Comprehensive, Innovative & Collaborative – Stanford Seed Transformation Program Now in India

“Within two years I have gone from 10 people to 39 directly and close to 150 indirectly. Now the boy from the streets of Nigeria has been invited by the White House for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit; that is all thanks to Stanford Seed. Isn’t that amazing?”

Afolabi Abiodun, MD and CEO, SB Telecoms, Nigeria

Since its inception, more than 223 entrepreneurs and 342 senior staff members have benefitted from Stanford’s Seed Transformation Program – a Graduate School of Business initiative in collaboration with all seven Stanford schools, that is working to support entrepreneurs in leading their regions to greater prosperity.

The Seed Transformation Program is focused on helping established business leaders, in developing and emerging economies, take their business to the next level, create exponential growth and generate new jobs. This 12-month, intensive leadership program is a key initiative of the Stanford Seed.

When talking about the program, Jesper Sørensen, Robert A. and Elizabeth R. Jeffe Professor of Organizational Behavior at the GSB and Faculty Director of Seed said, “In six months, participants learn about leadership, strategy, business ethics, accounting, marketing and value chain innovations. Through in-company workshops, trained local Seed facilitators will provide training with the entrepreneur’s leadership team. They will also provide networking, resources, and ideas to help participants implement their transformation plan.”

Stanford Seed was initially launched in West Africa in 2013 and subsequently expanded to East Africa in 2016 where the team mentored business leaders with the goal of promoting prosperity in these regions. With nearly two-thirds of participants reporting increased revenue and job creation, in its 5th year, Seed Transformation Program expanded to Chennai, India which is open to business owners from across the country.

The program is a yearlong, on-the-ground leadership program for the founders and leaders of small and medium-sized enterprises and provides unique value for participants by combining immersive class sessions in, taught by Stanford GSB faculty, with ongoing support and leadership development delivered by trained local Seed staff. The program curriculum focuses on helping participants develop leadership and management skills for scaling businesses and generating jobs. Participants engage in four intensive, week-long sessions over the course of nine months on topics such as leadership, strategy, business ethics, accounting, marketing and value chain innovations. Not only do entrepreneurs get support from trained local facilitators to introduce what has been learned to their respective company and promote buy-in, participants also get the opportunity to build relationships with like-minded leaders to share experiences and develop an ongoing peer-to-peer support network.

Founders and senior leaders of for-profit companies who want to grow and scale their companies, thereby creating jobs, products, or services that benefit those living in poverty, are encouraged to apply for the program. The application period is now open for the Seed Transformation Program and will end on May 26, 2017.