VisionSpring in India: Enabling Affordable Eyeglasses for the Poor

Description

VisionSpring enabled access to affordable eye care for low-income individuals suffering from vision impairment in developing economies. Established in the United States as a not-for-profit social enterprise, it sold more than two million pairs of eyeglasses globally, which included over one million pairs of eyeglasses sold in India. Despite achieving this scale, VisionSpring believed there was a long way to go considering the estimated 300 million people in India requiring eyeglasses for vision correction. Realizing this as a huge unmet opportunity, the company set a goal of achieving 10 times its annual sales volume in India. This was not an easy task considering the socio-economic dynamics of the base of the pyramid segment, as well as market challenges in peri-urban and rural India. The plan would require a total paradigm shift in the overall business model of VisionSpring in India.

Learning Objective

·To understand the healthcare delivery challenges in semi-urban and rural India and the need for socially inclusive business models for targeting the same. ·To understand the distribution/delivery challenges and the lack of an entrepreneurial ecosystem in semi-urban and rural India and to analyze the strategic choices adopted by self-sustainable social enterprises for overcoming these challenges. ·To understand the decision dilemmas, growth challenges and possible actions involved in scaling up a social enterprise. ·To understand the application of different tools and techniques for assessing and refining a strategy. This includes understanding the significance of the 5As, stakeholder approach and business model mapping while analyzing the challenges, options and actions for a particular social enterprise.

Keywords

Base of the Pyramid Business Model healthcare India Social enterprise