Bill Drayton is fostering the “skill that society is desperate for” by raising a generation of supersocial entrepreneurs. All Bill Drayton wants to do is change the world—so, pretty simple. In 1980 he founded Ashoka, a global association of social entrepreneurs whose flagship program provides up to...
Taking on the social challenges of our time, be it treating diseases, hunger, climate change, or improving education is no small feat, and starting a social enterprise dedicated to solving these problems can be daunting. As Bill Drayton, founder of Ashoka, once said, "Social entrepreneurs are not...
Today, April 2, is World Autism Day. In another month, graduation season will start, and another class of young people with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum will enter the labor market. Those of us who live and work in the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) field know that we are witnessing a tsunami...
This issue of Social Innovations Journal is devoted to articles by Ashoka that paint a rich portrait of how and what it takes for social entrepreneurs, identified by Ashoka as changemakers, to thrive and succeed in rapidly changing contexts. In the introductory and framing article, Ashoka President...
The organization was named after the Indian emperor Ashoka, a good historical example of a social innovator. Since the organization’s main purpose is to develop a changemaking culture, looking for social innovators and helping them reach their full potential is one of its important functions. The...