Hello. Nice to meet you! As Bee Innovations we create new and solid innovative business models for under served and emerging markets. We believe this is the most effective way to meet the needs of poor people and create long-term development impact. We partner with NGOs and companies that look for business models that are well-suited to the local context and that benefit from social business models. Bee Innovations is a social business start-up with a non-for-profit ambition.

Experienced in both the worlds of development and business, we advise development organizations and companies on innovative solutions. We use a process called Business Innovation Cycle to turn ideas and concepts into reality. Business models in developing countries require extreme cost-effectiveness and value-addition to become interesting for the target group. By addressing key constraints of affordability, distribution, user needs, literacy and education levels we create products and services that are rock-solid and will therefore create the most impact for the largest number of people.

Our Journey

Our journey in international development started 8 years ago. Being involved in development programs in South Sudan, Bolivia, Bangladesh and Ethiopia we saw the large potential of the use of innovative products and services to solve practical problems, such as the use of innovative cooking stoves to make it easier and cheaper to cook meals, or the use of mobile technology to provide farmers with market price information.

We also observed that to introduce innovative products and services successfully it will need a sound business model to guarantee sustainability and scalability. This business model can best be developed and executed in partnership with local entrepreneurs, end-users, and NGOs and donors (at the start-up phase). We believe that the key to do so is to empower the right people and organizations, and to create the right partnership.

Products and services that are developed and created with local entrepreneurs and the end-user have a much bigger chance to actually improve the livelihood of poor people –and also to do no harm. Therefore we advocate an inclusive, participatory approach to develop and introduce innovative products and services.

What We Offer

As Bee Innovations we offer:
• Advice to businesses, NGOs and knowledge institutions about inclusive and affordable products and services for underserved people
• Partnership brokering and matchmaking for cross-sectoral partnerships
• Manage funding processes and subsidy applications
• Kick-start products in partnership with international and local 'Southern' organisations