New social business launched at 61st Social Business Design Lab
The 61st Social Business Design Lab organized by Yunus Centre took place on 16 March 2015. As usual the half day long program was chaired Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and brought together 160 participants from home and abroad.
This lab presented six new Nobin Udyokta (new entrepreneurs from second generation of Grameen Bank borrowers) business plans, among them three young women and three young men. The three young women at the lab presented a beauty parlor business, a cow fatterning business and a variety store business respectively. These three, Rina, Shohagi and Josna each presented their business plans confidently to the gathered audience and fielded questions, including technical ones, from members of the audience about the details of their business plan. Years ago their mothers had been living on the margins of society and began their journey with tiny loans. Grameen Bank has not only changed the lives of its women borrowers but also the life trajectory of their future generations.
Ms Shohagi Alaom Nupur was one of the young women presented a proposal for her variety store. 1,50,000 BDT to match her own investment into the business of 2,00,000 BDT. She will use this investment to build her business over 3 years to yield her a yearly profit of around 1,00,000 BDT. Shohagi shared how she dreams of one day having a shopping mall.
Another note worthy project was the telecom enterprise presented by physically challenged entrepreneur Md. Pujir Uddin requesting for equity funding under Grameen Telecom trust's social business fund to support his telecom business. He has been struggling to overcome his physical limitations, and those imposed by society on disabled people, to build his own business with the unstinting support of his mother who has been a long-term Grameen Bank borrower.
The presentations provided details of their business plans, details of the investment needed, monthly and annual profits, breakeven point for the business, and payback period of each investment. The projects were discussed in detail in plenary and in group discussions, and all six were approved for investment through social business funds. Once the investment is paid back to the social business fund, the entrepreneur becomes the full owner of the business which generates income for his or her family and employment for others.
During the lab, there was a special presentation made on the recently launched social business Japan Auto mechanic Ltd, which is a joint venture between SK Dream of Japan, Rangs, and Grameen Shikkha to provide world class auto mechanic training for kids of Grameen borrowers. These young auto mechanics would ultimately be placed both internationally and locally. The first group of ten trainees began their training mid January 2015.
The lab also saw the signing of a joint venture agreement for Biomass Based Power Plant and Fly Ash Brick Plant a first of its kind renewable energy project which has received 10 crore taka for its business from Grameen Telecom Trust. Grameen Kalyan signed agreements with 5 new young entrepreneurs. 
At the end of the event, Professor Muhammad Yunus noted that 717 new social businesses projects had been established since the launch of Social Business Design Lab in January 2013. The young people running the businesses decided to rather become job-givers rather than being job-seekers. They would not only provide employment for themselves but also create jobs for others in their communities.
Professor Muhammad Yunus ended with an invitation to the next Social Business Design Lab. on 16 April 2015 and to the 6th Social Business Day celebration which is a global celebration on 28 May, 2015. The event was live streamed by Yunus Centre and watched online by participants around the globe.
