BrazilDeloitte program lines up $100,000 for Middle East social enterprises
Global professional services firm Deloitte has launched the second edition of its Accelerator for Social Innovation program, lining up a total prize pack of $100,000 in value for the two final winners.
Part of Deloitte’s Corporate Social Responsibility portfolio, the Accelerator for Social Innovation supports small and medium businesses who operate with a social and/or environmental purpose.
Social enterprises from 13 countries in the Middle East are eligible to enter the program, across categories including education, health & wellbeing, environmental sustainability, women advancement, community services, and humanitarian action.
“In this 21st century, we believe that it is imperative to leverage our knowledge and resources in solving social and environmental challenges and give back to the communities in which we operate. Social enterprises are the seeds for a more sustainable and inclusive economy,” explained Rana Ghandour Salhab, People & Purpose Partner at Deloitte.
“Through this program, we want to provide innovative social enterprises with the knowledge, services, and networks to succeed at scaling up their impact and becoming sustainable.”
Mutasem Dajani, the CEO of Deloitte in the Middle East, said: “We launched the program to accelerate the power of social enterprises in the region through innovation, and to balance the desire for greater social equity with the need for rapid economic growth.”
Now open for applications, the program judges businesses on criteria including scalability, economic viability, sound business strategies and plans as well as inclusion and diversity in ownership and management teams.
Deloitte’s Accelerator for Social Innovation program is run in collaboration with Ashoka Arab World, the Middle East chapter of Ashoka – the largest platform in the world for social entrepreneurs.
The program’s two winners will receive a prize pack which includes $50,000 worth of advisory services, networking, mentoring and skills-development by Deloitte. Ashoka meanwhile will provide mentorship to the winners and connect them with established social entrepreneurs in the region.
“We are looking forward to meeting with new social entrepreneurs joining the program and knowing more about their innovative and impactful work,” said Iman Bibars, Regional Director of Ashoka Arab World, and Vice President of Ashoka.
