Between 2011 and 2013, UnLtd observed changes in the numbers and demographics of people applying to the Big Venture Challenge, its investment readiness programme. This comes amid growing debate about why the sector struggles to find social entrepreneurs to take on the growing pool of social investment. As this debate continues, we are exploring the sources and flows of investments for the Big Venture Challenge (the investment pipeline) and its applicant pool.
This paper presents our learning, which we hope will help others to successfully stimulate demand for social investment, improve the products available and build a larger, more diverse pipeline for social investors.