Angaza: A Silicon Valley journey (Abridged)
Angaza’s story is not a typical solar light story, but the story of a female social entrepreneur with a for-profit Silicon Valley mindset transforming a social enterprise from a hardware to a software business model. It is about pivots, changing value propositions, and new products and business models as Angaza evolves to escalate social impact while still making money. Angaza began as a solar-light company founded in 2010 by Stanford graduate Lesley Silverthorn Marincola to address energy poverty in rural off-grid communities. In her quest to address affordability, Lesley realized that the main problem confronting rural off-grid communities was not the price of solar lights per se, but finding a way to spread payments over time. In 2012, Angaza pivoted from being a solar-light producer to a software provider offering pay-as-you-go (PAYG) metering and monitoring technology to players in the solar-light ecosystem – manufacturers, distributors and mobile network operators. The PAYG technology allowed end consumers to buy solar-light products by paying small amounts over time, until they eventually owned them outright. At the end of the case, students are confronted with a very real dilemma facing the founder and leadership team of many start-ups, including Angaza – what are the next opportunities for the company? Is it further scaling (if so, scaling up or deep), a pivot (into data), or an exit (sell the business)?
- Identify features of business models used by a for-profit social business
- Analyse differences between the growth potential of hardware vs. software value propositions
- Recognize the growth tensions and dilemmas of a for-profit social business
2010-2019
Cranfield University
Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]
Harvard Business School Publishing
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]
NUCB Business School
1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]
IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
- Angaza: A Silicon Valley journey
- Angaza: A Silicon Valley journey (Abridged)
- Angaza: A Silicon Valley journey
- Angaza: A Silicon Valley journey (Abridged)
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
The case study delves into strategic transformation and leadership transitions at Unilever since 2009. Unilever has been an industry leader of busi...
![](https://www.imd.org/ibyimd/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/channel-feature-image-720x630.png)
A series of watershed events forced CHANEL out of its comfort zone, culminating in the launch of CHANEL Mission 1.5° in 2020. This strategy saw the...
![](https://www.imd.org/ibyimd/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Copy-of-General-image-banner-3-720x630.jpg)
Creative industries have a key role to play in creating positive social change. Here are six key insights to help them achieve their goals.
![](https://www.imd.org/ibyimd/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/EU-flag-2.jpg)
New EU sustainability regulations will place additional demands on mergers and acquisitions for businesses
![](https://www.imd.org/ibyimd/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/EU-flag-2-720x630.jpg)
The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will impose comprehensive and standardized sustainability reporting responsibilities on ...
In recent years, sustainable leadership has emerged as a powerful force reshaping corporate strategies worldwide. At its core, sustainable leadersh...
![](https://www.imd.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20230823-Venturing-Ecosystem-Insights-article-ecosystem-business-740x374-comp.jpg)
![](https://www.imd.org/ibyimd/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BP_Activists_final-720x630.jpg)
A rise in climate change protests against leading arts institutions spells trouble for the future of corporate sponsorship. Companies and cultural ...
![](https://www.imd.org/ibyimd/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AdobeStock_326086660-720x630.jpeg)
Confrontation between China and the West at this weekend’s G7 summit will slow climate change mitigation and impoverish everyone, warns IMD’s Julia...
![](https://www.imd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240624-Book-Circular_Business-Card-740x374-1.jpg)
This practical book will help you transform your business from a linear ‘take-make-waste’ approach into one that is sustainable, circular, but also...
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in I by IMD 5 July 2024
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in Hitotsubashi Business Review Summer 2024, vol. 72, no. 1
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in I by IMD Magazine June 2024, no. 14, pp. 33-35
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications