Social entrepreneurs are a new breed, a horizontal move from traditional entrepreneurs. This is a new term, heavily used by Ashoka, a company that seeks and invests in social entrepreneurs.
You may remember Muhammad Yunus, the creator of Grameen Bank — the first microfinancing bank to become institutionalized for the purpose of bringing people (with a focus on women) in the developing world out of poverty. What Yunus has done for the developing world is incredible and still evolving. What Grameen Bank does is praiseworthy, although there have been some issues with transparency and loan oversight.
Social entrepreneurs are characterized by their drive to not just put a bandage on the problem, but to work on the root of the problem.
esyringe tends to fit the image of a traditional entrepreneur — which has many definitions. We encourage “intrapreneurship” as well. With an entrepreneurial mindset, companies can take huge steps toward innovation and creativeness not otherwise available in other companies.