Directory

Social Impact startup ecosystem

We track 11 organisations in this sector across 6+ countries.

11 entries.

Ada Ventures

London, United Kingdom · Venture Capital

Ada Ventures is a London-based pre-seed and seed fund founded in 2019 by Check (Francesca) Warner MBE and Matt Bradley, focused on backing diverse founders building breakthrough technology across climate equity, economic empowerment, and healthy ageing. The firm closed its first fund at $50 million and raised a second fund of £63 million in March 2024, bringing total assets under management to over £100 million. Ada distinguishes itself as Europe's first VC fund explicitly designed to address underrepresentation in the startup ecosystem, investing £250K–£1M per company and running a scout and angel programme to surface talent overlooked by traditional networks.

Be My Eyes

Aarhus, Denmark · Startup

Be My Eyes is a Danish accessibility platform that connects blind and low vision users with sighted volunteers and company support teams through live video calls. Founded in 2015 by Hans Jorgen Wiberg, the app created a global community of millions of volunteers who provide real time visual assistance. The company later added enterprise support partnerships and AI powered visual descriptions. Be My Eyes is a leading example of Danish tech for social impact.

Casa do Impacto (MAZE)

Lisbon, Portugal · Incubator

Casa do Impacto was founded in October 2018 in Lisbon's Convento de São Pedro de Alcântara under the umbrella of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, in partnership with Lisbon City Council, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and other institutions. It serves as Lisbon's main hub for social entrepreneurship, offering incubation, acceleration (including the Maze Impact program), coworking, and investment readiness support to startups working on social and environmental challenges. Within its first three years it had incubated 48 startups, supported over 190 projects, and established 30 national and international partnerships.

Class of Wonders

Lisbon, Portugal · Startup

Class of Wonders is an impact-focused edtech startup building gamified classroom tools and inclusive learning experiences, including language-learning adaptations for migrant children. Through Lisboa Innovation for All, the team presented MAGOS for All, and it has also participated in ecosystem initiatives such as Techstars Startup Weekend in Viseu.

Founders4Schools

London, United Kingdom · Support Organization

Founders4Schools was founded in 2013 by Sherry Coutu CBE as a charity connecting UK students with founders and employers to improve employability and bridge the skills gap. In 2017 it launched Workfinder, an app that lets young people search for and apply to work-experience placements at fast-growing companies. The organisation operates at the intersection of the startup ecosystem and education, complementing Coutu's work at the ScaleUp Institute.

Impact Hub Ljubljana

Ljubljana, Slovenia · Coworking Space

Impact Hub Ljubljana is a coworking space and innovation ecosystem in the centre of Ljubljana that supports impact entrepreneurs, social enterprises, and purpose-driven organisations. It offers flexible workspace, incubation and acceleration programmes, capacity-building workshops, and community events that foster cross-sector collaboration. As part of the global Impact Hub network, members gain access to over 100 Impact Hub locations worldwide for three days. The hub is a recognised EU|BIC (European Business and Innovation Centre) member.

Impact Hub Vienna

Vienna, Austria · Innovation Hub

Impact Hub Vienna, founded in 2009, is a coworking space and community hub for social entrepreneurs and impact-driven organizations in Vienna, part of the global Impact Hub network. It runs 6–8 incubation and acceleration programs per year spanning integration, education, health, and sustainability, and has supported more than 500 startups across over 40 programs. The community numbers more than 550 members and includes founders, NGOs, corporates, and investors aligned around creating measurable social or environmental impact.

Michael Fritz

Hamburg, Germany · Person

Michael Fritz is the Co-Founder of Viva con Agua, one of Germany's best-known social enterprises, headquartered in Hamburg. Viva con Agua operates a 'for-good' business model that channels revenue from commercial activities — including water, energy, and music events — into clean water and sanitation projects across Africa and Asia. Fritz is active in the German social entrepreneurship ecosystem and is a confirmed keynote speaker at Future Tech Fest 2026 in Düsseldorf.

ViennaUP 2026

Vienna, Austria · Event

Decentralized city-wide startup festival across 50+ partner events over nine days with 10,000+ international attendees, 1,500+ startups, and active investor matchmaking. Most sessions free or low-cost; main-stage passes around EUR 200. Tracks span social impact, smart city, life sciences, and creative tech, a key CEE entry point for founders.