Top: Chris Baker, founder of OneSeed, trekking in Nepal. Bottom: Trekking in the Himalayas. Photo credits: (c) Pat Kauba.

American school teacher Chris Baker has launched the new social start-up and adventure travel company OneSeed Expeditions.

Based on the idea that travel can have a positive impact, the social tour operator will use travel to fund women entrepreneurs in the developing world.

OneSeed will provide capital to entrepreneurs by investing 10 percent of revenue in trusted microfinance banks in the communities they serve.

Says Chris Baker, OneSeed’s founder:

“The model is pretty simple. We take an existing revenue stream–in this case adventure travel–and utilize it to extend financial services to entrepreneurs in need of capital. You trek to base camp. A local woman launches or expands her business. OneSeed empowers the individual traveler to have a real impact in the places they explore.”

With OneSeed Expeditions, the teacher is following his two passions of high altitude trekking and microfinance.

A travel operator on Much Better Adventures, OneSeed has already been awarded ‘Pioneer’ status for its innovative use of adventure to help make the world ‘muchbetter’.

OneSeed is launching its pilot program in Nepal, exploring the Himalayas and investing in local people.  First expeditions are scheduled to depart in February 2012.

For info, visit OneSeedExpeditions.com.

Images courtesy of OneSeed Expeditions.