A social enterprise is a business with a social mission to solve a particular social issue, to make a social impact and to create social value. Unlike a charity, it does not depend on donations. It makes profits not for the benefit of shareholders but to be ploughed back into the business. When one mentions social enterprise, the Nobel-prize winner Dr. Mohamad Yunus and his micro credit model for the Bangladeshi housewives comes to mind. But when one mentions it in Singapore, we get knotted eyebrows and a perplexed look that somewhat question the relevance of social enterprise to Singapore?

Hear and learn about social enterprise from Chan Ying Lock, Chief Operating Officer of SE Hub Ltd, involved in mentoring start-ups such as Start-up@Singapore at the National University of Singapore and ideas.Inc at the Nanyang Technological University. He held positions at Transpac Capital Indonesia, Insight Guides, and Caring Fleet Services Ltd, a social enterprise that provides below-market cost transportation for the physically disabled.