FMS History
Sanghata founder, Sabiha Malik’s uniquely innovative concept has made Sanghata’s Frontier Market Scouts (FMS) the first program of its kind in the global social impact sector.
In October 2009, Sabiha Malik completed development of her innovative concept to advance social enterprise development in low-income areas worldwide by educating business professionals to provide high-level business assistance to entrepreneurs, and due diligence to impact investors. Seeking an institutional partner, Sanghata presented a business plan to Dr Yuwei Shi, at that time the dean of GSPIM at the Middlebury Institute for International Studies at Monterey (MIIS).
One year later, Sanghata founded the Frontier Market Scouts (FMS), and in 2010 signed an agreement with the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) that made MIIS Sanghata’s first educational associate for its FMS pilot program. Sanghata funded the establishment of the Frontier Market Scouts program at MIIS, and invited Dr. Yuwei Shi to become FMS director at MIIS.
In January 2012, Sanghata also helped fund the establishment of Ross Baird’s freshly created Village Capital thus becoming its Global Founding partner, and Village Capital launched itself by placing Frontier Market Scouts around the world with impact investment firms. Sanghata partnered with Village Capital to test the impact of its FMS Fellowship Field Program and of the innovative FMS investment model, designed to benefit both the emerging and established markets.
Since its launch in January 2011, Sanghata's FMS has become an award-winning certificate training and fellowship program, partnering with over 400 social-impact organizations that serve 31 countries across 5 continents. The FMS Fellows have created 100+ social enterprises around the world.
In 2016 Sanghata discovered that MIIS’ had appropriated the vision and mission of Sanghata and its flagship Frontier Market Scouts program by leading the key stakeholders of CSIL to believe that the program was their creation. After Sanghata challenged MIIS, in mid-2017 MIIS informed the CSIL Charter Advisory Council of its decision to close its CSIL operation. After resolution of pending matters Sanghata intends to allow MIIS’ GSPIM to replicate Sanghata’s FMS program under a name other than the Frontier Market Scouts or FMS.
IN 2017 SANGHATA IS TAKING MANAGEMENT CONTROL OF ITS FRONTIER MARKET SCOUTS (FMS) PROGRAM
We are looking forward to bringing in new alliances and new collaborations and partnerships to eradicate global poverty by educating business leaders to engage with problems in education, energy, health, agriculture and financial services. We hope to steer the program in directions that diversify and expand its impact more effectively than ever before.