Social entrepreneurs and their challenges

Ashoka is the world’s best-known network of social entrepreneurs. It numbers more than 3,500 Fellows across 93 countries who were elected on the basis of 5 criteria: new idea, creativity, entrepreneurial quality, social impact of the idea and ethical fibre of the candidate. Ashoka analysed the activities of its Fellows in Europe so as to identify society’s main challenges these entrepreneurs address and the innovative solutions they offer. The 4 main challenges identified are: social inequality, the environment, unemployment and the segmentation of the labour market and immigration. This study describes the business of 193 Fellows across 22 European countries who specialise in these areas but also in security, demographic changes, education, health… Bach Kim Nguyen, a Fellow, and BeeOdiversity feature on page 30!