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67 Social Business Start-ups

From Creative Services to Sustainable Sanitation Programs

— July 6, 2013 — Social Good
From purpose-driven creative services to sustainable sanitation programs, this top list of social business start-ups started from the bottom. Since social entrepreneurship at large is such a new idea, the growth at which new ventures are sprouting up is hard to keep up with.

Many of the examples featured here have turned to various crowdfunding websites in order to fund their projects. Does that make sense in terms of your definition of social business? Perhaps not for some but nonetheless, despite that, even if they use websites such as Kickstarter, the language of social enterprise is being utilized to make a claim toward what is suggested of the sphere at large. For instance '33 needs' helps social business startups through its own crowdfunding website, which calls itself "Kiva meets Kickstarter."
6.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
67
Membership-Based Business Insights
Membership-Based Business Insights
Audacious Innovators Gives You Access to Social Entrepreneurs
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66
Inclusive Business Networks
Inclusive Business Networks
Practitioner Hub is a Place to Share and Network Online
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65
Beneficial Business Accelerators
Beneficial Business Accelerators
The Impact Engine Supports Social Enterprise in Chicago
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64
Community-Serving Shorts
Community-Serving Shorts
Streaker Sports Supports Programs in Local Underserved Areas
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63
Sector-Spanning Social Firms
Sector-Spanning Social Firms
Purpose Capital Connects Creative Businesses and Investors
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62
Ethical Product Emails
Ethical Product Emails
Designed Good is a Members-Only Socially Conscious Shopping Newsletter
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61
Philanthropic Mutual Funds
Philanthropic Mutual Funds
Bright Funds Manages Giving Like You Manage Your Investments
<
60
Sustainable Housing Education
Sustainable Housing Education
Bould Helps Trains Builders On Eco-Friendly Housing Construction
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59
Profitable Environmental Businesses
Profitable Environmental Businesses
BusinessEarth Shows How Sustainability Initiatives Can Pay
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58
Social Communication Cooperatives
Social Communication Cooperatives
The Phone Co-op Upholds Strict Self-Imposed Ethical Guidelines
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57
Community Resource Sites
Community Resource Sites
'seToolbelt' Assists Social Entrepreneurs in Kickstarting Their Ventures
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56
Impact-Driven Health Tech Startups
Impact-Driven Health Tech Startups
Preciva is Pioneering Accessible Cervical Cancer Screenings
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55
Professional Couchsurfing Communities
Professional Couchsurfing Communities
Startup Stay Helps Entrepreneurs Find Easy Accomodations
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54
Cause Mentorship
Cause Mentorship
The Canadian Social Entrepreneurship Foundation Invests in Innovation
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53
Flying Pig Pitches
Flying Pig Pitches
Good Deals UK Brings Unconventional Voting to the 2011 Social Finance Forum
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52
Social Innovation Incubators
Social Innovation Incubators
Affinity Lab is a Shared Working Space and Platform in DC
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51
Debt-Countering Start-up Apprenticeships
Debt-Countering Start-up Apprenticeships
Enstitute Matches Young Entrepreneurs with Founders
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50
Monthly Goodwill Memberships
Monthly Goodwill Memberships
CharitySub Makes Supporting Urgent Causes Easy
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49
Sustainable Capitalism Courses
Sustainable Capitalism Courses
The School for Creative Startups Provides Social Business Training
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48
Diversity-Dedicated Tech Incubators
Diversity-Dedicated Tech Incubators
The Driven Accelerator Group Supports Minority Entrepreneurs
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47
Women-Empowering Fair Trade Boutiques
Women-Empowering Fair Trade Boutiques
Global Girlfriend Supports Female Entrepreneurs Worldwide
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46
Entrepreneur Collaboration Academies
Entrepreneur Collaboration Academies
Wayra UnLtd is an Initiative Accelerating Ideas
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45
Technology-Free Business Retreats
Technology-Free Business Retreats
Reboot is a Weekend Social Incubator with No Gadgets Allowed
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44
Social Innovation Campuses
Social Innovation Campuses
The LAB Miami Is Bringing Startup Culture to Southern Florida
<
43
Chuckling Coffee Initiatives
Chuckling Coffee Initiatives
Laughing Man Worldwide Gives 100% of Profits Back to the Community
<
42
Youth Innovation Mentorships
Youth Innovation Mentorships
Startup Corps Engages Students in Social Enterprise in Philadelphia
<
41
Passionate Internet Communities
Passionate Internet Communities
Phinklife is a Social Platform and Non-Profit Organization
<
40
Consumer-Tailored Vitamins
Consumer-Tailored Vitamins
Koge is Attempting to Upturn the Industry Through a Lower Cost
<
39
For-Purpose Creative Services
For-Purpose Creative Services
'Brands for the People' Offers Design Work For Those Doing Good
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38
Nature Vacations With Purpose
Nature Vacations With Purpose
The Cascadia Experience Plans Educational Camping for Families
<
37
Economy-Focused Sustainability Projects
Economy-Focused Sustainability Projects
Borderstep Institute Takes a Success-Driven Approach
<
36
Purposeful Travel Opportunities
Purposeful Travel Opportunities
OneSeed Expeditions Invests in Community Through Exploration
<
35
Ethical Sourcing Enablers
Ethical Sourcing Enablers
The Collaborative Group is a New Social Enterprise Out of Chicago
<
34
Altruistic Innovation Incubators
Altruistic Innovation Incubators
Unltd India is a Launch Pad for Budding Social Entrepreneurs
<
33
Crowdfunding for Social Start-ups
Crowdfunding for Social Start-ups
'33needs' is a Website Helping to Start Companies with Purpose
<
32
Micro Forestry Startups
Micro Forestry Startups
KOMAZA Creates Sustainable Economic Opportunities for Farmers in Africa
<
31
Medicinal Transport Pods
Medicinal Transport Pods
'Matternet' Offers Incredible Solutions to Help the Majority World
<
30
Supply Chain Integrating Loans
Supply Chain Integrating Loans
Kinara Capital is a Social Enterprise Supporting Startups in India
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29
Cost-Efficient Solar Kits
Cost-Efficient Solar Kits
Learning Lights Produces Eco-Friendly Power Solutions for Countries
<
28
Scholarship Sunnies
Scholarship Sunnies
Blenders Eyewear Supports College Education for U.S. Youth
<
27
Stuff-Sharing Social Enterprises
Stuff-Sharing Social Enterprises
Unstash Fosters Collaborative Consumption for Sustainability
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26
Change-Making Business Incubators
Change-Making Business Incubators
Enspiral is a Creative Launch Pad for Social Start-ups
<
25
Weekly Aquaponic Deliveries
Weekly Aquaponic Deliveries
Blacktop Bloom is a Social Enterprise and Urban Farm
<
24
Limited-Edition Upcycled Fashion
Limited-Edition Upcycled Fashion
Looptworks Uses Second-Hand Material to Create Superior Designs
<
23
Social Crowdfunding Platforms
Social Crowdfunding Platforms
The Buzzbnk App Helps Ventures Gather Support and Raise Funds
<
22
Women-Only Fitness Chains
Women-Only Fitness Chains
'B-Fit' is a Turkish Gym and Social Enterprise
<
21
Gamefied Sustainable Living Apps
Gamefied Sustainable Living Apps
Practically Green Provides Simple and Personalized Green Tips
<
20
Socially-Conscious Crowd Funding Sites
Socially-Conscious Crowd Funding Sites
Crowdrise Allows Users to Donate Funds For Those in Need
<
19
Budding Tech Idea Programs
Budding Tech Idea Programs
Social Startups is Specifically for Purpose-Minded Social Entrepreneurs
<
18
Social Good Accelerators
Social Good Accelerators
Hub Ventures Supports Entrepreneurs with Start-Ups
<
17
Collaborative Creation Gigs
Collaborative Creation Gigs
Good for Nothing Brings People Together for Fast-Track 'Doing'
<
16
Emissions-Free Delivery
Emissions-Free Delivery
GnewtCargo is a Logistics Organization Using an Electric Fleet of Vehicles
<
15
Virtuous Event Celebrations
Virtuous Event Celebrations
The 'A Good Week' Launch is on Its Way So Prep for Fun
<
14
African Abuse Apps
African Abuse Apps
Mobi-Reportabuse is a Ghanian Cellphone Service to Report Violence
<
13
Innovative Training Centers
Innovative Training Centers
Striding Out Supports Young Social Entrepreneurs
<
12
Weight-Powered Lighting
Weight-Powered Lighting
The Gravity Light is Designed for African Villages
<
11
Micro-Volunteering Platforms
Micro-Volunteering Platforms
Raise5 Enables the Charitable Giving of Your Time and Talents
<
10
Inspired Altruistic Vino Brands
Inspired Altruistic Vino Brands
Cultivate Wines is a Nonprofit That Gives Back
<
9
Artist-Supporting Social Enterprises
Artist-Supporting Social Enterprises
Art Sumo Offers Paintings from All Over the World
<
8
Digital Therapy Apps
Digital Therapy Apps
Buddy is a Start-Up Supporting Health Services
<
7
Social Innovation Habitats
Social Innovation Habitats
The Hub Network Helps to Incubate Ideas for Change Around the World
<
6
Sustainable Sanitation Systems
Sustainable Sanitation Systems
'San+Co.' is a Social Enterprise Tackling Waste and Electricity
<
5
Experience-Creating Cleaners
Experience-Creating Cleaners
The Eco Laundry Room Has a Cafe, Kid's Play Area and Free WiFi
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4
Positivity-Spreading Creative Agencies
Positivity-Spreading Creative Agencies
Baldwin& Creates Brands Through Advertising and Content
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3
Community Hot Desks
Community Hot Desks
Hub Vilnius Lets Social Innovators Come Together in Lithuania
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2
Waste-Reducing Apps
Waste-Reducing Apps
'Zero Gachis' Lets Shoppers Know When Fresh Food is About to Expire
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1
Haitian Artist Wearables
Haitian Artist Wearables
Moral Fibers is a Socially Innovative Start-Up Building Human Capital
<