Traditionally when we speak about the commercialisation of research, the focus is on creating financial value through the commercialisation of STEM research (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics research).  Community Capacity Builders Program for Scholar-Systems Social Entrepreneurs takes a different approach: it focuses on creating social value and systems change through the commercialisation of HASS research (Humanities, Arts and Social Science research). 

​Community Capacity Builders Program for Scholar-Systems Social Entrepreneurs supports HASS researchers to commercialise their research through social enterprise. 
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​During Community Capacity Builders Program for Scholar-Systems Social Entrepreneurs, participants:

• explore how concepts, tools and techniques from a range of social entrepreneurship approaches could assist them with commercialising their HASS research
• create a publishing plan for various stages of the commercialisation process
• research and map the problem and solution ecosystems for the social problem that they are addressing through the commercialisation of their research
• develop a theory of change, business model and pitch deck for the initiative that they develop
• explore the support that is available for social enterprises in their community
• determine the most appropriate social enterprise type to institutionalise their initiative, and
• develop for their initiative, a social impact measurement plan and a scaling strategy​

Community Capacity Builders Program for Scholar-Systems Social Entrepreneurs has been designed for scholar-practitioners that want to develop initiatives based on their HASS research that contribute towards addressing society's most pressing problems. 

The Program for Scholar-Systems Social Entrepreneurs consists of four units:

• Balancing Scholar-Practitioner Roles
• Mapping Problem & Solution Ecosystems
• Developing Initiatives, and
• Developing Social Enterprises​

Unit 1

Balancing Scholar - Practitioner Roles

In Unit 1 participants explore how to balance the roles of being a scholar and practitioner during the process of commercialising their research.

Scholar-practitioners are individuals who “have one foot each in the worlds of academia and practice and are pointedly interested in advancing the causes of both theory and practice” (Tenkasi & Hay, 2008, p. 50). During this unit participants will explore how concepts, tools and techniques from six social entrepreneurship approaches could assist them with commercialising their HASS research. These six approaches are: the social innovation, social enterprise, participatory governance, communitarian, marketisation and complexity approaches. Participants will also create a publishing plan during this unit that aligns with stages of the commercialisation process.​

Unit 2

Mapping Problem & Solution Ecosystems

In Unit 2 participants research and map the problem and solution ecosystems for the social problem that they are addressing through the commercialisation of their HASS research. 

It is highlighted during Unit 2 that in order for participants to create initiatives underpinned by their HASS research that can influence systems change, their initiative needs to be a part of a solution ecosystem that is addressing their problem's overarching wicked problem. Complex problems are underpinned by an ecosystem of intertwined causal factors. A solution ecosystem for a given complex problem and geographical community, consists of all the initiatives in the community that are addressing any of the interdependent causal factors that underpin the wicked problem and all of the organisations that are partnering on those initiatives.

Unit 3

Developing Initiatives

In Unit 3 participants determine where to intervene in a solution ecosystem, and develop a theory of change, business model and a pitch deck for the initiative that they create or strengthen.

Theories of change contain the underlying assumptions about how and why an initiative will achieve its desired social impact and provide a roadmap that summarises the steps that need to be taken to achieve that impact.  Business models describe how an initiative will create social and economic value.  Pitch decks are presentations that are used to describe an initiative's theory of change and business model to potential partners, funders and investors.

Unit 4

Developing Social Enterprises

In Unit 4 participants identify local support for social enterprises and options for: forming a social enterprise, measuring social impact and scaling social impact.  

During Unit 4 participants explore the support that is available for social enterprises through their local entrepreneurial ecosystem.  They determine the most appropriate social enterprise type to institutionalise their initiative.  Participants develop for their initiative: a social impact measurement plan and a scaling strategy for increasing their social impact.

If you are interested in undertaking Community Capacity Builders Program for Scholar-Systems Social Entrepreneurs, complete and submit an Expression of Interest form below and we'll be in touch shortly.