Problem addressed

Providing young people that are about to enter the job market with opportunities to turn their talents and their passion into impactful projects and ventures is a key factor when it comes to tackling crucial societal challenges both on a local community level as well as on a global scale. Hence, the key question is: What is lacking to unfold the innovative potential of the next generation of changemakers?

Throughout the last 15 years of intense practical experience as well as by studying research on the matter, we concluded that the youth lack multidimensional support to become active citizens and social innovators. The most important dimensions are:

Lack of role models: young people are affected by their families, teachers and society as a whole. Important role models, such as parents and teachers, are often not very aware of the requirements and opportunities of entrepreneurship and social innovation. This lack of awareness results in a lack of encouragement for entrepreneurial activities, or even negative social attitudes that act as an obstacle to youth entrepreneurship. (Schleicher, 2015)

Lack of skills: in today's interconnected world, many young people are concerned about global issues such as climate change or peace and security. Young people are keen to take control of their lives and engage with and support others. However, many face uncertainties about their future, because of technological change, demographic trends, discrimination, and social exclusion. 29% of 16–29-year-olds are at risk of poverty or social exclusion and 11.6% of those aged 15-24 are not in education, employment, or training (NEETs), while 15.9 % of the young people in this age group are unemployed - double the rate of the general population (source: EU Youth Strategy 2021-2027). 

Lack of resources: Prior work and entrepreneurship experience is a major determinant of business start-up and entrepreneurship performance. Young people typically lack human, financial and social capital necessary both to set up and successfully run a new project or social business. According to the Missing Entrepreneurs 2021 report by OECD and the European Commission, only 44% of young people in OECD countries feel equipped with the skills and knowledge to start a business, compared to 49% of the broader adult population. Relative to older individuals, younger people are less likely to have sectoral, managerial or prior business experience and are more likely to be unemployed. They may, therefore, lack the skills needed to set up or run their venture. Market barriers also affect youth entrepreneurship. For instance, financial markets may be biased away from supporting youth businesses/projects.

Lack of networks: young people likely have limited business networks and business-related social capital. This may have consequences for setting up and running their businesses and building ‘legitimacy’ amongst key stakeholders (e.g. financiers, customers, suppliers). (Schleicher, 2015).

Innovative solution

Social Impact Award offers a unique and scalable solution that combines entrepreneurial education with civic empowerment. Our program equips young people not only with the skills to build social and environmental ventures, but also with the mindset and competencies needed for active citizenship in the 21st century. 

At the core of our model is an experiential learning methodology. Participants “learn by doing” through hands-on workshops, project development, mentoring, and peer exchange. This approach strengthens not only practical entrepreneurial skills but also agency, critical thinking, and social responsibility — key traits for active citizenship. It is particularly effective for reaching young people from underserved backgrounds.

Our model is both scalable and context-sensitive. Through a structured license framework, SIA has been replicated in 27+ countries to date, with consistent quality and strong local ownership.

Finally, our organizational innovation lies in our governance: co-creative network where youth, alumni, and local partners co-lead strategic decisions. This inclusive structure ensures responsiveness, legitimacy, and adaptability across our growing international community.

Key results and benefits

Since its founding, SIA has become one of the leading programs in Europe and beyond for supporting young people in their journey toward becoming social innovators. SIA empowers youth (aged 18 - 30) to develop impact-driven ventures, grow as active citizens, and contribute meaningfully to the social economy. We achieve impact in 4 following fields:

1. Fueling impact ventures
Through our incubation program and awards, we support early-stage social entrepreneurs with hands-on training, mentoring, and pre-seed funding. To date, we have incubated more than 1,250 ventures and provided over 1,600 hours of mentoring and €110,000 in pre-seed funding. In our 2024 participant survey, 78.4% reported they significantly improved their idea during the program, and 68% developed a concrete business model. Nearly 59% had already begun implementation by the program’s end—clear evidence of SIA’s practical impact.

Our alumni are building resilient ventures with systemic reach. According to our longitudinal study with Vienna University of Economics and Business, these ventures operate across 11 SDGs and on average employ 5.14 staff, engage 12 volunteers, and generate €30,000 annually. 58% secured external funding; 75% created products or services previously unavailable; and 44% influenced others to adopt or replicate their models. Moreover, 90% gained media attention and 76% advocated publicly for social entrepreneurship.

2. Building skills
Beyond venture support, SIA equips youth with entrepreneurial, civic, and personal competencies that are essential for 21st-century active citizenship. Since 2009, we have trained over 66,000 young people in 27 countries through experiential formats covering ideation, impact modeling and business planning. Our 2024 data shows that 78.4% of participants increased their capacity to launch a venture and 73.9% developed transferable skills relevant in other impact-oriented careers.

3. Shifting mindsets
Changing the perception of social entrepreneurship among youth is central to our mission. Through powerful storytelling and peer-led events, we inspire young people - particularly those from underserved communities - to see themselves as changemakers. Each year, we reach around 3.3 million youth through digital campaigns, alumni stories, and live formats. In 2024, 79.7% of participants stated that the stories they encountered inspired them to apply to the program. Over 80% reported increased motivation to take action, and 94% recognized personal growth and a stronger sense of purpose through their engagement.

4. Fostering community
We actively cultivate accessible, inclusive communities of support. In 2024, 63% of participants rated peer gatherings as valuable, 45% viewed fellow teams as collaborators, and 71.9% reported feeling part of a national social entrepreneurship community. These connections foster solidarity, tolerance, and leadership across diverse contexts.

Furthermore, SIA is implemented through a proven license model that balances local ownership with international alignment. This approach allows us to adapt deeply to local realities while maintaining consistent quality and shared learning. We are currently active in 19 countries, including Austria, and have implemented our program in 27+ countries across Europe, Central and South Asia, Africa and North America.
Since its inception in Austria in 2009, SIA program has been replicated and adapted in 30 countries across Europe, Central and South Asia, East Africa, and North America. Currently the program is active in 19 countries, including: Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Mexico, India, Congo (DRC), Uganda. Each implementation is led by a local partner under a formal license agreement, allowing for contextual adaptation while maintaining core program standards. This scaling has demonstrated the model’s flexibility and relevance across diverse educational, cultural, and socio-economic environments.

Potential for mainstreaming

Social Impact Award demonstrates strong potential for mainstreaming across youth, education, and social economy systems. Its experiential, impact-driven learning model addresses widely recognized gaps in traditional education — namely, the need to foster entrepreneurial skills, civic engagement, and social responsibility among youth.

The program’s dual focus on social entrepreneurship and active citizenship is highly relevant to current EU policy priorities, including the European Youth Strategy, the Social Economy Action Plan, and non-fromal learning programs aimed at fostering transversal skills and inclusion. These thematic overlaps create clear pathways for integration into formal and non-formal learning systems.

SIA program has been designed from the outset for international replication and adaptation through a structured license model. This model enables local organizations, referred to as SIA Hosts, to implement the program in their respective countries while receiving comprehensive support, training, and resources from the SIA International team. Hosts gain access to a proven program methodology, a shared brand and communication framework, monitoring and evaluation tools, and a global network of peers.

Thanks to this model, SIA has already scaled to nearly 30 countries since its founding in 2009, with current active presence in 19 countries across Europe, Central Asia, and East Africa. SIA specifically targets regions of high youth unemployment and underdeveloped ecosystems for social entrepreneurship. The license model ensures contextual adaptability while safeguarding program quality and strategic alignment through onboarding processes, joint planning, and regular performance tracking.