Los Angeles was the site of insights and discussion towards taking Social Entrepreneurship mainstream. Sustainable engagement models for international firms to leverage products and services for social impact in India.
The Consul General of India in San Francisco, N. Parthasarathi, headlined the 5th Annual India Trade Conference presented by the Port of Los Angeles, U.S. Commercial Service (U.S. Department of Commerce), USC Marshall, TIE, and Quanta Consulting, Inc., in Los Angeles on June 28, 2012. Theme: Innovation, Infrastructure, and Social Impact.
As part of the keynote session, Mr. R. Sampath (CEO of Quanta Consulting, Inc.) asked the entrepreneurs at the gathering to consider repositioning their products and offerings in a manner which would benefit the rural and below the poverty line communities. Apart from a financially viable business strategy it can also help the poor. Benefits include additional non-profit funding, new partners, and an underserved market segment.
An illustrative case study was last-mile technologies and solutions to empower the poor in India. Perspectives from rural India on effective strategies, partnerships and execution nuances. Broader themes were collaborative efforts between governments, companies, and non-profits to deploy scalable initiatives. Participants included Ms. Paula Golden (Executive Director, Broadcom Foundation) and Mr. Chris Harrington (Chief CSR Officer and VP Strategy, Toshiba).