The Ashoka Support Network is a global community of committed leaders who share, support, and advocate for Ashoka’s values and vision, while unleashing their own potential as changemakers.
What is the Ashoka Support Network?
Ashoka offers a wealth of resources, but the most valuable are Ashoka Fellows— the world’s leading social entrepreneurs.
The Ashoka Support Network (ASN), founded in 2004, is a global community of +300 business leaders, philanthropists, and entrepreneurs' members who provide their expertise, financial support, networks and contacts to accompany these social innovators. By connecting and interacting with them, ASN members gain inspiration and empowerment to shape a better world.
The ASN are crucial and inspiring members of the Ashoka Canada family.
Ashoka Young Changemakers are entrepreneurs and leaders who believe in the power of ideas and entrepreneurship for social change. Our Ashoka Support Network is very important in our journey to have a world where everyone has the power to create change. We curate engagement opportunities between our ASN and Ashoka fellows through events, meetings, collaborations, and much more.
Ashoka is about what’s possible; it’s about unleashing the imagination and co-creating a brighter future. I’m immensely grateful for the gift that Ashoka has been to me. It has literally created connections and opportunities in my life that I could never have imagined.
Peter Mortifee
Ashoka Support Network Member
Ashoka is a wake-up call. I have learned that there are, actually, many opportunities to step into radical systemic change, to up my game, help shape better global policies and participate in shifting the dynamics of social inequalities, both in the social and in the business sectors.
Fabienne Serfaty
Strategy Consultant and Social Impact Investor
When you become an ASN member, not only does the money you invest have a huge impact, but you become a part of the Ashoka network and an important piece of the puzzle. Just as much as you give, you get back.
Maite Arango
Former VP of Grupo VIPS and President of Ashoka Spain
It is a personal nourishment to have the opportunity of working with such inspiring people as Ashoka social entrepreneurs. They are a source of inspiration for my own life. They help me to improve my personal and professional journey. Ashoka is offering me this new journey.
Alejandro Gorodisch
President, Farmacity
I want to support social entrepreneurs and motivate our generation not only to take responsibility in theory, but also to act and work towards a better future.
My experience as an Ashoka Support Member has been multidimensional as I have worked closely with four of the Ashoka fellows over the last ten years. They and other Ashoka fellows are doing amazing and innovative work across Canada and I am pleased to be part of this community of Changemakers.
Sue has spent a number of years setting environments and acting in a facilitative capacity to enable people to learn, grow and change. In her capacity as an Educator, an O.D. consultant, a Psychotherapist and as an Executive coach, she has encouraged men and women to find their own direction and stay true to themselves. At this point in her career, she works mainly in the non- profit sector both in Canada, as a Board Member of the Toronto Foundation and internationally as an Elder with the Wellbeing Project.
Nancy has been a teacher and workshop facilitator for over thirty years. Her eclectic practice embraces elements of emotional body work, cognitive based therapies and Gestalt Awareness Practice. She was the Founding Director of Goldie Hawn’s Bright Light Foundation and the Executive Director of Westcoast Sacred Arts Society. Presently, Nancy serves as Dean for the Wellbeing Project, a co-creation of Ashoka, Esalen, Impact Hub, Porticus, Skoll Foundation and Synergos. The program is designed to support the inner wellness of seasoned social entrepreneurs around the world. She also has a practice in Mindfulness & Intimacy, focusing on women’s group work and is the current Chair of the Seva Canada Society, whose mission is to restore sight and prevent blindness in the developing world. She co-authored Mind Power for Children, a Guide for Parents and Teachers, and authored the Mindfulness Education Program for Children.
It is a joy to be a member of Ashoka. The devotion to uplift society through visionary ideas which cultivate social change for the good, resonates deeply with me. Ashoka Canada and our network reminds us that every day and every moment is a doorway into the possible. And it is a thrill to play a part in that transformational possibility.
Ann Mortifee is known by many to be a truly Renaissance woman: a unique and passionate performing artist, composer and librettist, narrator, workshop facilitator, author, and keynote speaker. Her work has won her, among many awards, the prestigious Order of Canada and YMCA Woman of Distinction Award. She has travelled the world, worked with the dying, dined with the Queen, spent time with the head Sangoma of the Zulu Nation, worked in Calcutta with Mother Teresa. Ann also co-founded The Trust for Sustainable Forestry, a model for conservation and ecosystem based forestry, and The Somerset Foundation, with her brother, Peter, to support social innovation and well-being.
Ashoka rocks. It has opened doors which have created opportunities which I previously could not have imagined. The Ashoka community inspires me to learn, grow and expand my own ideas of what’s possible.
Dr. Mortifee co-founded the Somerset Foundation and has been it’s Chair since its inception in 2001. The foundation’s mission is to “Support Social Innovation and Wellbeing”. He practiced as a specialist physician through an academic position at the University of British Columbia before retiring from medicine and embarking on a new vocational direction. Peter seeks to generatively engage with and support people and initiatives that strive to create meaningful, sustainable, personal and collective change.
With all the pressing societal and environmental issues we are facing, the world needs to foster and support more social entrepreneurs who devote their lives and careers to finding scalable solutions. Ashoka has an impressive long-term track record of doing just that, which is why I am happy to lend my support.
Bill founded Social Capital Partners in 2001, and has been one of the leading voices in promoting social finance in Canada. He also sits on a variety of boards and advisory boards for social enterprises and community organizations. Bill previously spent 20 years in the private sector, primarily as CEO of Hamilton Computers and Optel Communications Corp (later Axxent). He holds an Honours BA from the University of Toronto, an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and is a Chartered Accountant. In 2013, Bill was appointed as a member of the Order of Canada for his achievements as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Join the Ashoka Support Network and transform your impact
Embark on a transformative journey that empowers you to make a lasting impact. As a member of the Ashoka Support Network , you’ll be inspired for your own changemaking journey. Here’s how ASN can elevate your efforts:
Access a Global Changemaker Network:
Connect with outstanding social entrepreneurs and innovators who are addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. Leverage Ashoka’s extensive network to collaborate with leading changemakers and drive industry transformation.
Discover & Align Your Purpose:
Reflect on your aspirations and learn how to contribute meaningfully to creating a more equitable world. ASN provides opportunities to align your values with actionable solutions for significant impact.
Collaborative Leadership Network:
Engage with purpose-driven leaders, CEOs, Senior Executives and business innovators in a supportive environment designed for sharing, learning, and taking action. Build relationships that foster mutual growth and impactful collaborations.
Co-Creation Opportunities & Exclusive Access:
Partner with Ashoka Fellows on impactful projects and initiatives. Gain entry to private networking events, immersive global learning expeditions, and insider opportunities to enhance your influence and visibility.
Maximized Social Impact & Global Visibility:
Ensure your philanthropic investments yield high social returns through Ashoka’s expertise and connections. Share your achievements on Ashoka’s platforms, reaching a global audience of over 100 million.
Become part of something bigger than yourself. Join the Ashoka Support Network today and start your journey toward creating a better world with the world’s leading changemakers!
Ethical fiber
Empathy, openness to learning from others, and morality of their efforts.
Alignment with Ashoka's vision
Understanding why building an Everyone a Changemaker world is so important.
Ability to contribute expertise and/or network
An extended network that might be relevant for Ashoka and its community (Fellows, staff, Young Changemakers) and/or a track record as an entrepreneur or senior executive in the private or public sector.
Financial capacity
Ability to support Ashoka through a minimum donation made annually for three years.
Learn more about our global ASN members
We invite you to explore interviews with some of our ASN members here.
How are Ashoka Fellows engaging individuals as changemakers? What strategies do they use to build partnerships that inspire both changemakers and solutions? How are they changing systems to create a world in which everyone can contribute, and therefore, thrive?
Every three years, Ashoka conducts a study to understand how its Fellows are driving lasting social change. This study shows how Ashoka Fellows shift mindsets, change policies, and activate others as changemakers. It also presents the 11 strategies Ashoka Fellows use to build a world of changemakers.
Impact Report on How Ashoka Fellows Accelerate an Everyone a Changemaker™ World
Yashveer leads the “Ashoka Young Changemakers” program at Ashoka. Yashveer launched Ashoka Young Changemakers program in the year 2018 to identify, select and build a global community of Teen Changemakers. Prior to this, he founded a youth non-profit to address talent inequity in the development sector and influence youth culture in India by inspiring and educating university students to pursue social innovation and entrepreneurship. Yashveer has co-authored a book #ChangeStartsYoung featuring inspiring stories of young changemakers from across India.
For his work, Yashveer has been recognized in "Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia" list in the year 2016. He was also awarded Youth Action Net 2012 Fellowship – as 1 of the 20 young social entrepreneurs representing 16 different countries by International Youth Foundation.
Yashveer earned his MBA at University of Oxford, where he was the only MBA student to receive Vice-Chancellor Social Impact Award 2014 for his initiatives as Co-Chair Social Impact, Oxford Business Network (OBN). As the President of Student’s Union BITS Pilani 2006-07, Yashveer co-founded the University VISION 2020 Plan.
Perrine de le Court is the leader of the Ashoka Support Network and the Director of Ashoka Belgium, the largest network for social entrepreneurs. She has been living and working in several countries across South America and Africa. She brings with her 5 years of working in the private sector with Regus, and 15 years in International organizations such as UNICEF and IMBEWU. At the young age of 26, she co-founded an NGO for street children in Lagos and pursued her social and entrepreneurial involvement in Abidjan supporting children on the need to protect the environment. She currently serves on the board of Convivial, Belgium's pioneering organization for refugees. Now based in Zurich, Perrine plays a role in supporting and developing Swiss partnerships for social entrepreneurs.
Yulia Koroleva (Switzerland) brings over 20 years of experience in Sustainability Management, working with international organizations, media, and research institutions. As co-founder of an Ocean TV channel, she combined entrepreneurship with environmental advocacy, delivering over 100 workshops on sustainable practices. Yulia’s academic credentials include a professorship at the Sustainability Management School (SUMAS) with diverse portfolio of courses, including Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Business Models, Responsible Management, NGOs and Environmental Policy. She contributed to the United Nations ITU’s Sustainability Policy. Among her notable projects is the launch of the first Green Fitness Rating, designed to assess the sustainability of fitness clubs and centers. Her multidisciplinary approach — spanning academia, business, and media — positions her as a high-impact professional in the sustainability sector.
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