Schneider Electric’s Clean Energy Micro-Enterprise Network program is creating an ecosystem of micro-entrepreneurs in India who make affordable, clean energy products available. Unemployed rural youth are trained to become entrepreneurs who provide energy solutions, such as solar lighting, in remote areas where they reduce energy poverty. At the same time, the program allows the entrepreneurs to earn a livelihood in their villages and to create jobs for additional people who deliver products and services. Schneider Electric has piloted the program in India and aims at creating 22 000 direct and indirect clean energy jobs and providing access to safe, reliable and clean electricity to 12 million people worldwide by 2025.
With a clear vision in mind, the project team was able to make the following achievements during their participation in the acceleration program:
During the participation in the acceleration program, the project team shaped, developed, and finalized the business plan for launching a social enterprise to manage and grow the network of energy micro-entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the team honed their skills to pitch the business plan to potential investors thanks to the acceleration program. They made crucial connections with other members of the coalition to explore ideas of financing and providing insurance to the micro-entrepreneurs. These dialogues are expected to turn into a potential partnership in the near future.
In line with this, a next step of the project is to partner with financial institutions in order to provide necessary growth finance to the micro-entrepreneurs.
