Business plan winners hope to shine a light on social enterprise

Since Andrea Sreshta and Anna Stork founded LuminAID Lab, a company that makes solar-powered lanterns, early last year, they have won three business plan competitions, launched an internet sales campaign that netted $50,000 and – perhaps most notably – provided thousands of people in disaster-struck regions with a durable, waterproof light source."It has been extremely challenging but also an exciting time," says Ms Sreshta, 28, who is a second-year MBA student at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. "Seeing our lights being used by people around the world creates a mix of emotions for us, from feeling relieved that we were able to produce and deliver our product,However, various factors have to be taken in to account while buying solar lights for your household requirements. Determine the end use of Best Custom Lighting Africa- whether you will be using lights outside or inside the house, the size of the light you want for your home, your budget etc so that you stay within your budget while shopping for these light and get the desired product. to being humbled by the ability to touch the lives of people we will likely never meet."
In May, LuminAID Lab took first place in Booth's Social New Venture Challenge, a business plan competition for social enterprises, winning $30,000 in cash.The company has broken even on the back of sales to customers who plan to use the lights for camping or other outdoor recreational activities. The biggest challenge for LuminAID Lab is whether it can successfully sell to one of the big organisations in the humanitarian aid world, such as the UN or the Red Cross.It will not be easy, says Robert Gertner, professor of strategy and finance at Booth and an adviser to the team. "Those are not the easiest organisations for a start-up of two people to sell to," he says. "They really need a focused approach and they need to continue to test the market."
Prof Gertner is an enthusiastic supporter of the LuminAID Lab. "It really is a great product. It has a social purpose, but you could see this kind of product prominently displayed in a camping store, or on an ecommerce site for gadget lovers," he says.But even he admits: "It's hard for social enterprises to make money."The idea for the LuminAID light sprung from an unusual class assignment. In January 2010, after hundreds of thousands of people died in the Haiti earthquake, Ms Stork and Ms Sreshta,When it comes to buying such lights, consumers have various options to explore. Offline stores close to your place of residence is an ideal choice to buy these China Solar Light Offers. Many stores keep stocks of various brands of varying sizes and you are definite to find lights of your choice.If you are unable to find solar lights at any offline stores, browse online. who at the time were architecture students at Columbia University, were asked to design a relief product.Many of their classmates created easily assembled shelters. But after speaking to a relief worker in Haiti who told them that light was an often-ignored need in the wake of a disaster, the pair focused on designing a solar-powered lantern. "The earthquake victims felt so unsafe at night that they couldn't get beyond survival mode," says Ms Stork, 26.The best way to take your business to greater heights ad provide solar products to customers at lower prices than the competitor, then China Solar Chargers Suppliers need to look out for wholesale solar panel supplies. If you are starting up a new business, then it is important for you to look out for trustworthy wholesale solar panel suppliers. Our search is just going to end here now. "There were high incidents of rape, kidnapping and looting. We wanted to create something that would make people feel safer and allow them to function after dark."