Introducing the first cohort of Everyone's Business programme!
Meet the 11 social enterprises contributing to a more inclusive, sustainable, and hopeful Sweden.
Seven social enterprises have been selected to join the first cohort of JIABA (Joint Impact Accelerator for Better Agrifood), a new accelerator co-created together with Social Enterprise Insights (SEI), with support from IKEA Taiwan. The programme aims to support social entrepreneurs in scaling innovative solutions that strengthen livelihoods, build more resilient food systems, and create opportunities for vulnerable communities across Taiwan.
This launch is an exciting step forward for the partnership we announced last year at the Social Enterprise World Forum in Taipei. The seven enterprises will be joined by IKEA co-workers, who will bring their skills and experience as "Thought Partners" and support the enterprises as they navigate growth opportunities and challenges.
Taiwan's food and agriculture sector faces a unique set of challenges, including climate risks, an ageing workforce, fragmented supply chains, and limited market access for small producers. Social enterprises play an important role in addressing these challenges, creating jobs, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and strengthening local communities. Yet many continue to face barriers to growth that limit their ability to scale their impact.
JIABA is designed to give social enterprises the support they need to strengthen their organisations and reach more people – whether that’s through tailored capacity building, strategic guidance, peer learning, ecosystem connections or funding to try out new ideas. The programme brings together experience of IKEA Social Entrepreneurship across Asia with Social Enterprise Insights’ deep understanding of Taiwan’s social innovation landscape.
The programme's name, JIABA, is inspired by the Taiwanese phrase Chia̍h-pá, meaning "to eat one's fill". It reflects a vision of food security, dignified livelihoods, and thriving communities, while celebrating solutions rooted in Taiwan's local context.
Meet the first JIABA cohort
These seven social enterprises each play a part in Taiwan’s agrifood value chain – from sustainable production and processing to distribution and market access. Together, they showcase the potential of business to create both social and environmental impact.
"At IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, we’ve seen the power of social entrepreneurship to create meaningful and lasting change for people who are often excluded from economic opportunities. We’re delighted to bring our global experience to Taiwan and partner with SEI to launch JIABA to support social enterprises and contribute to positive impact in Taiwan's food and agriculture sector," said Åsa Skogström Feldt, Managing Director, IKEA Social Entrepreneurship.
Hugo Asplund, Group Sustainability and Food Transformation Manager, IKEA, DFI Retail Group, added: "IKEA Taiwan is honoured to be deeply involved in the JIABA Accelerator. Through this programme, we’re inviting IKEA co-workers to serve as Thought Partners, engaging in meaningful dialogue and knowledge exchange with the participating enterprises. We also look forward to creating opportunities to share these inspiring food and agriculture stories with our customers and co-workers, while learning together to create a better everyday life for the people of Taiwan."
Sunny Lin, CEO of Social Enterprise Insights, said: "We are honoured to welcome the seven food and agriculture social enterprises selected for JIABA's first cohort. These organisations demonstrate both strong commercial potential and a deep commitment to social impact. Over the coming year, we look forward to working alongside them as they test new ideas, strengthen their businesses, and take the next steps on their growth journey."
In the months ahead, participants will work side by side with programme partners and Thought Partners to refine their growth strategies, test out new solutions, and lay the groundwork for sustainable growth. Together, JIABA is all about building stronger rural communities, more resilient food systems, and a better everyday life for the many people in Taiwan.
Hugo Asplund, Group Sustainability and Food Transformation Manager, IKEA, DFI Retail Group, added: "IKEA Taiwan is honoured to be deeply involved in the JIABA Accelerator. Through this programme, we’re inviting IKEA co-workers to serve as Thought Partners, engaging in meaningful dialogue and knowledge exchange with the participating enterprises. We also look forward to creating opportunities to share these inspiring food and agriculture stories with our customers and co-workers, while learning together to create a better everyday life for the people of Taiwan."
Sunny Lin, CEO of Social Enterprise Insights, said: "We are honoured to welcome the seven food and agriculture social enterprises selected for JIABA's first cohort. These organisations demonstrate both strong commercial potential and a deep commitment to social impact. Over the coming year, we look forward to working alongside them as they test new ideas, strengthen their businesses, and take the next steps on their growth journey."
In the months ahead, participants will work side by side with programme partners and Thought Partners to refine their growth strategies, test out new solutions, and lay the groundwork for sustainable growth. Together, JIABA is all about building stronger rural communities, more resilient food systems, and a better everyday life for the many people in Taiwan.