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Autumn School for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (2016-2019)

Our vision: a network of sustainable entrepreneurs who think and learn globally

The Autumn School for Sustainable Entrepreneurship was a project for young change-makers from African countries and Germany. It was established in 2016 by the ASA Programme within the framework of the African German Youth Initiative (AGYI) and took place once a year, alternately in Germany and in an African country. It combined peer-to-peer sessions, expert inputs and business development workshops, and aimed at creating a network of sustainable entrepreneurs who think and learn globally.

Aufgrund des internationalen Charakters der Autumn School liegen die zugehörigen Veranstaltungsdokumentationen ausschließlich auf Englisch vor.

Past editions

Establishing global partnerships, generating new ideas together and improving technical skills for sustainable entrepreneurship were at the centre of the Autumn School for Sustainable Entrepreneurship in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The overarching theme varied from year to year.

The format was launched in Germany’s leading start-up hub Berlin in 2016. The Autumn School 2017 edition took place at Buni Hub in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in partnership with Ashoka East Africa on the topic of Climate Change. The Autumn School 2018, which took place in Stuttgart, Germany, was organised in cooperation with the Baden Württemberg Foundation for Development Cooperation and the Social Impact Lab Stuttgart under the overarching theme of Digitalisation. The Autumn School’s 2019 edition in Accra, Ghana, was realised by Engagement Global together with the Impact Hub Accra, the city of Accra and numerous economic and civil society institutions mainly from Ghana and Germany.

To content and pictures of past editions

Vision

The Autumn School was driven by the vision of a transition towards a more sustainable economy. As a learning platform it has enabled the participants to extend their knowledge about different aspects of sustainable entrepreneurship, increase their social impact, share their locally acquired best practices and creative approaches with each other, and become part of an international network of young people sharing the same spirit of sustainability.

Menschen stehen für das Gruppenfoto zusammen.
Participants, Alumni and Partners of the Autumn School for Sustainable Entrepreneurship 2018 in Stuttgart, Germany. Foto: Markus Karl

Sustainable Entrepreneurship addresses social or ecological problems through entrepreneurial efforts. Many of these problems are of a highly complex and global nature. They require integrated responses, based on resources and know-how from different regional actors. By creating a common understanding of sustainable entrepreneurship in the global context the Autumn School wants to facilitate a dialogue and the implementation of sustainability projects across continents.

Contents of the Autumn School

  • Virtual preparatory phase where participants are supported by Autumn School alumni to find solutions to their main business challenges
  • Inspiring expert inputs and discussions on sustainable business and sustainability issues
  • Peer-to-peer sessions where participants convene and learn from each other and from invited international guests
  • Meetings with Strategic Partners where participants can critically discuss their business plans
  • Field visits to selected regional projects
  • Attendance of the ASA Kaleidoskop – the ASA Programme’s annual multi-stakeholder networking event on sustainable business

Participants

Menschen stehen für das Gruppenfoto zusammen. Im Hintergund sind die gedeckt farbigen Vorhänge, eine Pinnwand und Fenster rechts des Raumes zu sehen.
Participants of the Autumn School 2017. Copyright: Manuel Dingemann

Each edition of the Autumn School was aimed at up to 25 sustainable entrepreneurs addressing social and environmental issues either in Germany or on the African continent, and who are interested in improving their business models and in increasing their impact. The format had been particularly suited for entrepreneurs in the early implementation phase of their project.