Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship

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Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship

Our community includes 477 innovators operating in 190 countries worldwide.

The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship supports an under-recognized movement of people developing innovative business models delivering social or environmental good. The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship was established 20 years ago, by Klaus and Hilde Schwab, as a platform to support an under-recognized movement of people who were developing innovative business models deliv

ering social or environmental good. The Schwab Foundation community includes around 400 social innovators and entrepreneurs operating in more than 190 countries worldwide. The community has improved the lives of more than 622 million people in 190 countries; distributed $6.7 billion in loans or value of products and services to improve livelihoods; mitigated more than 192 million tonnes of CO2; improved education for more than 226 million children and youth; improved energy access for 100 million people; and driven social inclusion for over 25 million people for people with disabilities, homelessness or refugee status. Social entrepreneurship, as an organizational expression of social innovation, is the demonstration of alternative working models as we face the current challenges to our planet, our societies and our economies. By having a mission to engage all stakeholders in the creation of social and economic value, social entrepreneurs have proven how all stakeholders – employees, customers, suppliers, local communities and the environment – can benefit. It is a clear demonstration that stakeholder capitalism can indeed work and that systems can change. Check out our 2020 impact report: https://www.weforum.org/reports/two-decades-of-impact

13/08/2026

Following International Youth Day, we're highlighting the importance of creating the right conditions for young social entrepreneurs to succeed.

In this video, Priyanka Jaisinghani shares how the Schwab Foundation's Youth and Social Innovation Initiative, with support from SAP and Hyundai is advancing recognition, wellbeing, access to capital and intergenerational dialogue to help young innovators maximise their impact.

She also introduces a practical toolkit currently in development, to help organisations better recognise and support young social entrepreneurs.

If you're interested in building a stronger ecosystem for youth-led innovation, we'd love to hear from you - comment below!

12/08/2026

What would it take to save lives on some of the world’s deadliest roads?

India accounts for around 150,000 road deaths each year, part of a global crisis that kills 1.3 million people annually, with the vast majority of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

In this video (originally published in May 2024), Piyush Tewari, Founder and CEO of SaveLIFE Foundation, shares how personal loss led him to campaign for systemic change. His organisation was instrumental in securing India’s first-ever Good Samaritan law, helping remove the fear of legal consequences for people who stop to help injured road users.

SaveLIFE Foundation’s work shows that road crashes are not inevitable. By improving infrastructure, changing driver behaviour, strengthening regulations, and ensuring better trauma care, the organisation has helped reduce fatalities by up to 63% on some of India’s most dangerous roads through its zero-fatality corridor approach.

Piyush Tewari is also a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and a 2026 Schwab Foundation Awardee, recognised for advancing practical, policy-driven solutions to a pressing public health challenge.

▶️ Watch the video to learn how social entrepreneurship is saving lives on India’s roads.

How would you like to see road safety improved where you live?

10/08/2026

Access to social protection is often not limited by availability, but by complexity.

In India, thousands of welfare and financial support schemes exist, yet many eligible citizens struggle to navigate them.

Haqdarshak is addressing this gap by leveraging AI to simplify access at scale. Its platform identifies which benefits individuals are eligible for and guides them through the application process, combining digital tools with on-the-ground support to ensure accessibility and trust.

To date, Haqdarshak has supported millions of families and unlocked billions in financial benefits, demonstrating how AI can strengthen public systems when designed around real-world needs.

As AI continues to evolve, social innovators are showing what effective and ethical deployment looks like in practice. Their work highlights how technology, when combined with human-centered design and strong partnerships, can expand access to essential services at scale.

🔗 Explore the case study:https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Art_of_AI_for_Impact_Haqdarshak_2026.pdf
🔗 Explore the full series: https://initiatives.weforum.org/global-alliance-for-social-entrepreneurship/ai-for-social-innovation

07/08/2026

What does an equitable green transition look like in practice?

In Kenya's Lake Victoria region, where only 35% of people have access to clean drinking water and just 20% are connected to the central energy grid, WeTu is helping communities access essential services through solar-powered fishing lanterns, e-mobility bikes and water ATMs.

Featured in Unlocking the Social Economy, WeTu's approach reflects a broader insight from the research. The solutions most likely to create lasting impact are often those designed with a deep understanding of local needs, barriers and opportunities.

Whether expanding access to essential services, creating jobs or opening up new pathways to finance, social enterprises are helping ensure the benefits of change are shared more widely.

Read the report here: https://www.weforum.org/publications/unlocking-the-social-economy-towards-equity-in-the-green-and-digital-transitions/

06/08/2026

The world moves quickly, but many of the challenges and opportunities for the social innovation sector explored in our January report, Built to Last: Social Innovation in Transition, continue to resonate across our community worldwide.

Against a backdrop of shrinking public funding, geopolitical disruption and growing pressure on natural and social systems, the report examines how social innovators are adapting their models to remain resilient, impactful and financially sustainable.

Explore the insights: wef.ch/schwabfoundation26

05/08/2026

Congratulations to 2026 Schwab Foundation Award winner, Fundación Reimagina.

Its AI-powered teacher training platform AprendoLab has been recognised as one of the 25 most impactful EdTech solutions globally by the Global EdTech Prize.

Already reaching 1.8 million teachers across Latin America through a collaborative ecosystem of more than 80 educational organisations, AprendoLab is helping educators access resources and strategies to better prepare students for the future.

At a time when much of the AI conversation centres on productivity and competition, AprendoLab shows what becomes possible when technology is designed around people and purpose. By helping teachers access personalised support and professional development, it demonstrates how AI can strengthen education systems and expand opportunity at scale.

The measure of AI's success should not be in capability alone, but the value it creates for society. Initiatives like AprendoLab remind us that when AI is placed in the hands of those closest to society's challenges, it can become a powerful tool for positive change.

Learn how other social innovators are leveraging AI for good here: https://initiatives.weforum.org/global-alliance-for-social-entrepreneurship/ai-for-social-innovation

04/08/2026

For many smallholder farmers, the challenge extends beyond what happens in the field.

In northern Nigeria, Babban Gona is helping farmers access credit for quality farm inputs, hands-on agronomy coaching, storage and coordinated sales.

The enterprise has created 744,000 indirect jobs, helped farmers earn more than double the national average income and positively impacted more than 937,000 people.

It's one of many examples featured in The State of Social Enterprise: Unlocking Inclusive Growth, Jobs and Development in Africa, which explores how social enterprises are creating opportunities and driving inclusive growth across the continent.

https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-state-of-social-enterprise-unlocking-inclusive-growth-jobs-and-development-in-africa/

03/08/2026

Access to emergency care remains uneven in many parts of the world. In Ethiopia, only 4% of patients requiring urgent care were transported by ambulance, with most relying on informal options such as taxis.

Drawing on his experience as a nurse anesthetist in Addis Ababa, Kibret Abebe identified this gap and acted to address it. In 2008, he founded Tebita Ambulance, Ethiopia’s first private emergency medical service, initially financed through the sale of his own home.

Today, Tebita has responded to more than 60,000 emergencies and is a visible part of the city’s healthcare infrastructure. Its model also includes subsidized services to extend access to those who would otherwise be excluded.

Kibret Abebe is a 2026 Schwab Foundation Awardee, recognized for advancing practical solutions that strengthen health systems and expand equitable access to care.

Learn more: https://www.tebitambulance.com/

31/07/2026

AI is often associated with complex models and cutting-edge applications.
Sometimes its impact is much simpler.

In the Philippines, Rags2Riches, Inc. has integrated generative AI into its frontline operations to support women artisans and sales ambassadors from disadvantaged communities.

Staff write messages in their own words and local language, then use AI to help refine grammar, tone and clarity before communicating with customers.

This is just one example featured in AI for Impact: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Social Innovation in Asia, which examines how AI is being applied across the region and the ecosystems needed to help impactful solutions move beyond the pilot stage.

https://initiatives.weforum.org/global-alliance-for-social-entrepreneurship/ai-for-social-innovation

29/07/2026

For many communities in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts, access to clean water has become increasingly difficult as water scarcity intensifies.

Build Bangladesh's Prokriti o Paani water towers capture water from clouds, humidity and rainfall, producing around 10,000 litres of water each week and making clean water available throughout the year. The initiative has saved more than 61,000 hours annually that were previously spent collecting water.

The solution was designed with local communities and uses locally sourced materials, creating a model that is both practical and durable.

Explore Grassroots to Boardrooms to learn how social innovators are helping communities adapt to climate change and the role businesses can play in partnering with them to build resilience at scale.

https://www.weforum.org/publications/grassroots-to-boardrooms-social-innovation-partnerships-for-climate-adaptation/

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