The Seed Transformation Program is specifically designed for leaders of established businesses — not early-stage entrepreneurs. We’re looking for CEOs or founders of companies and market-driven social enterprises — in businesses ranging from agriculture to IT — who want to capitalize on what they’ve already created and take it to the next level. This program allows CEOs/founders to learn transformative skills through a part-time,10-month long program with a blend of in-person and online learning - allowing leaders to learn and grow in real-time as they continue to run their company. To drive company-level transformation, the management team from each CEO/founder’s company will also participate in key elements of the program.

Who Should Attend

• CEOs and founders of companies and for-profit social enterprises who want to grow and scale their businesses and positively impact their communities
• Companies that have an annual revenue between US $300,000 and US $15 million and are headquartered, legally registered, and currently operating in sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia

Program Commitment

• CEO/Founders: Participate in all in-person and online sessions with Stanford faculty, local experts, and Stanford business advisors. Join fellow company leaders from the program in four leadership labs during the program, including two held in person and two online. Identify and invite up to five members of your management team to participate in transformation workshops (see below).
  • Total expected program commitment from CEO/founders: Approx. five to eight hours per week.
• Managers: Alongside the CEO, the management team from the company will participate in the program, including four critical company transformation workshops (two held in person at the company and two online). To further engagement and learning, the CEO and up to five managers will have access to learning materials housed in the Seed learning management system.
  • Total expected program commitment from managers: Approx. two to four hours per week.
• Both CEO/founders and managers commit to working together during the  program to apply concepts and frameworks from the curriculum and workshops to their company and to design and implement a company-wide transformation plan.

The program is open to companies in all industries. The following sectors have been represented in past cohorts:

• Agriculture and food processing
• Climate adaptation and technology
• Construction, civil engineering, and real estate
• Education
• Energy
• Financial services
• Health care
• Information and communications technologies
• Retail and product manufacturing
• Tourism
• Transportation and logistics
• Water and sanitation