B2 – Upper Intermediate
Some start-ups are so focused on developing frugal innovations. The main idea behind this kind of grassroots entrepreneurship is to make affordable, accessible, and available solutions for real-world problems despite their founders not having big capitals not formal education or training.
Read the article about start-ups that are working on cheap innovations. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20xlqn0e5po
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “grassroots entrepreneurship” mean? “Mr Prajapati’s innovation is part of a growing wave of grassroots entrepreneurship in India, driven by necessity.“ Use this term in a sentence.
- What does “to scale up” mean? “Like many small business owners, she wants to scale-up and find new markets, perhaps overseas.” Use this phrase in a sentence. Give some synonyms.
- What does “to get stuck in one’s head” mean. “Clay pots keep water cool in the summer, so they are just like a fridge. The thought got stuck in my head. So, I decided to make a fridge out of clay that doesn’t need electricity.” Use this idiom in a sentence. Give some synonyms.
Discussion Questions:
- What comes to your mind when you hear the term “frugal innovation”?
- Share your opinion about grassroots entrepreneurship.
- What are the good things about this kind of start-ups?
- What challenges might these start-ups face?
- Talk about a similar innovation that you know of.