About the SWAP
The
Smiling World Accelerator Program (SWAP) was created in October 2011 to address several challenges of impact investing present in various regions:
- Young organizations struggle to scale-up due to lack of clear plans / strategies, unproven business models, and weak / inexperienced management teams
- Incubators / contests exist, but management know-how / experience to support impact-first companies is limited
- Angel investor networks for social enterprises are not yet functioning well in many regions
- Willing mentors / angel investors have difficulties identifying the right targets
- High quality deal pipeline for impact investors is still weak in many regions
In 2012, the SWAP was piloted in four countries in Southeast Asia in partnership with ChangeFusion (Thailand), CSIP (Vietnam), GEPI (Indonesia), and xchange (Philippines). From over 100 applications, six organizations were selected to receive tailored business consulting and financial support in order to capitalize on their high potential for positive impact and growth.
These six early-stage ventures will receive intensive capacity-building support for 9-24 months from LGT Venture Philanthropy’s team and dedicated on-the-ground Smiling World
iCats Fellows, who will help these organizations to identify and address key areas for development. Organizational funding of up to USD 50’000 from both LGT Venture Philanthropy and local angel investors was provided to each organization in order to support them to build up their track record and make the necessary improvements to achieve sustainable growth.
LGT Venture Philanthropy manages the Smiling World Accelerator Program in close collaboration with local partners and various angel investor networks in the following Southeast Asian countries: Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines. In 2013, the SWAP will be rolled out in two additional regions: Latin America and China.
Eligible candidates
Ideal candidates for the program are either for-profit companies or non-profit organizations striving to become more financially-sustainable, which have been existing for at least one year, and can clearly demonstrate the impact of their work on less-advantaged people. Furthermore, these organizations must exhibit strong motivation and potential to scale-up their solution; be sustainable in the long-run; and benefit thousands of less-advantaged people over the next five years. Responsiveness to new ideas, as well as a willingness to be coached and engage in challenging and constructive discussions about their business would be a key requirement of any applying entrepreneur/ team.
It is envisioned that organizations that successfully complete the program will be potential candidates for LGT Venture Philanthropy’s and other impact investors’ growth-stage funds.
About LGT Venture Philanthropy
LGT Venture Philanthropy is an impact investor supporting organizations with outstanding social and environmental impact. Our team in five continents strives to increase the sustainable quality of life of less advantaged people by inspiring clients for active philanthropy, providing individualized philanthropic advice and investment implementation. Our broad range of clients benefits from the experience, systems, processes and networks built by implementing the philanthropic engagement of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein/LGT Group. For more information, click
here.
To learn more about LGT Venture Philanthropy's current portfolio of organizations, click
here.