From Concept to Scalable Impact: Building a Business with Global Launchpad

“Participating in Global Launchpad was a pivotal strategic inflection point for us,” says Edmund Chan, cofounder and COO of Meat the Next. “It compelled us to move from a passionate idea into a rigorously validated social venture.” 

Chan joined the program through The Hong Kong Jockey Club Programme on Social Innovation as he was working to grow Meat the Next, a food-technology startup focused on nutrient-dense, plant-based products made from tiger nuts. Allergy friendly and drought resistant, tiger nuts are a resilient crop that can support both environmental sustainability and improved nutrition outcomes.  Global Launchpad equips early-stage social entrepreneurs with coaching, applied coursework, and mentorship to help them refine and scale their ventures. The program combines faculty-led instruction with hands-on guidance from Chicago Booth alumni in Hong Kong, culminating in a community showcase that connects participants with advisors and partners in the local social innovation ecosystem.

Chan joined Global Launchpad in 2022 alongside nine other impact-first ventures. Upon completing the program, Meat the Next received the Greatest Potential for Social Impact recognition, and has since grown its business and reach.

Narrowing the Scope, Broadening the Impact

Chan notes that the program’s structure helped the startup shift from a broad mission to a more focused, measurable impact model. “Global Launchpad fundamentally shifted our mindset from operating as a charitable initiative to building a sustainable, systems-changing social enterprise,” he says. “This mindset change—from aid to empowerment—is the bedrock of our innovation.” As part of that shift, Meat the Next implemented changes that significantly impacted many stages of their supply chain. The company moved from a farm-to-consumer sales model to an integrated platform model expanding beyond consumer products to support farmers and processors more directly. A key step was the introduction of Tiga Milk, a plant-based milk alternative designed to anchor a farmer-integrated supply chain. “We now operate as a connector and enabler,” Chan explains. “We link farmers to stable markets and affordable inputs (like tiger nuts), connect urban consumers to traceable nutrition, and link food processors to a sustainable local supply chain.”

Using Data to Reach Underserved Communities

To help Meat the Next reach key consumers more effectively, Global Launchpad connected Chan with experts to help build the company’s AI-powered nutrition platform. “Our work directly addresses the intersection of rural poverty and urban health, with a specific focus on elderly nutrition,” Chan explains. The company’s AI platform analyzes community health data and individual dietary needs, ensuring elderly individuals most in need of nutrient-dense meals receive them.

The data has enabled Meat the Next to more effectively connect with its target audience and build collaborations with local social service centers serving the elderly community, such as the Yau Tong Elderly Collective.

“This technological leap, inspired by program insights, allows us to codify and replicate our community health model globally, using data to precisely bridge farmer livelihoods with the well-being of aging populations everywhere,” Chan says.

Building a Lasting Community

Nearly three years after completing Global Launchpad, Chan notes that the connections made within the program were equally important in scaling the business. A partnership with another social-innovation, food-tech startup helped Meat the Next leaders strategize the company’s expansion, while forming relationships with impact investors was instrumental in the company’s growth.

“These peer and mentor relationships created a support network that continues to provide strategic advice and collaborative opportunities. This ecosystem hasn’t just influenced our impact; it has multiplied it by embedding us in a community where shared knowledge and resources accelerate collective success,” Chan says.

As Meat the Next continues to grow, Chan feels confidently equipped with the knowledge, skills, and connections to further its mission. “We are not just growing a business; we are growing a movement for equitable nutrition,” he says. “The program provided the essential tool kit to do it sustainably and with measurable, lasting effect.”

This spring, Global Launchpad will welcome its 2026 cohort of social impact entrepreneurs. For those interested in joining the Global Launchpad community, applications are open through February 13.

About The Hong Kong Jockey Club Programme on Social Innovation
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Programme on Social Innovation provides resources and programs to help the city’s nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), nonprofit leaders, and social entrepreneurs do their best work. Operated by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the Programme offers a range of opportunities, including scholarships, social entrepreneurship workshops, and training for NGO boards of directors.