The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship is a Swiss not-for-profit organization founded in 1998 that provides platforms at regional, national, and global levels to promote social entrepreneurship. The foundation is under the legal supervision of the Swiss Federal Government. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Each year, it selects 20–25 social entrepreneurs through a global "Social Entrepreneur of the Year" competition.
Social entrepreneurship is an approach by individuals, groups, start-up companies or entrepreneurs, in which they develop, fund and implement solutions to social, cultural, or environmental issues. This concept may be applied to a wide range of organizations, which vary in size, aims, and beliefs. For-profit entrepreneurs typically measure performance using business metrics like profit, revenues and increases in stock prices. Social entrepreneurs, however, are either non-profits, or they blend for-profit goals with generating a positive "return to society". Therefore, they use different metrics. Social entrepreneurship typically attempts to further broad social, cultural and environmental goals often associated with the voluntary sector in areas such as poverty alleviation, health care and community development.
Jacqueline Novogratz is an American entrepreneur and author. She is the founder and CEO of Acumen, a nonprofit global venture capital fund whose goal is to use entrepreneurial approaches to address global poverty.
Jean Case is an American businesswoman, author, and philanthropist who is chair of the board of National Geographic, CEO of Case Impact Network, and CEO of the Case Foundation. She is married to AOL co-founder Steve Case.
The Skoll Foundation is a private foundation based in Palo Alto, California. The foundation makes grants and investments intended to reduce global poverty. Jeffrey Skoll created the foundation in 1999.
Steve Blank is an American entrepreneur, educator, author and speaker. He created the customer development method that launched the lean startup movement. His work has influenced modern entrepreneurship through the creation of tools and processes for new ventures which differ from those used in large companies.
Suzan Sabancı, CBE, is a Turkish businesswoman and a member of the Sabancı family in third generation. She is currently chairperson of Akbank, as well as board member of Sabancı Holding.
Habib Haddad is a serial entrepreneur and early stage investor. He is currently the president and managing director of the E14 Fund that invests in spin-offs from MIT. Prior to that Habib has spent his career in startups as a founder and early employee.
Euvin Naidoo is a South African banking executive based in Johannesburg.
Endeavor is an organization headquartered in New York City which supports entrepreneurs with potential for economic and social impact in their regions. The organization provides the entrepreneurs in its network with services that assist them in growing ventures, creating jobs, transforming economies, and supporting future generations of entrepreneurs.
Christopher M. Schroeder is an American entrepreneur, advisor, author, and investor in interactive technologies and social communications.
Rebecca Onie is the co-founder with Rocco J Perla of The Health Initiative, a nationwide effort to spur a new conversation about - and new investments in - health. In 2017, she was elected to the National Academy of Medicine as a nationally recognized leader in the intersection of social determinants, population health, and healthcare delivery. Onie is also the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Emerita of Health Leads.
Ingrid Vanderveldt is an American businesswoman, media personality, and investor. She was the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Dell and is the founder and current CEO of the Empowering a Billion Women by 2020 movement. Vanderveldt was the creator and manager of the Dell $100 million credit fund, and a member of the 2013 United Nations' Global Entrepreneurship Council.
Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli is a Nigerian entrepreneur, an expert on African agriculture and nutrition, philanthropy, and social innovation. Since April 2, 2024, she has been serving as the CEO of the One Campaign.
Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji is a Nigerian social entrepreneur and human development expert whose work cuts across entrepreneurship, education, youth development and public leadership. She is the founder and chief executive officer of Rise Networks, a Nigeria-based private and public sector funded Youth Interest social enterprise.
Rebeca Minguela is a Spanish entrepreneur and startup advisor. She was the founder and CEO of Blink Booking, now Blink by Groupon, an award-winning mobile app to book hotels last minute in Europe. When Blink was acquired by Groupon in September 2013, she joined Groupon.
Rapelang Rabana is a computer scientist, entrepreneur, and a keynote speaker. She is currently the Co-CEO of an education technology NGO. Prior to joining Imagine Worldwide, Rapelang was Founder and Chair of Rekindle Learning, a learning technology company; and previously co-founded Yeigo Communications, South Africa's first free VoIP mobile services provider.
Elmira Bayrasli is the author of the book From The Other Side of The World: Extraordinary Entrepreneurs, Unlikely Places, which looks at the rise of entrepreneurship on a global level, and the co-founder, of Foreign Policy Interrupted. From The Other Side of The World: Extraordinary Entrepreneurs, Unlikely Places, profiles seven entrepreneurs from seven countries overcoming seven obstacles. Those entrepreneurs and countries include: Turkey: Bulent Celebi, Airties; Nigeria: Tayo Oviosu, Paga; Pakistan: Monis Rahman, Rozee.pk; Mexico: Enrique Junco Gomez, Optima Energia; India: Shaffi Mather, 1298; Russia, Yana Yakovleva; China: Lei Jun, Xiaomi.
Michelle Zatlyn is a Canadian businesswoman. She is the co-founder, president, chief operating officer and a board member of American content delivery network provider and cybersecurity firm Cloudflare.
Marla Malcolm Beck is an entrepreneur based in the United States. She co-founded the beauty company Bluemercury in Washington, D.C. alongside her husband, Barry J. Beck in 1999. Bluemercury was acquired by Macy's in 2015. Beck retained her position as CEO until 2021.
