Abstract

The case discusses the innovative business model adopted by KickStart International, Inc. - an organization started by Martin Fisher and Nick Moon, two social entrepreneurs — to promote development in some African countries. It describes the rationale for setting up KickStart, the basic tenets of its model, and the various devices developed by the organization, including the successful MoneyMaker series of irrigation pumps. The case also provides an overview of KickStart’s operations and the contribution of its devices to development in the countries in which it operated. The case ends with a discussion on the challenges faced by the organization and its future outlook.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Social Entrepreneurship and the use of a market-based model to tackle the problem of poverty
• Comparison of market-driven approach with conventional aid-driven approaches to development
• and Marketing and promoting new products in poor countries.

Keywords

KickStart, MoneyMaker Pumps, social enterprise, Social entrepreneurship, give-away aid program, developmental initiatives, five step market-based model, irrigation technologies, Super MoneyMaker Pressure Pump, marketing and distribution, target customer, aid agencies, tipping point, treadle pump