Building robust M&E system to measure impact of enterprise programme

Genesis Analytics was hired by the Argidius Foundation to develop the monitoring and evaluation system of Seedstars - an international social enterprise based in Geneva aimed at supporting high-growth entrepreneurs. This is done through training programmes that are designed to align with the life cycle of the enterprise, international summits and competitions, mentoring, connecting businesses with investors, and investing in businesses themselves.

Seedstars has seven offices in developing markets which act as workspaces and support centres for the entrepreneurs.

By building Seedstars’ M&E framework, Genesis provided Seedstars with the ability to monitor and assess its impact in a systematic and robust way. Genesis was also commissioned to assess Seedstars' achievements to date. Bridging the gap between the business lens and the social-impact lens is a tricky dynamic that can result in tedious or useless engagements without making headway.

To understand and develop the impact pathways for Seedstars, Genesis used the Impact Management Project’s innovative impact lenses to build a framework that bridged the gap between Seedstars’ experiences as an impact-oriented organisation in the private sector and the need to frame its results in a development context. This was done through comprehensive consultations and working together to build a TOC, define indicators, and help design an impact-data repository for the global team to use immediately.

Seedstars has indicated that our work took it from having an impact narrative to having a clear demonstration of real impact. It helped the Seedstars team to navigate its internal strategy and provided Seedstars with a valuable summary of its impact vision. Seedstars has reported that this has been essential in discussions with potential funders.

Genesis was aware of the unique impact of collaboration in this project. For this reason, Genesis and Seedstars co-authored a blog for the American Evaluation Association to showcase the power of building an impact-orientated mindset in a traditional private sector organisation.