Studio Approach

The Social Startup Studio follows an approach that was informed by foundational research we undertook. 

The Studio has four stages of social enterprise development, each of which has a number of elements. In The Studio, Enterprises are guided through each stage, but the rate and order of acquisition of elements may vary, as may each Enterprise’s entry and exit point.

Upon joining The Studio, we help Enterprises to determine their current stage and the elements they already have in place. We then support them to move through each stage and acquire the elements they need to develop a sustainable social enterprise. Exit from The Studio isn’t driven by time; it occurs if we, jointly, aren’t making progress.

The Social Startup Studio is ….

  • Social enterprise specific:

Our methods are specifically developed for social enterprise. By that, we mean that your organisation’s primary reason for being is to solve a social (or environmental) problem via a trading business model.

  • Focused on early stage enterprises:
The Studio supports early-stage social enterprises anywhere in their journey – from idea to the point at which there is a solid and sustainable business model (pre-their next stage of growth). This will generally be between zero and five years … but it is more about where you are at than how long you have been going.
  • Adaptive, applied and iterative:
The Studio is designed to support reflective and iterative approaches to social enterprise development. The Studio approaches social enterprise development as more of a quest than a linear process. Within each stage, there is no fixed course; Studio Enterprises will be at varying stages and acquire the elements they need in their own timeframe.
  • A community of practice:

The Social Startup Studio helps to build each social enterprise’s community of practice – that community will include The Studio Team, other Studio Enterprises, advisors, the broader social enterprise sector, philanthropy and social finance, mentors and students.