group who require to be uplifted from penury. The relationship between the two is that between a giver and recipient.

On the other hand business organizations build businesses and prepare business models with a view to generate ever increasing wealth. The original equity or debt gets quickly paid back by the company and the company becomes self sustainable.

The question then comes to mind is that why can we not undertake community development on business lines. After all many communities have assets in the form of land or could own rights over forests or have certain skills in arts and crafts etc.

Development professionals need to re-look at their project development models and perhaps unlearn some of their methods and look at communities as productive assets who can generate wealth just like any private business.

We are in the process of development projects on these lines.

It is becoming increasingly clear as the global recession plays itself out that the balance of economic power is slowly but surely shifting towards Asia. US and Europe will however continue to dominate in technology and research. Two way business growth between the developed countries and India and China will get stronger. Companies in the US and Europe behavior will follow the classic pioneer innovator, follower and laggard model while looking for collaboration and new opportunities in the fast growing Asia economies. It will not be too far in the distance that the followers will join the pioneer innovator clubs and the trickle will turn into a flood.

I am seeing this play out in my business where I see pioneers collaborating with us in entertainment, finance, healthcare and education. The pioneer innovators who are building these collaboration based business with us are all from USA. The Europeans are still too waiting on the sidelines.

US and European companies

In the course of building a collaboration based business I have been interacting with companies both in the US, Europe and other parts of the world. I observe some trends which fascinate and intrique me at the same time. The fastest response to a business offer comes from India and the US. European, East Asian companies rarely respond and when they do relationship building is difficult. On the other hand, I find it easier to work and collaborate with US companies who after the initial concerns on protection of IPR, commercial concerns, contract legalities etc are resolved, things move relatively quickly and smoothly. Ever since, I have been to initiate potentially long term and enduring relationships with US companies in the entertainment and healthcare segments. I hope to build similar ones in other segments like education and food processing too.

The questions that come to my mind- how to crack into the European, Australian and East Asian market and reach out to companies there. I am looking for answers but I know that ultimately I will discover and a truly global collaboration based business will come into existence.

Food processing opportunities

In today's global bear market, there are two economies- India and China who are inspite of everything continuing to grow at a reasonable pace. India is a domestic growth story. With a billion plus people it affords huge opportunity in every business segment. Unutilized capability in North America and Europe can be gainfully deployed in business ventures in these countries. We believe if projects are jointly conceptualized with talent that is drawn from across the globe, a win win model can be developed. 

Food processing is still in a nascent stage in India and there is opportunity for new products, technology, business processes and systems. 

With demand not being a constraint in this market, the challenge is to conceptualize the right project for this market. 

As a risk mitigation measure, a multi country business is always better than a single country business. 

Integrated Healthcare Development Project

This is the second of the global collaboration projects which has moved ahead with the help and collaboration of partners across the globe. SAC and Clinical Research Partners USA are collaborating to create a series of IHDP clinics in multiple cities and countries. While CRP USA is bringing the technical knowledge on the table SAC is using its business and management capability alongwith its global network to convert an idea into a business. We are also coordinating to bring in financial capital critical to a business.

IHDP implementation happens in collaboration with hospitals who provide clinical advice to chronic diabetes, cardiac and other life long ailments. We provide the day to day healthcare support critical to enable patients to live a normal life. 

Our business plans are ready, we are working to identify hospitals with whom we can build the partnership and move the project forward.

I invite innovative business ideas and owners of such ideas who are seeking to move these from the laboratory to the field to connect with us and let us work together to take these to the people.

Strategic alliances with higher education institutions

Most higher education institutions in North America and Europe are cash strapped. A lot of them work hard to attract foreign students for study. The revenues from these students helps balance the balance sheet substantially. The situation has become more difficult in the global recessionary market. 

A new government has just taken over in India. There is an increasing realization that if growth has to continue in India, more institutions providing quality higher education will be required. Higher education institutions include engineering, management and skill providing institutions. 

Early trends indicate that there is a strong likelihood that the higher education sector in India will be opened to foreign institutions. This is a huge business opportunity in a global recessionary market. Joint ventures, strategic alliances and greenfield projects all can take advantage of this opportunity. We in SAC can help you.