Non Profit Incubator Promoting Social Entrepreneurship in China

The Non Profit Incubator (NPI) is a unique nonprofit organization in China that is cultivating social entrepreneurs and promoting social innovation. It provides crucial guidance and support to new start-ups and small to mid-sized grassroots social enterprises. This is the first nonprofit incubator and an incubation park in China with a focus on strengthening the social enterprise sector in the country.

NPI's leaders are drawing their lessons from the remarkable evolution of the private sector in China. They are integrating ideas and resources drawn from business and applying them to the development of the civil society. In recent years, China has witnessed a spurt in the number of corporate leaders bringing their resources and knowledge together and applying to promote the social enterprise sector.

NPI introduced the concept of venture philanthropy in 2007, and today its funds dedicated for venture philanthropy stand at RMB 50 million. This fund goes to support more than 300 social enterprises and nonprofits. NPI designed and developed the Shanghai Social Innovation Park in 2010, where a number of social entrepreneurs are pushing the envelope of creativity.

NPI is now embarking upon its most ambitious project called the NEST Shanghai: A Nexus of Social Innovation and Community Development. This multi-million dollar project will be established at the site of the old Shanghai Municipal Orphanage. The project will be partly funded by the Shanghai Ministry of Civil Affairs, and it will include the restoration of historic buildings. The project will also include the creation of an advanced incubation and social innovation center of global importance.

The site for the NEST Shanghai sprawls over an area of 24,000 square meters. The global social innovation center at this site will be breathtaking in scale, and will become a hub of collaboration and innovation between the government, the social sector and the business sector. The center will serve as a beacon for all such efforts of social enterprise and venture philanthropy throughout China and the rest of the world.

Photo Credit: svilen001