Abe Cambridge
Impact-Focused Businesses
Few people are better placed to shed light on impact-focused businesses than Abe Cambridge, the Founder of Sun Exchange, a fintech that enables cross-border investment in solar energy projects.
Tuck InAbe Cambridge was an early solar-energy convert, despite having lived in the UK. With an academic background in climate science, he pioneered utility-scale solar in Britain and started The Renewable Energy Co-operative, which was nominated International Co-operative of The Year in the UN Year of Co-operatives.
In 2014 he moved to South Africa and shortly after launched Sun Exchange, an innovative solar leasing platform that closes the funding gap for commercial solar in sunny emerging markets. Under his leadership, Sun Exchange has grown to employ 40 full-time staff members serving thousands of users across 180 countries, raised millions of US dollars in funding and provided solar power to more than 60 schools, farms, businesses and organisations across South Africa.
Sun Exchange’s new corporate buyers programme gives SMEs an impact investing tool with which they can effortlessly do good while they earn.
10 Tasty Bites
Below is a preview of what you can expect to learn in this recipe.
1 - What Is The Origin Story Of The Sun Exchange?
2 - How Can Businesses Have A Positive Impact On The Environment?
3 - How Can Businesses Benefit From Solar If They Donβt Own The Building?
4 - What Are The Opportunities For Businesses To Solve Problems?
5 - What Lessons Did You Learn When Funding The Sun Exchange?
6 - What Perspective Do You Have For Companies On Share Options?
7 - How Can Our Entrepreneurs Be More Environmentally Conscious?
8 - How Can Businesses Have A Positive Enviromental And Social Impact?
9 - What Are The Positive Aspects Of Bootstrapping A Business?
10 - What Perspective Can You Share With Entrepreneurs Starting Out?
About This Recipe
How does bitcoin, crowdfunding and solar energy fit into one business model? Back in 2014 Abe Cambridge also didn’t know, but he followed his instincts and founded Sun Exchange, widely regarded as one of the most innovative solar leasing platforms in the world.
In this recipe, Abe shares Sun Exchange’s origin story, elaborates on the responsibility businesses have to take the lead in long-term transition projects, and makes the case that people can, and should, be the antidote to the psychopathic nature of corporate entities.
Abe also debunks the myth that startups cannot help bring about positive change, and proposes practical ways entrepreneurs can influence their industries and attract customers by doing the right things.
What You'll Learn
The recipe examines different approaches to fundraising, highlights the benefits of bootstrapping, institutional funding rounds and crowdfunding, and shares valuable thinking around giving third parties shares in your company.
It shares thought-provoking perspectives on how startups can approach social and environmental impact, as well as the customer-attraction benefits of a business that is impact focused.
The recipe furthermore suggests ways to make CSI contributions more transparent and trackable, and shares advice on product-development cycles and the timing of fundraising efforts.
Learn
Learn from someone who speaks from a position of real authority, perspective and experience.
Do
Implement practical tips and techniques learned in the trenches - doing, rather than talking.
Share
Join a cohort of like-minded entrepreneurs in our growing community and share your learnings as you go.
Get Learning
This entrepreneurial micro-course will take you only a few minutes per day (or you can binge if you want to). Feel free to skip around and please let us know what you think.
Tuck InDeep Cuts
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