Social entrepreneurs find new ways of solving problems: they address the needs of neglected social groups or develop technological and organisational innovations in order to support such groups effectively. Some experiment with new business models by involving the target group as manufacturers or customers in a closed circuit model.

Social entrepreneurship has gained significance in Austria over the past years. Numerous initiatives, individuals as well as organisations partake in innovation awards such as the Get Active Social Business Award and the Social Impact Award, join social innovation networks like Impact HUB and experiment with new approaches with the objective of addressing social challenges such as poverty, discrimination or environmental pollution.

With the development of the social enterprise sector in Austria as well as internationally, grew an ecosystem of supporters and fellows: universities, social investors, private sponsors and institutions of the public sector.

The Competence Center for Nonprofit Organizations and Social Entrepreneurship aims at contributing to this positive development by offering support to various actors in the nonprofit and social enterprise sector.

Focus on Social Entrepreneurship

The Competence Center serves as an academic contact point at the Vienna University of Economics and Business for social entrepreneurs and actors of said ecosystem. Since early 2014 the Competence Center comprises all academic activities surrounding the topic of social entrepreneurship and offers services in the areas of research, knowledge transfer, learning design and consultancy.