Themed “poverty alleviation through impact investment,” the China Social Enterprise and Investment Forum 2018 Conference was held in Shenzhen on Thursday and Friday.
A social enterprise is an organization that applies commercial strategies to re-invest a percentage or all of its profits back into the community to achieve their social mission.
During the forum, investors shared innovative ideas. Gavenraj Singh Sodhi, chairman of the Early Education Working Group of Blockchain Association and founder of 7 Senses Lab and Guwoo, shared his case that blockchain can be used to empower educators to realize poverty alleviation.
Apart from Sustainable Development Goals and poverty alleviation through education, we should “provide a personalized learning experience,” said Sodhi, adding he is helping orphans from earthquake-affected areas in Wenchuan to explore their talents by using tablets and robots.
Domestic social enterprises also held road shows and an investment-signing ceremony. The signing ceremony, which was held for the first time at the forum, will “change the ecology of the public welfare industry and play a positive and leading role in business trends,” said Xu Yongguang, chairman of Narada Foundation.
A social enterprise is neither a fully for-profit company nor a traditional nonprofit organization, as it is more difficult to obtain venture capital, loans and grants.
Social enterprises are now growing quickly in Shenzhen. The 4th China Charity Fair, which was held in Shenzhen in 2015, first issued the social enterprise certification.
“Futian District always welcomes foundations to settle here,” said He Jie, deputy head of the Futian District Government. “We offer government subsidies to encourage enterprises to issue social impact bonds.”