Entrepreneurship has evolved far beyond building companies for profit. Today, it represents the power to identify a social need, design innovative solutions, and create sustainable impact. Modern entrepreneurs no longer wait to accumulate wealth before giving back they build businesses that solve real problems from day one. This blend of purpose and profit has given rise to a new global movement known as social entrepreneurship.

Social entrepreneurs combine traditional business models with mission-driven strategies, working alongside governments, nonprofits, and communities. Through impact investing, conscious consumerism, and corporate responsibility, they address urgent issues while still delivering value to shareholders. Their work proves that businesses can be both profitable and transformational.

These leaders show that entrepreneurship can be a force for good creating jobs, uplifting communities, and changing lives.

1. Bill Drayton — The Architect of Modern Social Entrepreneurship

Bill Drayton, founder of Ashoka in 1980, is widely regarded as the pioneer of social entrepreneurship. Ashoka supports changemakers globally through three pillars: selecting and empowering Ashoka Fellows, nurturing empathy-driven youth leadership, and collaborating with businesses and institutions to redesign systems for impact. Drayton also chairs Get America Working!, Youth Venture, and Community Greens.

2. Willie Smits — Rebuilding Forests and Communities in Indonesia

Willie Smits’ journey began in Indonesia with a rescued baby orangutan. This compassion led him to establish the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, later expanding into reforestation and sustainable agriculture. As founder of the Masarang Foundation, Smits uses thermal energy solutions to preserve forests while creating jobs. A Dutch-knighted conservationist and Ashoka Fellow, he now serves as Chief Science Officer at Arsari Enviro, overseeing the restoration of over 500,000 hectares of degraded land.

3. Veronica Colondam — Empowering Indonesia’s Urban Poor

Veronica Colondam launched the YCAB Foundation in 1999 to support youth education and vocational training. Recognizing economic barriers faced by families, she expanded the mission to include microloans for mothers over 200,000 by 2021 allowing children to stay in school. YCAB has trained more than four million youths, raised over $120 million for women and underserved communities, and earned two United Nations recognitions. Colondam also serves as Independent Commissioner at PT. PNM Indonesia.

4. Blake Mycoskie — Using Business to Give Back Through TOMS

After witnessing hardships in Argentina, Blake Mycoskie founded TOMS Shoes and popularized the “One-for-One” model donating a pair of shoes for every pair sold. Over time, TOMS expanded its mission to support education, health, and mental wellness. A Certified B Corporation since 2018, TOMS has given away more than 100 million shoes and now directs one-third of its profits to grassroots organizations around the world.

5. Scott Harrison — Bringing Clean Water to Millions

Scott Harrison left behind a luxurious lifestyle to volunteer aboard Mercy Ships, inspiring him to create charity: water in 2006. By 2025, the nonprofit had funded over 186,000 water projects across 29 countries, raising more than $925 million. Harrison’s model combines storytelling, transparency, and donor trust to ensure vulnerable communities gain access to clean, safe water.

6. Muhammad Yunus — The Father of Microfinance

Professor Muhammad Yunus revolutionized poverty solutions through microfinance and microcredit, founding the Grameen Bank in 1983. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, Yunus empowered millions 97% of them women who maintain a loan repayment rate of over 95%. His global recognition includes the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal, and the Olympic Laurel.

7. Jeffrey Hollender — Championing Sustainable Consumer Products

Jeffrey Hollender, co-founder and former CEO of Seventh Generation, is a major voice in corporate sustainability. He later co-founded Sustain Natural, offering eco-friendly personal health products. As an author, NYU adjunct professor, and co-founder of the American Sustainable Business Network, Hollender continues shaping the conversation on ethical business within global corporations and institutions.

8. The Better World Books Founders — Literacy Through Business

Xavier Helgesen, Christopher “Kreece” Fuchs, and Jeff Kurtzman launched Better World Books, a B-Corp online bookstore funding global literacy. Their impact expanded far beyond their college campus beginnings.

• Helgesen co-founded ZOLA Electric, delivering renewable energy to over three million people across Africa.

• Fuchs became COO at Trek10, supporting cloud-based innovations.

• Kurtzman led Aid Through Trade, co-founded Operation Incubation (low-cost incubators), and later co-founded Bark Social.

9. Akhtar Hameed Khan — Rural Development Visionary

Although he passed in 1999, Akhtar Hameed Khan’s work continues to influence development models worldwide. After resigning from a high-ranking government role during the 1943 Bengal Famine, he immersed himself in grassroots work. Khan founded the Comilla Cooperative Project and the Orangi Pilot Project, initiatives that improved housing, sanitation, healthcare, and microfinance access in Pakistan. His contributions earned him a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.

10. Sanjit “Bunker” Roy — Solar-Powered Education for the Poor

Sanjit “Bunker” Roy transformed his life after witnessing the struggles in India’s rural villages. He founded Barefoot College in 1972 a solar-powered institution where rural residents learn to become self-reliant in areas like engineering, energy, health, and education. His work has helped millions achieve sustainable livelihoods. In 2017, Princeton University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Law for his efforts.