In order to succeed and become sustainable, social entrepreneurs—much like business entrepreneurs—require support structures tailored to their needs. Ashoka is building an infrastructure that supports the growth and expansion of the field of social entrepreneurship, including seed financing and capital, bridges to the business and academic sectors, and strategic partnerships that deliver social and financial value.

Ashoka has long recognized the importance of collaboration with other sectors, particularly business, whose models of competition and innovation provide critical lessons for citizen organizations. Our work in this area is helping close the historical gap between the business and civil society, creating important avenues for integration and synergy between both communities.