Social Enterprise

Looking for specific opportunities and resources for social enterprise?

Oxford is a great place to start your journey as an social entrepreneur.

Check out our top picks, then use the filters below to further customise your search.



Social Enterprise? Entrepreneurship? Innovation?

Let’s shed some light on the definitions and relations between the three.



Social Enterprise Awards

Small grants to help students and staff start or scale social impact projects or enterprises.



Oxford Case Study: Uncomfortable Oxford

Are you sitting comfortably? Then it’s time to get up and take a bumpy walk through Oxford’s past.

Entrepreneurship @ Oxford

Looking for a way to navigate the Oxford entrepreneurship ecosystem? Our handy map shows you everything at a glance.



Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship

The centre aims to maximise the impact of social entrepreneurship to transform unjust systems around the world.



Oxfordshire Social Entrepreneurship Partnership (OSEP)

Helping social entrepreneurs plan, develop and grow their businesses across Oxfordshire.

Looking for something specific?

Click on the categories below to narrow down your search.

Richard Snow, Co-founder and CEO of Oxford Wood Recycling

Richard is the CEO of Oxford Wood Recycling Ltd, a social enterprise recycling wood waste.

Changemakers

A global network of social entrepreneurs, business leaders, and policy makers.

Bethnal Green Ventures

Invests in new ideas to fix social and environmental problems through an intensive three-month programme.

Idea Exploration workshops

This series will take you through the stages of turning an idea into a potential venture.

The Oxford Seed Fund

A University fund run out of the Entrepreneurship Centre with up to £50k to allocate to Oxford based start-ups annually.

Social Tech Trust

A charity that supports initiatives in the UK to transform lives with the help of technology.

Unltd Social Enterprise Learning Area

Finding, funding, and supporting social entrepreneurs.

Mofe Binitie, Co-Founder of The Oxford Green Partnership Ltd

Mofe Binitie is Co-founder of the Oxford Green Partnership ("OGP"), leveraging data and design to develop fintech products focused on the green economy.

Common Ground Workspace & Cafe

Common Ground is a vibrant social enterprise café & workspace/social space, that also supports student mental health

Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards

One of the UK’s largest student and graduate business pitching competitions.

Global Opportunities and Threats Oxford

An action-oriented problem-solving community geared towards addressing some of the most complex issues that face the world today.

Business Plans and Other Important Documents

10 sections that could be included in your business plan.

University of Oxford Entrepreneurship Support

Organisations and student groups providing opportunities to explore entrepreneurship in the University.

Oxford University Innovation (OUI)

A wholly-owned subsidiary of the University of Oxford, it manages the University's technology transfer and consulting activities.

Y.O.U Underwear

Y.O.U Underwear is 100% organic cotton underwear where every purchase gives underwear to people in need.

Map the System Global Challenge

Social change is complicated. Mapping is a way of understanding its complexities.

First Steps

A £300,000 pilot fund offering loan-grant packages to charities and social enterprises working in communities in England.

OSEP Newsletter

If you'd like to know more about Oxfordshire Social Enterprise Partnership, and receive details of our awards and events, signup!

OUI – Funding Social Enterprise

Opportunities to fund social or environmental impact projects at all stages beyond research.

Fundamentals of Starting a Business in the UK

Six different steps listed to starting a business in the UK.

greater_change

Help a person permanently overcome homelessness.

Aspect

A network of organisations to support innovation, entrepreneurship and research commercialisation in social sciences.

TED Talks for Social Entrepreneurs

TED Talks are a great source of information, advice and experience to help you with any idea you have, no matter what stage you are at.

eScalate Social Enterprise Support

Supporting social entrepreneurs, enterprising charities and other purposeful businesses in Oxfordshire.

Alexa Virdi, Co-founder of Super Sapiens

Alexa Virdi is co-founder of Super Sapiens, a social enterprise creating fun and educational inclusive card games.

Social Enterprise Awards

Since 2013, over 40 different ventures have been supported, from a community cafe to a soap recycling enterprise.

Julian Cottee, cofounder of OxGrow, Cultivate and Good Food Oxford

Julian Cottee is the cofounder of OxGrow, Cultivate and Good Food Oxford

Irina Fedorenko, Co-founder of the Kindness Collective

Irina is a Weidenfeld Hoffman Trust scholar, and Co-founder of a social enterprise named Kindness Collective.

Generation Medics wins big at Oxfordshire Business Success Awards

Generation Medics named the ‘Most Socially Minded Business’ at Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) Business Success Awards.

Support ‘hubs’ will boost Oxfordshire’s growing social enterprise sector

eScalate, the newest programme from OxLEP Business, is creating 6 ‘hubs’ to nurture social entrepreneurship across the county.

OXFO L.E.V8

A University of Oxford acclerator designed to support and nurture early-stage start-up teams affiliated to the University.

Jake Backus, Co-founder of Common Ground Cafe and Study Space

Jake Backus is a Visiting Senior Member of Linacre College, Managing Director of Empathy Sustainability, and co-founder of Common Ground.

Oxford Hub

A centre for social action that’s open to everyone, and that takes a collaborative approach to solving some of today’s most pressing issues.

Common Ground

We are a calm space that connects the community, and we have morphed into a social space where people can come and do their own thing.

Sarah Jordan, Co-founder of Y.O.U. Underwear

Sarah Jordan is the Co-founder of Y.O.U Underwear, 100% organic cotton underwear where every purchase gives underwear to people in need.

Oxford Case Studies: SociAbility

Matt Pierri is the CEO and Co-founder of SociAbility, whose main aim is to map the accessibility of social spaces within Oxford’s 44 colleges and halls, as well as a broad sweep of social venues, including cafes, restaurants and bars in a dedicated app.

Oxford Case Studies: Rhodes Incubator

Social impact and entrepreneurship can go together.

OXWASH: Stephen Morgan praises Oxford laundrette’s green qualities

OXWASH is Oxford’s first cycling laundry – set up by Oxford student Kyle Grant, in 2017.

azure_foods

Bringing pinole, an ancient Aztec source of energy made of blue corn, to market, respecting people and environment.

Leading for Impact

Leading for Impact helps you solve social and environmental problems in your current or future career.

Ideas 2 Impact

This innovation and enterprise skills initiative is convened at Saïd Business School, in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Centre and the University of Oxford sciences division.

The Careers Service Micro-Internship Programme

The micro-internship programme offers short-term work placements with organisations based in Oxfordshire and Greater London.

Oxford Case Studies: Boresha Technologies

Providing reliable and low-cost sources of working capital for small farmers.

Social Entrepreneurship Online Course

The course is designed for who wants to gain valuable tools to make an impact on the lives of others.

Meet Prime Advocates: Business for Good

Prime Advocates is a London-based not-for-profit corporate law firm and social finance consultancy. Its Social Finance Hot Desk connects pioneering social enterprise initiatives with free specialist legal advice.

Cedric Maforimbo, Founder of Weed2Pesticide

Cedric is the Founder of Weed2Pesticide, a social enterprise building a rural community-driven supply industry for pesticides.

Oxford Hub Impact Labs

Learn about impact measurement, and apply your skills to the benefit of local charities.

Prerna Wadikar, Founder of Jeeva Global

Prerna Wadikar is Founder of Jeeva Global, accelerating livelihoods through portable affordable energy using lithium-ion battery technology.

Oxford Hub Newsletter

Young Trustees

Gain skills and experience by joining the trustee board of a local charity.

Alasdair Harris, Founder of Blue Ventures

Alasdair Harris is the founder of Blue Ventures, an award winning marine conservation charity and social enterprise.

How to Start a Startup

Sam Altman from Y Combinator leads this exciting online class from Stanford.

Jennifer Wanyi Jia, Founder of Emporsand

Jennifer Wanyi Jia is the founder of Emporsand, a social venture started in 2019 with the aim of empowering women through the provision of sustainable and affordable menstrual products.

Sheen Gurrib, Co-founder of ReShape Co

Sheen Gurrib is the Co-founder of ReShape Co, one of the world’s largest non-profit consulting groups catering to SMEs.

Oxford Healthtech Labs

Oxford Healthtech Labs builds on years of experience running needs-driven innovation training programmes at the University of Oxford.

EGALVIA

EGALVIA is a social enterprise aims to end discrimination, making learning and work environments more inclusive.

OX1

Oxford's first start-up incubator programme designed by student entrepreneurs, for student entrepreneurs, which does not take equity or IP.

spotivity

spotivity is a dynamic marketplace platform and personal utility app., aiming to change the way teens live, work, and play.

Zeenith Ebrahim, Founder of Jamiilife

Zeenith Ebrahim is the founder of Jamii Life, a technology platform that connects health workers with people that can’t care for themselves in low-income South African and African communities

Oxfordshire Social Entrepreneurship Partnership (OSEP)

OSEP has been set up to help existing and prospective social entrepreneurs plan, develop and grow their businesses across Oxfordshire.

SSE Funding List

A page where to find all the details about grants and support to social enterprises.

Alexander Wankel, founder of Rooted Quinoa MilQ

Alexander Wankel is the Founder of Rooted Quinoa MilQ that creates milk-free "MilQ" made with peruvian quinoa.

Jemma Phibbs and James Lloyd – Co-Directors of School Space

Jemma and James started School Space while running events in high school.

Jeeva Global

Jeeva Global is a social enterprise accelerating livelihoods through portable affordable energy using lithium-ion battery technology.

The Careers Service Student Consultancy

The programmes equips University of Oxford students with consulting skills to help local businesses, charities and community organisations.

Social Enterprise?Entrepreneurship? Innovation?

Let's shed some light on the definitions and relations between the three.

Social Impact Oxford Business Network

Using business to create social impact, in Oxford.

Emerge Conference

Bringing together a community of those who are driving social change, and those who want to get involved.

Rosa Arias-Yague, Founder of EGALVIA

Rosa Arias-Yague, Founder of EGALVIA, aims to end discrimination, making learning and work environments more inclusive.

Skoll World Forum

A three day event gathering 1000 delegates from the social, finance, private and public sectors, in Oxford.

Blue Ventures

An award winning marine conservation charity and social enterprise.

New returnable coffee cup scheme in Oxford aims to cut waste

Two young Oxford entrepreneurs have launched a reusable coffee cup scheme in the city.

Green Leaves Group

Green Leaves Group is a social enterprise dedicated to helping individuals be more sustainable through tailored workshops and online campaigns.

Elevate Grants

Final round of Elevate grants, as the Elevate project ends on 31st December 2019.

Ethical Property

Office area set up specifically to support small, start up charities, social enterprises & local businesses.

Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship

The centre aims to maximise the impact of social entrepreneurship to transform unjust systems around the world.

Montana Butsch, Founder of spotivity

Montana Butsch is Founder of spotivity, a dynamic marketplace platform and personal utility app., aiming to change the way teens live, work, and play.

EIT Innovation

EIT is an independent EU body striving to nurture entrepreneurial talent and supporting new ideas.

Social Enterprise Mentorship

Providing direct support to enable social entrepreneurs to reach their goals.

Smart Handpumps

A project which uses mobile phone technology to transmit data on handpump use in rural Kenya.

Jose Miguel Alfaro Gomez, Founder of s.e.e.d

José Miguel Alfaro Gómez is an Attorney at Law in Costa Rica and Founder of s.e.e.d, a boutique law firm targeted to social impact ventures.

Matt Pierri, CEO and Co-founder of SociAbility

Matt Pierri is the CEO and Co-founder of SociAbility.

Researchers: make a social impact

Incubators/Accelerator The Skoll Centre offers plenty of resources for researchers looking to make a social impact with their ...

Samuel A Diaz Pulgar, Co-founder of Nutriendo El Futuro

Samuel Diaz Pulgar is Co-Founder of Nutriendo El Futuro' (NEF), an organization that, for the past two and a half years, has fed and provided education to children in Venezuela.

OUI Startup Incubator

The Startup Incubator helps entrepreneur-driven ventures that are not University spinouts.

ROBIN

A network of like-minded people from businesses and public sector bodies in Oxfordshire.

Head-to-head with Low Carbon Hub

The Oxford Trust went head-to-head with Barbara Hammond, CEO of The Low Carbon Hub – a small social enterprise with big aims, now based at WCFI in Headington. They are working on the ground-breaking Project LEO, an ambitious and innovative smart grid trial.