Elevyn is working to improve the livelihoods of marginalized communities by giving them access to a worldwide market via the Internet. According to their website, the company uses a "web-based platform that connects community-based sellers to a socially-conscious market." Elevyn works with NGO and field partners to train, consult and advise members of the community so that they may organize their online stores themselves.
By cutting out layers of middlemen, the company is able to better connect handicraft sellers in poor communities to consumers in wealthier markets. A portion of each sale will also go towards funding community-specific causes such as buying books for school. Rather than doing the work for them, Elevyn works on a "teach a man to fish basis," so that these communities may feed themselves for life.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Global Artisan Market
- The trend of connecting marginalized artisans with a global market via the internet presents disruptive innovation opportunities in e-commerce and social entrepreneurship.
- Direct-to-consumer Model
- Cutting out middlemen in the handicraft industry creates disruptive innovation opportunities for businesses operating in supply chain logistics and marketplaces.
- Socially Conscious Shopping
- The trend of consumers seeking socially conscious products opens up disruptive innovation opportunities in the retail industry, specifically in online platforms that prioritize community support.
Where This Applies
- E-commerce
- The e-commerce industry has an opportunity to leverage the trend of connecting marginalized artisans with a global market, by creating platforms that facilitate direct interaction between artisans and consumers.
- Supply Chain Logistics
- Disruptive innovation opportunities arise in supply chain logistics to support direct-to-consumer models in the handicraft industry, enabling efficient and cost-effective delivery directly from artisans to customers.
- Retail
- The retail industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities by developing online platforms that prioritize socially conscious shopping, connecting consumers with marginalized artisans and community-based sellers.
