Connecting Latin America, India, and the United Kingdom to boost business with positive impact
- Jessica Oyarbide
- Sep 4, 2024
- 3 min read
The opportunities between Latin America, India, and the United Kingdom are much broader than meets the eye. In each of these regions, social and environmental challenges are being addressed by Social and Impact Enterprises, supported by the ecosystems that drive them.
For seven years, EKHOS has been dedicated to identifying opportunities and fostering the development of Impact Ecosystems. Its initial focus was to deeply understand the development, scope, and scale of impact ecosystems in India and Latin America, creating bridges between the two regions.
These Impact Ecosystems are made up of a diverse group of stakeholders: traditional and impact-based businesses, business incubators and accelerators, impact investment funds, academic institutions, consultants, civil society organizations, governments, among others. Together, they create the necessary conditions for businesses with a positive impact to emerge, grow, and consolidate.
What these regions have in common
Latin America and India share many similarities. Both regions face economies with high levels of informality, social and economic inequalities, and lack of access to healthcare, education, credit, and housing, among other issues. In both regions, social and impact enterprises are emerging that contribute to solving these problems. India has more than two million social enterprises, more than 80 impact investment funds, and diverse public policies that facilitate the development of companies that prioritize the planet and people. This makes India a favorable environment for learning how to do business differently.
In the United Kingdom, although the challenges are different due to its more developed economy, there has also been significant progress in the field of Social and Impact Enterprises. Long-term policies have been implemented to promote the emergence and consolidation of these businesses, with initiatives such as educational programs that include impact entrepreneurship from primary education to training and access to financing for these types of businesses.
What is being done in Argentina and Latin America
EKHOS, taking as a reference the advanced development of Impact Ecosystems in India and the United Kingdom, works to strengthen Impact Ecosystems at various levels. At the city level, it facilitates the creation of Impact Roundtables that promote and boost local ecosystems, such as those already established in Río Cuarto, Tandil, and Villa Mercedes. At the national level, it organizes and facilitates meetings between impact ecosystem stakeholders. At the regional level in Latin America, it is a co-founder and member of the advisory board of the Latam Impact Network, which promotes the strengthening of the Latin American impact ecosystem. EKHOS has facilitated meetings and connections between its members. At the global level, since 2017, it has worked to build a link between Latin America and India through immersion trips to India's impact ecosystem called the India Impact Route, and has recently initiated a relationship with the United Kingdom.
To integrate these ecosystems, EKHOS has launched the GIBEF – Global Impact Business and Ecosystem Forum, a global forum for Impact Businesses and Ecosystems.
What is GIBEF and how can you participate?
GIBEF is a meeting place for all stakeholders in the impact ecosystem from India, Latin America, and the United Kingdom. This forum seeks to catalyze the creation of impactful markets and business opportunities, foster the exchange of social and environmental innovations, promote knowledge generation, and mobilize investment and financing across regions.
The event will take place in New Delhi, India, from February 18 to 21, 2025, and is expected to welcome individuals, businesses, private organizations, and government agencies from 12 countries.
To participate, please visit https://gibef.com/ and explore the different packages and participation options. You can attend only the forum or participate in the full Impact Route. Download the program at https://ekhos.org/india . For more information, please contact gibef@ekhos.org .
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