Next Generation Business Strategies for the Base of the Pyramid

During the last decade, first-generation "Base of the Pyramid" (BoP) ventures focused primarily on "finding a fortune at the BoP" by selling existing goods to and sourcing familiar products from the world's four billion poorest people. Many of these initiatives did not scale, and some failed outright. But through that experience, crucial lessons have been learned. Innovators are now succeeding--thanks to a more sophisticated and nuanced approach based on "creating a fortune with the BoP. In this book, co-editors Ted London, Stuart L. Hart, and other leading BoP thought and practice leaders show how to apply these second-generation BoP innovations, techniques, and business models. You'll learn how to build successful business ventures, create sustainable business ecosystems, design new technologies with the BoP in mind, and even transform entire sectors through collaborative entrepreneurship.

Key lessons to be learned include

Roadmaps for Success

* A roadmap for venture development

* Patient capital and innovation for the BoP

Strategic Opportunities

* The "Green Leap" and the BoP

* Turning BoP needs into markets

Effective Implementation

* Understanding the BoP at the micro level

* Reframing design for the BoP

* Scaling up BoP ventures