BCE Impulse was founded in March 2010, inspired by a project called Insert Africa. Students from Göteborg International Bioscience Business School established Insert Africa in 2007 where the focus was on social entrepreneurship, aiming to improve living conditions in Africa.

Social entrepreneurship initiatives are to use a market-driven business models to address key social and environmental issues. A social entrepreneur is someone who recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create, and manage a venture to make social change. Whereas a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a social entrepreneur focuses on creating social capital. Thus, the main aim of social entrepreneurship is to further social and environmental goals.

Seven students from three continents, all students at the BCE program at Tromsø Business School, are the founders of BCE Impulse. The aim of BCE Impulse is to create income opportunities through innovation. BCE Impulses vision is to:

“inspire people to improve living conditions and welfare through small-scale business activities. BCE Impulse will be associated with sustainability, engagement, commitment, equality and happiness.”

The first BCE Impulse team wants next year students to continue the organization and make this a yearly experience for students at the BCE program. The BCE Impulse board chooses which project the initiative will work on the coming year, whether it is continuing last year’s project or a new one. BCE Impulse is a unique opportunity for the students involved to get hands on experience in project planning and at the same time creating a sustainable future for a community somewhere in the world.

Sustainability is a key word for BCE Impulse, both for the chosen projects and for the organization. It is important for the founders of BCE Impulse that it becomes a well-known brand associated with sustainability.

You can read more about the BCE Impulse project at bceimpulse.no and our project report: Bright ideas for a better future, Kenya