3. Solution Description Template
[enterprise name] provides a [product or service] that
[most important differentiating factor]
• [Bullets that describe how your product solves the
problem and improves upon previous solutions]
3
4. Solution Description Example
Skills Tank is a 6-month training program which teaches students with
a high school education to do virtual, task-based work at a competitive
(and subsidized) rate. After the training, Skills Tank works with each
student to help find placements with virtual IT work.
Skills Tank:
• Provides industry professionals as instructors
• Subsidized training through grant funding
• Works with a number of virtual work companies for placements to
allow students to be employed without having to move away from
their home
5. Solution Description Example
Washing Works is an industrial laundry service that utilizes energy
efficient, low-water washing machine technology to create a cost
effective service.
Washing Works:
• Hires exclusively ex-offenders for all positions in the company with
the exception of high level management
• Pays a starting salary of $12 ($3 above the minimum wage)
• Offers support services specific to the population (legal, career
services, counseling)
• Provides opportunities for career advancement
6. Solution Description Example
Kinopia Development Association is a network of micro-entrepreneurs
that provide last mile distribution of cookstoves and compatible fuel
pellets in 275 districts of Kinopia.
Kinopia’s Stoves:
• Delivered to the door of consumers through local micro-
entrepreneurs
• Financed by the micro-entrepreneur to allow access by BOP
consumers
• Compatible with Kinopia’s pellets in order to ensure maintenance of
the stoves and ease of use
Kinopia’s Pellets:
• Locally manufactured to decrease costs of pellets
• Compatible with Kinopia’s stove and stoves distributed by the
government in order to increase micro-entrepreneur markets
This video will help you develop a solution description, which is part of your social impact model.
Here is a template for your solution description. Describing your product or service can be as short as phrase, for example, “a clean solar lantern” when it is something that your audience will be familiar with. But in other cases you will need one or two sentences to describe your solution. Then you want to highlight the top facto that differentiates your solution from other solutions. For example, “is half the price”.
Then, provide additional bullet points that provide additional details about how your solution solves the beneficiaries’ problems and improves upon other existing solutions.
Remember not to get into the “how it works” aspects.
Let’s look at a few examples, starting with Skills Tank. (pause)
Note that in just two sentences, the entrepreneur has described the key aspects of the program and how it is different, and better, than other similar training programs.
The bullet points below further emphasize the advantages of Skills Tank and tie back to the problem statement, for example, by showing how they provide employment without requiring trainees to move away from home.
Here is another example. (pause) In this example, the first paragraph describes the business for the paying customers and the bullet points give details about the social impact.
Here is a third example. (Pause)
The one-sentence description is strong and clear. This is followed by more details about the business.
To recap, here are some pointers to keep in mind as you write your solution statement. Focus on the benefits of the solution, not on how it works. If the audience wants to know all about your really cool technology (and many do), they will ask. Describe your solution in simple and specific language that lets the audience visualize someone being benefited by your solution. Also be sure to highlight the innovative aspects of the solution so that the audience can appreciate how and why your solution is different from others that they may already be familiar with. Lastly, don’t get into impact metrics yet.
(DONE)