Founded by Iqbal Quadir, of GrameenPhone fame, Emergence BioEnergy plans on using a specially designed Stirling engine, in order to create small 1 kW power stations to serve individual villages rather than relying on a traditional centralized power grid.
Iqbal Quadir, founder of Grameenphone in Bangladesh, is the Center's founder and director.
Examples of microfranchises include BRAC's community promoters (in health, agriculture, legal services and other areas), Nuru Energy Entrepreneurs (East Africa and India), Village Phone Program by Grameenphone, CFW -The Healthstore Foundation (Kenya), VisionSpring (reading glasses, formerly Scojo Foundation), Drishtee ICT Kiosks (India), Reach India, Living Goods (Uganda), Healthkeepers (Ghana), and Fan Milk Limited (Ghana).