Fifteen years ago, Eden Strategy Institute was born out of a deep sense of purpose. For founder Calvin Chu, it was a calling. A moment of personal grief at a very young age set him on a path to maximize every day of his life in service to others. “I knew that I needed to do something bigger with my life,” he recalls. “I wanted to be a supportive figure for people around the world, not at the end of my career through philanthropy, but from the get-go, throughout my career, using my energy and skills to drive meaningful change.”
A turning point leading to new purpose
As a young consultant, Chu found himself working with major corporations, helping launch products and services. But after nearly a decade, the work didn’t give him the satisfaction he had hoped for. The turning point came when he traveled to developing regions. There, he witnessed the realities of poverty.
These experiences ignited a new purpose: to harness the power of large organizations—corporations, governments and nonprofits—to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. Instead of simply helping businesses expand market share, he saw the potential to create systems-level change that benefited both business and society.
Eden Strategy Institute is born
This conviction led him to the creation of Eden Strategy Institute, a management consultancy firm specializing in social innovation. Over the past fifteen years, Eden has helped global organizations align their operations, products and services with market forces and developmental opportunities, driving sustainable impact while unlocking new avenues for growth.
Business strategy with social impact
Since its inception, Eden has strived to integrate business strategy with social impact. The firm has been involved in industry development, sustainability, smart cities and social innovation. Eden has worked with government agencies and trade associations to develop sector growth strategies for industries such as digital trust, legal services, social enterprises and urban planning.
Working to strengthen nonprofits
From advising international organizations to helping launch charity support funds, Eden has made efforts to strengthen the world’s nonprofit ecosystem. The firm has introduced solutions like elder care, telehealth and preventative health care in inaccessible markets, collaborating with industry leaders. Through research on over 250 cities, Eden has helped shape urban innovation strategies and smart city rankings that influence policy makers globally.
Eden has worked with businesses and government agencies to decarbonize industries and train sustainability leaders, ensuring that environmental responsibility translates into economic opportunity. By conducting independent evaluations of grant programs and social enterprises, Eden helps organizations maximize their effectiveness and long-term value creation.
Moving toward a shared vision
One of Eden’s most transformative initiatives was a national project aimed at improving dementia care in Singapore. Commissioned by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), Eden brought together a coalition of 85 cross-sector stakeholders, spanning banks, health care systems, nonprofits, universities and even ride-hailing companies.
The founder shares, “Each organization had a different motivation.” Banks sought to design financial services tailored for the patients and caregivers. Ride-hailing companies, on the other hand, explored ways to improve accessibility for those with cognitive impairments. Health care institutions aimed at reducing the economic burden of dementia care. Nonprofits focused on caregiver support and advocacy.
Photo courtesy of Eden Strategy Institute
