BoP Hub’s third edition of the BoP World Convention is scheduled for September 20 – 22, 2016 in Singapore. It is one of the largest gatherings of businesses, government and NGOs to address business opportunities in the base-of-the-pyramid segment.
The convention is an action platform designed to bring together leaders and social entrepreneurs from every sector to advance business solutions to end poverty. This unique forum offers the opportunity for public and private entities to come together and co-create new solutions to build inclusive economies.
The event also has an expo site showcasing exemplary business models and products currently serving the BoP.
Founded by Jack Sim in 2011, BoP Hub is an attempt to galvanize the BoP movement in 2011. It seems to have emerged as the de-facto world trade centre for the poor. BoP Hub is a business accelerator platform with a mission to tackle poverty through trade. Jack Sim is famous for founding the World Toilet Organizaiton (worldtoilet.org).
The Bop community is estimated to consist of approximately 4.5 billion people in emerging economies, with the majority living in Asia (71.6%). These individuals exist as consumers, producers and entrepreneurs and collectively, they are estimated to represent a US$5 trillion market.
Strategy
BoP Hub’s strategy is to aggregate and scale up optimal social business models, negotiate collaboration across sectors and build an effective supply chain by leveraging the BoP community as distributors and franchisees. This integrated approach empowers consumers by providing access to products and services that have the capacity to improve their quality of life.
Excerpts of SustainabilityNext’s interview with Jack Sim
- How many projects BOP Hub has worked on/completed since its launch in 2011. Any of them in India?
Five in total. The main one is a Sanishop in India. It’s a project we franchised from Cambodia to India and Mozambique and more about it is on our sister organization (http://worldtoilet.org/what-we-do/sanishop/). Business module was done by BoPHUB.
- Does it have a more well-defined short-to-medium
term plan?
Overall: To incubate subsidiary social enterprises in different sectors, to accelerate existing businesses that help to beat the poverty.
Medium: Also in 2017, we are opening BOPHUB Design Center, timeless co-working space in Ubi Aria, Singapore.
Short: to deliver a successful 3rd edition of BOP World Convention and Expo.
- What’s the funding pattern of BOP Hub?
Originally funded by me, it is supported by directors and the board. Also, well-wishes, donors, individual and government grants, etc. Convention and road shows help to contribute.
- What are the facilities that a potential BOP entrepreneur can expect?
We also help with network and advice, but each project is very different. Sometimes we help to sell their products, sometimes – to promote their services, sometimes, advice how to grow, market the product, where to sell, etc.
Click www.bopworldconvention.com to register for the convention
