Noen || Help to Rebuild the Silk Road

Noen has changed into NewSilkRoads. With NewSilkRoads we have chosen a different strategy to connect East and West through entrepreneurship. Instead of focussing on entrepreneurial projects, we are focussing on developing businesses with solid commercial returns and considerable development impact.  We focus on social enterprises, because they are self-sufficient, which means that their impact lasts longer. Currently, we are starting-up two enterprises in Cairo: a co-working space, an office space were social entrepreneurs share facilities and work cost-efficiently,  and a Stroopwaffle enterprise, a franchise that sells the traditional Dutch Stroopwafels. From now on, our website will be www.newsilkroads.com.

The speed at which we build the New Silk Road is increasing rapidly; currently we are working on expanding our organization; both in the Netherlands and in the Middle-East and North-Africa (MENA). We are finalizing our operating model, organizational structure and focus and prepare to expand our team of adventurers. Expect exciting updates soon!

Our team member Arthur is in Cairo again, to get in touch with the social entrepreneurship initiatives, networks and people and looking to work out a social business proposition. Although we were already inspired by the strength of the young generation in the Middle East and North Africa and knew their potential, the current changes demanded reflection, that peaked during our participation at Worldconnectors Round Table on Civic Driven Change in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In the meantime we expanded our networks and are happy to be involved in SOCAP Europe, that will be held at the end on May 30, May 31 and June 1 2011 in the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam (at the opposite of our office). This event is exciting for it focuses both on Social Entrepreneurship and financial social capital, and has a special section devoted to the MENA region.