Innovate, Incubate and Grow (IIG): A social enterprise support programme

British Council Bangladesh, in partnership with ChangeMaker (a national non-profit organisation) launched social entrepreneurship boot camp under the theme of "Innovate, Incubate and Grow (IIG): A Social Enterprise Support Programme" for the first time in Bangladesh on February 11, 2016 at CCDB Hope Centre in Savar, Dhaka.

In conjunction with the call to submit social enterprise ideas, 24 shortlisted participants with 9 innovative social enterprise ideas participated in the programme. The boot camp was a five day-long intensive workshop to enhance the participants' skills and develop their business plans before a final pitching session in front of a panel of judges. International facilitator Roy Clunie of social enterprise academy UK facilitated the boot camp along with other Bangladeshi facilitators and social entrepreneurs.

Innovate, Incubate and Grow is a distinctive social enterprise support programme designed to enhance the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills for solving social and environmental problem with a sustainable business model. The competition aims to develop the capacity of young and potential social entrepreneurs by raising their awareness of social enterprise. It provides essential knowledge of how to harness social enterprise to contribute towards supporting opportunities for inclusive and sustainable economic models with emphasis on both social impact and financial returns.

IIG is a part of British Councils Social Enterprise Capacity Building and Business and Investment Readiness Programme (BiR). The key events of the competition included awareness campaigns, the boot camp, business modelling workshops, a national pitch day, the mentoring programme for the winners and a business model showcasing opportunity at the British Council policy dialogue event in 2016.