For the most part, these urban-focused social enterprises attempt to reorganize and reorder the way life in the city is lived -- at least for certain communities. From delivery collectives to decentralized waste management solutions in Mumbai and more typical urban systems such as local food deliveries, the dichotomy between the city and the rural isn't always as strict as we'd like to imagine.
A few of these innovations in urban-focused social enterprises don't simply bring the country to the city in the ecological sense but rather foster the spirit of busy and packed-in places in an effort to grow entrepreneurial social innovation in a productive and collective way. Lithuania's Hub Vilnius is one example of this whereby the founders bring together social innovations to community hot desks where working side by side becomes the norm.
27 Urban-Focused Social Enterprises
From Delivery Collectives to Decentralized Waste Management:
Tiana Reid — May 15, 2013 — Social Good
27
Ancestor-Inspired Accessories
Wakami Helps Disconnected Communities Find Urban Markets
26
Found Material Jewelry
KORA Designs Worked with Artisans in Kenya, Rwanda and Ghana
25
Community Hot Desks
Hub Vilnius Lets Social Innovators Come Together in Lithuania
24
Hip-Hop Social Enterprises
The Global Block Foundation Promotes Personal Sustainability
23
Collaborative Consumption Infographics
The Unstash Manifesto Mixes Altruism with Action
22
Coffee Ground Mushrooms
'Back to the Roots' Turns Waste into Gourmet Ingredients
21
Last Mile Delivery Services
B-Line is a Distribution Networking Building Sustainable Urban Life
20
Better Biking Businesses
Bikeworks is a Social Enterprise with Oodles of Responsible Initiatives
19
Farm Fuel Pickup Services
Bootstrap Compost Collects Kitchen Scraps From Homes and Cafes
18
Online Urban Activism Platforms
Brickstarter is a Web Service Connecting Activists and Bureaucracy
17
Creative Upcycled Festival Sites
Industrius is a Change Engine Transforming Waste in London
16
Upcycling to Fight Poverty
The 'Recycle Not a Waste Initiative' Empowers Ghanian Street Youth
15
Local Food Movements
SPUD.ca and SPUD.com Stock Your Fridge with Organic Groceries
14
Sustainable Car Hires
GUTSi Executive Transfer Offers Transportation in the United Kingdom
13
Emissions-Free Delivery
GnewtCargo is a Logistics Organization Using an Electric Fleet of Vehicles
12
Stuff-Sharing Social Enterprises
Unstash Fosters Collaborative Consumption for Sustainability
11
Urban Slum Sanitation
Sanergy Turns Kenyan Toilets into Green Social Enterprises
10
Urban Youth Impact Trusts
The GreenLight Fund Supports Nonprofits Benefiting Low-Income Families
9
Accessible Loans
My Home Finance is a Deloitte Social Innovation Pioneer
8
Decentralized Waste Management Solutions
'Sampurn(e)arth' Works in Mumbai to Engage Waste-Pickers
7
Local Food Deliveries
Mama Earth Organics Lets You Choose Weekly or Bi-Weekly Produce Baskets
6
Altruistic Organic Fertilizer Technology
Byoearth is a Social Venture Preserving the Planet
5
CO2 Reduction Rides
Carbon Voyage Fosters Collaborative Consumption Transportation in London, UK
4
Urban Delivery Collectives
Independent Alternative Control Courier is Rider-Owned and -Operated
3
Slum Development Partnerships
Cordaid Urban Matters Works in Less-Industrialized Countries
2
Urban Farm Networks
Fresh City is a Toronto-Based Social Enterprise
1
Goodwill-Funding Conventions
The Festival de Ideias Bankrolls Community Innovation
Related Ideas
Supportive Entrepreneur Communities
Ooutliers Shares Insights From Successful Startups
Empowering Remote Workspaces
LAUFT Bridges the Gap Between Work and Life
Electric Transportation Concepts
Marko Petrovic Balances Utility, Sustainability, and Demand
Biodegradable 3D-Printed Pop-Up Cafes
The Nescafé Dolce Gusto Neo Store is Eco-Focused
Innovation-Focused Furniture Design Collectives
Haworth Launches DesignLab to Push Innovation
Micro-Living Kitchen Appliance Hubs
The Electrolux Adapted Concept Was Developed by Students
Next-Gen Food Scraps Bins
Mill is a New and Revolutionary Kitchen Food Scrap Bin
Electric Street Food Bikes
'SmartEbikes' Aims to Disrupt the Street Food Industry with Bikes
3D-Printed House Neighborhoods
EYRC and Mighty Buildings Develop the Suburbs of the Future
Accessible DIY Housing Strategies
Manuel Cervantes Estudio Promotes "Assisted Self-Production"
Redesigned Hybrid Offices
Mason Studio Redesigned Its Toronto Office For "The Greater Good"
Mycelium-Based Bricks
Future Cities Lab Aims to Make Mushroom Bricks for Large-Scale Construction
Greenery-Sheathed Architecture Offices
This Building Will House the Offices Of 'VTN Architects'
Indoor Organic Waste Gardens
The Conceptual BOSCH Eco-Hub by Batuhan Duran is Sustainable
Low-Value Plastic Recycling Methods
Ashaya Aims to Reuse Non-Recyclable Plastic Packaging
Food Delivery eBike Concepts
The 'D-VIL' Electric Bike Concept by Anastasia Berg is Enclosed
Furniture Waste-Made Toys
ÉCAL Students Redefine What a Sustainable Toy Is
Eco-Friendly Electric Scooters
This Urban Electric Scooter Offers Safe & Reliable City Navigation
Emerging Technology Publications
New Society Has Launched Its Inaugural Book About Technology
Garden-Centering Urban Townhouses
This Vietnamese Home's Layout is Arranged Around an Inner Garden
Digital Sustainable Food Solutions
Special Projects Debuts Eco Lenses to Help with Decision-Making
On-Demand Fashion Production
Shein Moves Away From its Fast Fashion Roots with New Manufacturing
Botanical Marketplace Concepts
Taylor Corzine's The Local Collective Emphasizes Community
Sustainable Airport Terminal Designs
This Lush Green Terminal is Powered By Renewable Energy
Futuristic Auto Micro Factories
Most Architecture Unveils a Modern Factory for Charge Cars
Package Recycling Hubs
Walmart & TerraCycle are Piloting a Recycling Collection Program
Ocean-Cleaning Island Cities
Estudio Focaccia Prieto Conceptualizes Self-Sustaining Island Cities
Vibrant 3D-Printed Designs
UAUPROJECT Uses Only Compostable or Recyclable Materials
Public-Oriented Furniture Exhibits
Furnishing Utopia's Jean Lee Displays Furniture for Public Use
Recycled Clothing-Crafted Furniture
Hemingway Design Transforms London's Traid Store
Urban Rental Scooter Systems
The 'City Wander' Portable Rental Scooter Concept is Space-Efficient
Happiness-Increasing Urban Space Concepts
Rebeka But Introduces Their Ürban.dose Vision
Regenerative Cycling Equipment
The Conceptual 'Energy Keeper' by Sasha Torgova is Eco-Friendly
Digital Co-Working Spaces
FLOWN's "Flocks" Support Productive Deep Work Sessions
Staff Uniform-Made Home Collections
IKEA's VÄXELBRUK Collection Upcycles Worker Uniforms
Sustainability-Driven Fashion Campaigns
pitusa's Sustainability Campaign Focuses on Reducing Waste
Community-Centric Headquarters
SPACE10 Embraces Community-Centric Design for Its Headquarters
Sustainable Smart City Solutions
Omniflow is Illuminating Sustainable Smart Cities with Edge AI
Circular Design Challenges
The 'Make It Circular Challenge' Tackles Climate Change
Stylishly Renovated Apartments
Malfinio Revamps a 19th-Century Building in Prague
Plant-Covered Concrete Homes
Studio Symbiosis Designs the Villa KD45 in Delhi with a Terraced Roof
Multi-Use Apartments
Another Seedbed is Located in Brooklyn and Doubles as a Performance Space
Balearic Island Housing Projects
The Life Reusing Posidonia Project has 14 Dwellings on the Island
Modular Pop-Up Marketplaces
Chybik + Kristof Design a Marketplace Structure for Manifesto Market
Wondrous Wooden Cities
The 'Stockholm Wood City' Will Include 2,000 Homes, Retail Spaces & Offices
Rejuvenated Retail Buildings
This Vietnamese Building Will Feature Lush Native Greenery
Upcycled Circular Design Products
Cyrc Designs Expansive Products with Sustainable Themes
Rental Housing Start-Ups
Adam Neumann Announced His New Project Called Flow
Vertical Co-Living Neighborhoods
West of West Wins an AIA Competition in San Francisco
Workplace-Integrated Store Locations
IKEA Hosts Hej!Workshop Coworking Space in its Store
Newly Built Mindfulness Cities
The Gelephu Mindfulness City Will Be Built South of Bhutan
Sustainably-Focused Experimental Fashion
Noki & the NESTT Showcase an Upcycled Fashion Collection
Urban Structural Street Furniture
BLUE Architecture Studio Designs the Symbiotic Urban Furniture
Upcycled Laundry Hampers
Fashion Takes Action Concluded Canada's First Textile Recycling Pilot
Upcycled Tower Designs
3XN Shows How Sustainable and Cost-Cffective Reuse Can Be
Energy-Efficient Office Buildings
This Czech Office Complex is Outfitted With Eco-Friendly Designs
Sporty Upcycled Vintage Collections
Nike Relaunches the Re-Creation Program in London and Paris
Food Waste Bioplastics Factories
Agrorenew is Transforming Watermelon Waste into Bioplastics
Diversity-Promoting Retail Concepts
Eoghan Ross Designs PUSH as a Conscientious Retail Space
Gridded Urban Apartment Blocks
Office for Strategic Places Designs La Carboneria Block
Reimagined Sustainable Menswear
22Ahead Has Relaunched Its Eco-Friendly Menswear With New Benefits
Sustainable Produce Packaging
These Cascades Eco-Friendly Produce Baskets are Recycled
Intricate Food Waste Teahouses
Mitsubishi Jisho Design Uses Food Waste Materials for Its Pavilion
Sustainable Artful Local Furniture
PROWL Joins Model No. On the Endless Loop: Waste to Wanted
Avant-Garde Coffee Table Books
New Society Hosts 'Decentralization, Please Save Culture' Event
Zero-Waste Hi-Tech Premium Fashion
&Or Collective Prepares for Earth Month with New Initiatives
Vibrant Adaptable Workplaces
Ester Bruzkus Architekten Designs a Modern Workspace for Relaxound
Award-Winning Housing Designs
Hong-En Lin Emphasizes the Importance of Clean Water Access
eWaste-Made Furniture Designs
Lenovo Asset Recovery Services Collaborated with Aectual
Recycled Plastic-Made Electric Scooters
Gogoro and MUJI Present the VIVA ME and VIVA MIX ME Bikes
Zero-Waste Voucher Solutions
On-us Launches New Technology for Sustainable Event Engagement
Socially Focused Sports Centers
MoDus Architects Reveal the Fieldhouse Sports Center in Italy
Secondhand Fashion Editorials
Vinted Styled a Shoot Exclusively with Vinted Finds
Textile Recycling Solutions
SuperCircle Secures $7M to Enhance Textile Recycling Infrastructure
Startup Bike-Sharing Services
Curve Electric Partners with SSCL to Launch a Public E-Bike Service
Micro-City Housing Nooks
Notan Office Transforms an Industrial Site in Brussels
Green Medium-Density Developments
Brahn Smillie-Fearn Consolidates Built & Natural Environments
Organically Shaped Classroom Designs
Localworks Builds the Mustardseed Junior School in Uganda
E-Bike-Powered Logistics Services
Fez Delivery is Utilizing the 'FEZ ECO' in Last-Mile Delivery
Bio-Based Compact Housing
Woonpioniers Designs the Sustainable Sprout Ruben & Marjolein House
Sustainable QSR Litter Adverts
McDonald's Malta Presents New Captivating Eco-Centric Campaigns
Weekend Excursion City Vehicles
The Playbox Urban Mobility Vehicle is Imagined for 2040
Social Network-Encouraging Homes
Ignacio G Galán and OF Architects Design a Madrid Home
Industrial Wastewater Clean-Ups
Aquacycl Boasts Innovative Water-Cleaning Technology
Waste Tarp-Made Public Seating
The Membran Collective Joins the Urban Networks Project
Community-Centric Office Spaces
Shubin Donaldson Architects Designs the Tricon Residential Office
Urban Waste-Made Furniture
Javier Guzmán Cervantes and Ex Soup Join on an Exhibition
Upcycled Plastic Construction Companies
'Kubik' Uses Plastic Waste as a Sustainable Material
Multifunctional Circular Housing Blocks
Gensler's EVE Park Design has Integrated EV Parking Towers
Drop-Off Recycling Stations
SIG's Recycle for Good Program Encourages Waste Reduction
Battery Recycling Solutions
Gisele Azimi Experiments with Captured Carbon Dioxide
Low-Waste Shopping Solutions
ASDA, Avery Berkel & Hanshow are Enhancing Sustainability in the UK
Imperfect Produce Subscriptions
Odd Bunch Delivers Oddly Shaped Produce to Consumers' Doors
Hybrid Community Supermarkets
The After Market is a Grocery Store and a Food Pantry
Retail Food Preparation Stations
Urban Eat Debuts a Smart Retail Solution for its Food-to-Go Range
Eco Fashion Shipping Initiatives
Olive Reusable Packaging Keeps Clothes Out of Landfills
Recyclable Takeout Packaging Services
Uber Eats Begins the Reusable Packaging Trials in London
Circular Fashion Shops
Asket Supports a Sustainable Fashion Future with Resale & Repair
Biophilic Serene Communities
The Biophilic Leadership Summit is Surrounded by Greenery
Repurposed Electric Scooter Series
Andra Formen Designs the E-metabolism Collection
Accessible Mixed-Reality Media
Chapter 2 Welcomes New Society to Revolutionize the Media Frontier
Eco-Friendly Cafe Vehicles
This Conceptual Solar-Powered Coffee Truck Operates Anywhere
Gridded Immersive Retail Experiences
Studio Lotus Designs the New Ekaya Banaras Retail
Circular Fashion Docuseries
The Road to Circularity by Coachtopia Shares Sustainability Challenges
Locally Focused Visionary Tableware
IKEA's Design Lab Presents the New Products of Place Campaign
Community-Owned Solar Microgrids
This Microgrid Project Helps Build Energy Security in Puerto Rico
AI-Backed Waste Sorters
Leduc Residents Will Now Receive Postcards with AI Green Cart Insights
Office-Transformed Co-Living Spaces
HUB & Bridges Fund Management Present its Cornerstone Project
Waterfront Social Housing
Studioninedots Designed Stepped Buildings in Amsterdam,
Sensory-Enhanced Workspace Designs
Design ni Dukaan Elevates Workspace Design in Various Senses
Danish Recreational Hub Projects
The City of Copenhagen Announces a New Waterfront Development
Reimagined Hybrid Workspace Designs
Mason Studio Redesigned its Offices in Toronto
Earthy Community Arts Center
New Makers Bureau and Localworks Design the 32° East Arts Centre
Minimal Urban City Apartments
GRT Architects Designs the East Village Apartment in NY
Arched Concrete Community Centers
Centro de Colaboración Arquitectónica Designs a New Center
Paper Packaging Recycle Stations
Co-cre8 Debuts the New Paper Cup Collection and Recycling Service
Milan Streets-Inspired Furniture
The Italian Lab and LAND Design the Il Salotto Milanese Capsule
Supportive Entrepreneurial Communities
The Zenpreneur Community Provides Resources and Support
Versatile City-Themed Streetwear
nanamica and Awake NY Join Forces on a New Urban Collection
Urban Green Space Overhauls
Four of London's green spaces will receive a makeover
Basketry-Informed University Facades
Heatherwick Studio Designs a Building for Universidad Ean
Entrepreneur Support Communities
Hustle Cafe is an Online Space for Founders to Connect and Grow
Climate-Friendly Waterfront Homes
From 4 to 1 Creates Three Pavilions in Copenhagen
City-Honoring Furniture Projects
The Symbiotic Urban Furniture Project is Imaginative
City Exploration Apps
Concrete is a Social Exploration App Inviting Users to Discover Their City
Network-Connecting AI Solutions
Village AI Connect with Your Network to Close Deals
Live Self-Construction Projects
Dropcity Initiates Live Self-Construction in Milan Central Station
Sustainability-Focused Building Renovations
Climate Group Launches the Renovation Revolution
Hotel-Led Vintage Markets
The MOB Hôtel Hosted a Vintage Market, an Eco Conference and Workshops
Waste-Reducing Eco Partnerships
This Year City Furniture Partnered with Habitat of Humanity
Refurbished Tech Initiatives
An Orland Town's Recycling Program Repurposes Refurbished Electronics
Fostered Design Curations
Brompton Design District Unveil Conviviality: The Art of Living Together
Urban Communal Dining Events
Toronto's Weekly Communal Table Program is Hosted Under a Highway
Accessible Home Services Marketplaces
Urban Company Recently Made Its Platform More Accessible
Entrepreneurial Community Building
VenturePals Steps in to Help Solo Entrepreneurs Find Community
Productivity-Enhancing Focus Sessions
SoulCycle Partners with Deep Work Platform FLOWN
Repurposed Imperfection-Embraced Buildings
Civic Architects & VDNVP Elevate a Series of Workspaces
Locally Focused Footwear Stores
The Athlete's Foot Opened a Neighborhood Concept Store in Atlanta
Diverse Leadership Inanities
Civic Nation Launched a New Initiative Dubbed the Change Collective
Philanthropic Investment Banks
Builders Vision Helps Build a More Humane and Healthy Planet