October Update

The high points of October were definitely Mette's arrival and the fantastic 1st workshop, pictured here!
Co-hosting with UnLtd, LCL brought a group of social entrepreneurs/investors/game-changers together to work with Alex Osterwalder in applying his Business Model Canvas to social business.

The Highlights

• Established a small international group who will steward the process design. This is a key thread in what London Creative Labs is all about: generating processes that generate real-world outcomes
• Spoke passionately about London Creative Labs at a dialogue event between female social investors and entrepreneurs hosted and led by Ogunte.  Received a spontaneous offer of investment in LCL, paying for us to use MyCake.org to put our finances online, which we are eager to do.
• Sofia facilitated a big Open Space Workshop on "Future Food" for Transition Towns in Brixton. It went very well! It was excellent to be doing this work locally. (See pics here)

Mette reading Alexander Osterwalder's Business Model Generation Book

• Welcomed the true chaos pilot, Mette Pedersen from the wonderful Kaos Pilots school. She helped us to step away from the heady lights and noise of the digital world and actually make the all important steps into the communities.
• Ran a very successful first monthly lab: entitled “How to systematically generate social business models” (see pictures)
• In the workshop we unleashed a vigorous debate on social business model paradigms. Mamading initiated a google group: socbizmod and a twitter hash tag #socbizmod for practitioners uncovering these new paradigms. Join the conversation!
• Met the impressive Sandra Kabir, founder of BRAC UK. Established good rapport and intention to learn from each other; exchanging know-how on facilitation and outreach.
• Established a relationship with SMDI, the Student Microfinance Development Initiative of the London School of Economics (LSE). LCL was honoured to speak at their launch event alongside the likes of Sandra Kabir from BRAC.

This month has been about bringing the community of practitioners on social business together through the monthly lab and through the LCL role as facilitator of this process of innovation. We've also been strengthening partner organisation relationships -- it is so great to work with those that share similar values. Thank you to all our friends and advisors for your help and support along the way.