The Ecosystem: support grows for social impact start-ups

08 Oct 2024 | News

Initiatives in Germany and the UK are tackling the challenges faced by start-ups with social goals

Zarah Bruhn (third from left), social impact start-up founder and Commissioner for Social Innovation at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, at the launch of the Social Impact Republic in September. Photo courtesy of Startups for Future. 

Start-ups with a social mission have a harder time getting off the ground than peers focused solely on financial returns, yet their innovations can have just as much impact. Reflecting this, new initiatives being set up to help with the first steps to becoming viable enterprises.

Last month saw the launch of the Social Impact Republic, an alliance of German start-up centres supporting social enterprises. Meanwhile, in the UK, London Social Ventures is about to announce the first cohort in what it hopes will become a pipeline of social start-ups emerging from London’s universities.

In both cases, it is the social intent of the venture that is important. “The Social Impact Republic…