Focus on Impact: Ashoka—Innovators for the Public

As one of the earliest proponents of the benefits of social entrepreneurship, Ashoka has developed a truly international network of entrepreneurs and “changemakers”. They have funded more than 2,000 social entrepreneurs in more than 60 countries, 82 percent of whom have inspired copycat or similar programs within 10 years after each began work and 56 percent of which have led to legislative changes. In fact, they have been so successful that the co-founder of Endeavor, a support network for for-profit entrepreneurs, was inspired by Ashoka’s success and “concluded that ordinary entrepreneurs needed a similar support system” internationally. This kind of systemic, large-scale change, led by social entrepreneurs, is at the core of America Forward and Ashoka’s models for transformative social change. In addition, Ashoka maintains Changemakers.net, a site for “collaborative competitions”, sharing ideas, and networking among social entrepreneurs.