Our Services
Cocoro Limited has started its business in June 2005, and it established a company in Bangladesh in January 2013, with its aim to support social entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, we were engaged in various activities to support businesses, which aim to solve social issues. In January 2016, we shifted our location to Japan, and continued to work on developing sustainable businesses in Japan and Asia.
1. Businesses in Bangladesh
We were mainly engaged in following activities in Bangladesh.
(1)Research on social issues in Bangladesh
(2)Developing local network in Bangladesh
(3)Organizing seminars and workshops
(4)Delivering information to promote Bangladesh to Japan
(5)Organizing study tour programs on business in Bangladesh
(6)Young talent development
Being valued by above activities, in July 2014, Cocoro Limited signed an agreement with Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) to become official facilitator of trade and investment between Japan and Bangladesh.
In September 2014, Cocoro Limited organized “Japan Bangladesh Women Social Entrepreneurs Dialogue 2014”, a conference held in Dhaka to support women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. This conference was selected as one of the official side events for WAW! Tokyo 2014 (World Assembly for Women 2014) organized by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Various participants joined the conference, including local women social entrepreneurs, business leaders and members of international organization, and had active dialogue among the participants.
As for the young talent development, Cocoro Limited has accepted young interns from Japan. During 2013 to 2015, seven interns had completed the internship program.
2. Work on JICA’s platform to support social entrepreneurs and BOP businesses
Since June 2013, Cocoro Limited had been appointed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to develop a platform to support Japanese companies and social entrepreneurs for their businesses in Bangladesh (see Research: Achievements for the details). We developed “Bangland”, a website to promote Bangladesh to Japanese companies, and produced various articles and reports as contents of the website.
Achievements
Research (Achievements)
Consulting (Achievements)
Seminars & Workshops (Achievements)
Research (Achievements)
We will support new business developments which solve social issues through our unique research methods and wide network.
(1) Feasibility Study for Launching Social Entrepreneurs Platform and Establishing Social Development Fund to Support Social Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh
| Country |
Bangladesh |
| Ordering Party |
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): Bangladesh Office |
| Term |
May 2013 - November 2013 |
| Purpose |
Feasibility research on establishing Social Entrepreneurs Platform and Social Development Fund to support BOP businesses by Japanese companies and social entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. |
| Tasks |
- Identify issues of BOP business by Japanese companies in Bangladesh
- Survey and interview international development agencies, local social entrepreneurs and NGOs in Bangladesh
- Interview local social entrepreneurs and visit their site for research
- Study cases of platform to support social entrepreneurs in other countries
- Plan and design establishment of Social Entrepreneurs Platform
- Feasibility study on establishing new investment fund and due diligence on existing impact investment fund in Bangladesh
|
(2) Pilot on Launching Social Development Platform for Social Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh: Phase1
| Country |
Bangladesh |
| Ordering Party |
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): Bangladesh Office |
| Term |
January 2014 - March 2014 |
| Purpose |
Establishing Social Development Platform for Social Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh: Developing a new website “Bangland” to promote BOP businesses by Japanese companies in Bangladesh |
| Tasks |
- Selection of the name of the website “Bangland”
- Detailed planning of development of the website
- Development of website
- Development of contents and articles for the website
- Interview companies and visit project sites for research
- Proposal for promotion of the website
|
(3) Pilot on Launching Social Development Platform for Social Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh: Phase 2
| Country |
Bangladesh |
| Ordering Party |
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): Bangladesh Office |
| Term |
July 2014 - March 2015 |
| Purpose |
Launch and operation of Social Development Platform for Social Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh |
| Tasks |
- Distribute information through website “Bangland”
- Interview companies and visit project sites for research
- Marketing activities to promote the website
- Building local network for supporting Japanese companies
- Identify key stakeholders (local government agencies, NGOs, financial institutions, research institutions and etc.) who can support BOP Businesses in Bangladesh by Japanese companies.
- Proposal of new finance program to support businesses by Japanese companies in Bangladesh
|
(4) Project to enhance function of the website “Bangland” to promote BOP businesses by Japanese companies in Bangladesh
| Country |
Japan and Bangladesh |
| Ordering Party |
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): Private Sector Partnership Division and Bangladesh Office |
| Term |
April 2016 - December 2016 |
| Purpose |
Enhance function of the website “Bangland” |
| Tasks |
- Renewal of the website “Bangland” (Developing new design)
- Survey Japanese companies on their business development in Bangladesh (a questionnaire survey)
- Identify 15 most growing industries in Bangladesh
- Write reports and articles on growing industries in Bangladesh
- Identify successful business cases of BOP Businesses in Bangladesh
- Write reports and articles on successful business cases in Bangladesh
- Interview companies and visit project sites for research
- Marketing activities to promote the website
- Organizing seminars and workshops
|
Seminars & Workshops (Achievements)
Cocoro Limited will organize various seminars and workshops related to social entrepreneurship and sustainable businesses aiming to solve social issues in Asia.
(1) JICA Social Entrepreneurs Platform Workshop
| Country |
Bangladesh |
| Date |
September 11, 2013 |
| Organizer |
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): Bangladesh Office |
| Purpose |
To enhance awareness and understanding of social entrepreneurship. |
| Contents |
The workshop was organized for local staff members of JICA Bangladesh Office to promote social entrepreneurship in Bangladesh. This was part of promotion activities to build awareness of JICA’s Social Entrepreneurs Platform. |
(1)Japan Bangladesh Women Social Entrepreneurs Dialogue 2014 Official side event of World Assembly for Women in Tokyo, WAW! 2014/ Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
| Country |
Bangladesh |
| Date |
September 6, 2014 |
| Organizer |
Cocoro Limited and Small and Medium Enterprises Foundation |
| Sponsors |
- Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh, JICA Bangladesh Office, JETRO Dhaka Office
- Selected as Official side event of World Assembly for Women in Tokyo, WAW! 2014/ Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
|
| Purpose |
To discuss ways to support women social entrepreneurs in Asia, who strive to tackle issues such as poverty and discrimination and working to empower women for their economic and social independence. |
| Contents |
The dialogue was divided into two sessions; the first session was presentation from various organizations including case introduction from Japanese and Bangladeshi women social entrepreneurs. Second session was open dialogue between the participants.
There were 22 participants in total, from various organizations: international organization such as JICA and World Bank, NGO such as Dnet and delegation members from Asian Women Social Entrepreneur Network, an organization promoting collaboration between women social entrepreneurs in Mekong region, also joined the session. The dialogue was full of positive discussion about the challenges and opportunities of collaboration between Japan and Bangladesh to support women social entrepreneurs in Bangladesh.
For more details: http://cocorobd.com/english/rep/156
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