BOP businesses and entrepreneurs, take note: Fast Company wants you. The magazine’s sixth annual Fast 50 Awards will spotlight businesses that are helping to save the world – a can’t-miss opportunity for worthy base of the pyramid initiatives to make waves in the mainstream media. From the call for nominations:

We believe that business--capitalist business--is a profound force for positive change. Help us prove it.

Unlike many other awards and contests, the Fast 50 uses a relatively straightforward nomination form that emphasizes brevity and clarity over lengthy detail – surely the result of having top-notch reporters and researchers on staff. The Fast 50 Awards will accept nominations until December 1. Readers may nominate all businesses or initiatives regardless of whether or not they have a stake in the project. For a list of the 2006 Fast 50, check the FC archives.

Amy Sprague joined WRI's Sustainable Enterprise Program in August 2000. She is the Manager for Mexico, India, and the Andes in the New Ventures project and coordinates the New Ventures Mentoring Program.

The launch of the BOP Circle in Mexico City last week presented a window into the BOP. In the first presentation, Mauricio del Villar showed us a slice of the remote Indian villages in the Mexican State of Chihuahua where he has been living for about two years. The village does not readily accept outsiders, so Mauricio had to earn their respect and acceptance over several months. He presented many of their customs and views, showing the differences between our "Western" goals, expectations, beliefs, and timelines, and the villagers'. The effect of this presentation on the audience was clear: We have no business even getting near these villages with the products we think could improve their lives. To me, BOP initiatives belong where the market has already penetrated. Villages that are virtually removed from the market and who have a healthy distrust of outsiders would not be the place to start market-based BOP initiatives.

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I was also in Mexico City to help with the launch of the BOP Circle, a group of companies who gather to share experience and learn from one another. What was impressive is the degree of commitment by some of the companies. Microsoft now has two separate divisions focused on new BOP products. AC Nielsen regularly collects market research data on BOP consumer product spending from a large panel. Grupo Elektra's Banco Azteca has become one of the major sources of credit to the BOP. These companies are in the BOP to stay.

I also met with two of the major Mexican mobile communications companies to explore their interest in a low-cost way to extend their networks into rural areas and their services downmarket into the BOP. One of them in fact was very interested, and responsive to the argument that the coming wave of financial services over mobiles would be a "killer app" that would drive customers and traffic within lower income groups. Pertinent, since a recent announcement by major banks and mobile companies presages the launch of mobile payment systems for Mexico. It's hard not to come away with the feeling that movement toward taking BOP markets seriously has an irreversible momentum in Mexico.