The ASEAN Foundation, with the support of TikTok and SAP, launches the ASEAN Social Enterprises Development Program (ASEAN-SEDP) 2.0. This programme will provide social enterprises in the ASEAN region with access to more significant opportunities to improve their ventures through (1) Promoting productivity, technology and innovation; (2) Increasing access to finance; (3) Enhancing market access and internationalization; and (4) Promoting entrepreneurship and human capital development.

Programme Overview

ASEAN-SEDP is designed to solve socioeconomic problems and to strengthen the ASEAN Social enterprises ecosystem in the ASEAN region through comprehensive and sustainable support. This program aims to provide customized capacity building, mentorship and coaching, facilitation to market, and seed funding to youth-led social enterprises in ASEAN.

This programme offers a glimpse into the region’s diverse social enterprises, which has the potential to create a more significant social impact on the community in the region. The initiative of creating a Social Enterprises Development Program in the Southeast Asia region will bring long-term benefits and build a unique ecosystem for the larger social enterprise community in the region.

ASEAN-SEDP aims for contributing to the realisation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and ASEAN Social Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint 2025 and working in line towards achieving sustainable development of ASEAN, and will mainly support the following ASEAN work plans:

• ASEAN Strategic Action Plan for SME Development 2016 – 2025,
• ASEAN Work Plan on Youth 2021 – 2025,
• ASEAN Comprehensive Framework to address the ongoing pandemic by supporting human capital development, promoting MSME digital upskilling and access to the market, and
• UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Objective

The ASEAN Foundation with the support of TikTok and SAP will be implementing the ASEAN Social Enterprise Development Programme (ASEAN-SEDP) with the following objectives:

1. To empower youth-led social enterprises through product refinement, business model improvement, and mentoring.
2. To increase investor access to sources of funding for participating youth-led social enterprises.
3. To improve the social impacts produced by participating social enterprises.
4. To engage ASEAN youth-led social enterprises in the national and regional policy-making processes with the key stakeholders.
5. To contribute to one or more than one of the following United Nations – Sustainable Goals (UN – SDGs):

• SDG 1 – No Poverty
• SDG 2 – Zero Hunger
• SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being
• SDG 4 – Quality  Education
• SDG 5 – Gender Equality
• SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 13 – Climate Action (through social enterprises empowerment with specified targets detailed in the challenges Section)
• SDG 14 – Life Below Water
• SDG 15 – Life on Land
• SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
• SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goal

Challenge

The implementation of ASEAN-SEDP 2.0 is to continue supports youth-led social enterprises in ASEAN region through capacity building, mentorship and coaching, facilitation to market and seed funding. Also, this programme will help the social enterprises to prepare a solid exit strategy to help them get investors to sustain their impact.

The ASEAN Foundation, with the support of TikTok and SAP, are inviting social enterprises from       the 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS) with innovative projects that touch upon on the following  issues to apply for the ASEAN-SEDP 2.0: 

1. Reducing poverty or improving the livelihood of ASEAN citizens through job creation, employment- related capacity building initiatives, sustainable agricultural practices, and/or access to financial resources – SDG 1: No Poverty
2. Reducing hunger, promoting food security and improved nutrition, promoting sustainable agriculture – SDG 2: Zero Hunger
3. Providing access to better health care for ASEAN citizens, particularly disadvantaged communities- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
4. Providing or improving access to quality education/capacity development programmes for ASEAN citizens, particularly disadvantaged communities (marginalized groups, women, people living in slum or rural areas, people with disability, ) – SDG 4: Quality Education
5. Addressing issues on gender equality in the ASEAN region – SDG 5: Gender Equality
6. Promoting sustainable management of water and sanitation – SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
7. Promoting access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy – SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
8. Promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth by helping the poor through social business ventures – SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
9. Building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation – SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
10. Reducing inequalities within the ASEAN region with the inclusion of disabled persons and the person with special skill, by ensuring that no one is left behind – SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
11. Promoting an inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable city, including human settlement, transport system, green and public spaces. Safeguarding world’s cultural and natural heritage – SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
12. Addressing environmental issues related to the irresponsible exploration the nature – SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
13. Undertaking necessary actions to tackle climate change and its impacts – SDG 13: Climate Action
14. Addressing water conservation and sustainable use of ocean, sea, marine resources – SDG 14: Life Below Water
15. Addressing the issue of sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and forest, land degradation, biodiversity loss – SDG 15: Life on Land
16. Promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice and accountable institutions – SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
17. Addressing the issue of partnerships to support the achievement of SDGs – SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Eligibility and Qualification

Social enterprises from ASEAN countries who are implementing projects and creating products challenges related to the SDGs mentioned above with the following qualifications are eligible to apply:

1. The Founder, Co-Founder, CEO, or team members of the Social Enterprise who will participate in the project are ASEAN nationalities and are between 15 to 35 years old.
2. All team members must currently be residing in one of the following 10 ASEAN countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
3. If selected, the project leader must be fully committed to participating in the full cycle of the ASEAN SEDP 2.0 It is possible, though not mandatory, for the project leader to invite one to two additional team member(s) to participate in the programme.
4. The youth-led social enterprises registered to this programme should already generate some revenue. It would be preferable if the social enterprise has a minimum viable product that can be examined and presented. The Social Enterprises that already supported ideation phase from others existing incubator programmes also can apply to this programme.
5. Some team members must have good English as the programme will be in English.

Process and Timeline

Stage 1 – Programme Launching

The program will be launched as a hybrid event by engaging the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on MSMEs (ACCMSME) and discussing social enterprises’ role in the region post-COVID-19 recoveries.

Stage 2 – Call for Applications (Early April – End of May 2023)

The SEs express their interest and nominate their team to join through the Call for Applications.

Stage 3 – Shortlisting (End of May 2023 – Early June 2023)

ASEAN Foundation team will contact the shortlisted applicants and schedule interview.

Stage 4 – Interview and Assessment (Early June – Mid June 2023)

All applying SEs will be evaluated and selected based on a set of assessment criteria. The programme will be targeting a total of 20 selected social enterprises from 10 ASEAN Countries.

Stage 5 – Capacity Building, Mentoring and Coaching (August – November 2023)

There will be a three-month virtual training and mentorship followed by an offline training for around 3-5 days.

Stage 6 – Final Demo Day and Seed Grant Selection (November 2023)

The SEs will present their project including potential impact and will have the chance to win seed grants.

Benefits of the Programme

1. Curriculum Development 
   A tailor-made curriculum will be developed for the SEs; this curriculum will also leverage the ASEAN MSME platform.
   
   
2. Capacity Building 
   The ASEAN Foundation team will design an exclusive expert-led training program. The SEs will receive a comprehensive program to build capacity, up-skilling, and detailed orientation.
   
   
3. Regular Pitching and Speed Pitching for Investors 
   The ASEAN Foundation team will facilitate networking and speed pitching for SEs to pitch their ideas to potential investors.
   
   
4. Engage the SEs with the National and Regional ASEAN Policymakers 
   The SEs able to participate in ASEAN sectoral bodies such as ACCMSME and SOMY officials to showcase their impacts and recommendation.
   
   
5. Visibility and Opportunities 
   The SEs will present their project initiatives and product. Top-performing SEs will have the chance to win seed grants of up to 30,000 USD to accelerate growth of their project.

Assessment and Criteria

1. Social Impact: An analysis of the social impact
   • Does the project address one of the specified issues of the SDGs goal?
   • Will the project bring any social impact/outcome?
   • How does the project bring social impacts to targeted population?
     
     
2. Beneficiary and Market: Particular groups of population to support and reach out.
   • Does the project target and support specify groups of people?
   • Does the project particularly try to reach out to the following disadvantaged groups of people: the underserved communities, people with disabilities, and women. People living in slum areas, people living in remote areas, people with certain ethnic group, people with certain gender identity, or people with lack access to economic opportunities?
   • Who will benefit from this idea?
   • What is the value to the end customers/beneficiaries?
     
     
3. Resources: An assessment of the teams and necessary
   • Does the social enterprise comprise team members with different ASEAN  nationalities?
   • How many team members are available?
   • Does the social enterprise have additional resources which can support the operations and implementation of the project?
     
     
4. Creativity, Innovation, & Feasibility: A demonstration that the idea is unique and can be successfully
   • Does the project present an innovative and genuine approach and method of executing the project?
   • Is the project highly likely to be implemented effectively?
     
     
5. Sustainability: Long-term prospects for viability and
   • Does it consider the different dimensions of financial and social sustainability in a conscientious manner?
   • What resources (people, funds, permissions) would they need to try the  idea out?
   • What partnerships are in place for sustainability?
     
     
6. Scalability: Potential to scale up to the regional level
   • Is there a potential for significant social impact and engagement of the broader community?
     
     
7. Collaboration: Prospective collaboration that the team might explore to support their project for their sustainability
8. • Can the team specify stakeholders from government, grassroot organizations, and local communities which can support them for their project sustainability?

How to Apply

All interested social enterprises are required to apply to the programme by completing the application form on the following link bit.ly/ASEAN_SEDP by 28 May 2023. Applications submitted to other channels will not be considered. Incomplete completion of  the form will not be further processed for shortlisting. For inquiries, please contact [email protected]