Over the last decade, Acumen has invested roughly $20 million in 18 social enterprises in East Africa, India and Pakistan to build the largest portfolio of off-grid energy companies serving the poor. Working across every step of the energy ladder, these social enterprises have provided tens of millions with access to energy and helped them … Continued
Despite massive gains in global access to electricity, nearly 1.2 million people, mostly across developing countries in Asia and Africa, live with limited or no access to electricity. Historically, the government has been responsible for providing power through the grid. This is not only a slow process plagued by corruption and bureaucratic delays but also … Continued
On May 26, six renowned Bay Area chefs and more than 100 guests came together for a night of food and social impact in honor of Acumen and our investee, BURN, a producer and distributor of highly-efficient, affordable cookstoves in East Africa. The event took place at The Battery, a private club located in San … Continued
There is article after article about why businesses and investors should seek new ways to be more inclusive of women in their business models. But what we’ve learned at Acumen, where we invest in business that solve problems of poverty, is that leaders of social-purpose businesses are already doing this, and perhaps there’s something we … Continued
On April 12th, Acumen and the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship hosted a workshop in Oxford, England with representatives from large corporations and smaller social businesses from around the globe. At the workshop, entitled “Beyond Dialogue,” we asked: How can we build business models that truly serve the poor through collaboration among corporations and social … Continued
GE Foundation and Acumen joined hands to accelerate the phenomenal work being done by Acumen India CEOs and their companies in tackling challenges of building sustainable enterprises to eliminate poverty. The two day Summit, organised on 29th and 30th October in Waterstones, Mumbai, set stage for exchange of ideas amidst Acumen India companies, old and … Continued