Are Social Entrepreneurs Drivers of Responsible Innovation?

Barbara Inmann, Managing Director of Impact Hub Vienna: Are Social Entrepreneurs Drivers of Responsible Innovation?

Our guest in this week’s Responsible Innovation Story is Barbara Inmann. Barbara is Managing Director of the Impact Hub Vienna, a vibrant innovation ecosystem for social entrepreneurship. By connecting founders, creatives, investors, established companies and NGOs, the Impact Hub is a global network taking collaborative action for a better world.

“Being innovative and agile, social enterprises

develop quick solutions. This offers great potential for businesses.”

Are well-established companies interested in collaborating with social entrepreneurs?

“The interest from the corporate side is rising as the SDGs stress sustainable innovation. Social enterprises derive outstanding innovative solutions, as they are in close contact to end consumers.”

Are social entrepreneurs part of the solution for the Covid-19 crisis?

“We saw many quick solutions in the healthcare as well as the educational sector. Social enterprises are small and agile; thereby they can answer much faster to what is happening in the environment.”

My most important insights from this interview with Barbara Inmann:

• Having positive impact as the main objective of their business, social entrepreneurs are more open towards user needs, collaboration and sustainability.
• As the SDGs stress sustainable innovation, the corporate side is increasingly interested in the innovative solutions social enterprises offer.
• Due to their agility, social enterprises can react quickly to new societal needs.

Enjoy watching the full video with Barbara Inmann at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p8Q59YljeE