Hackney-based founders talked passionately about their founder journeys, sharing their impact, learnings and advice with other Hackney founders. Our speakers in November were Joyclen Buffong, founder and CEO of Rise:365 and Rachel Woolf, founder and CEO of Street Storage. Our speakers in June were Peter Merrifield, Founder and CEO of SWIM: Support When it Matters, and Abdi Hassan, Founder Director of Coffee Afrik.

Read more about Hackney Social Founders in our News section, including the report on our Hackney research, and the wonderful support to our founders from local Hackney businesses.

Be inspired by Joyclen Buffong's feature interview, Peter Merrifield's founder story, and Rachel Woolf's guest blog.

Hackney Social Founders is sponsored by Hackney CVS, Support When It Matters (SWIM) and Urban MBA.

Read about Kofi Oppong's vision and founder story as Founder & CEO of Urban MBA.

Thank you to all our supporters and donors to the first local branch of our global Social Founders network.

Contact Caroline if you are interested in creating a local branch in your area.

Breakfast, networking, inspirational speakers, debate and connections.

Three inspirational social founders - Virginia Castello Castro from Musica en Vena, Alex Pastrana from Hemper, and Maria Luisa Fresno from Soulem - talked about their founder journeys to an audience of Spanish social founders, funders and friends at our Madrid launch in the stunning Impact Hub Picasso.

60 Japanese social founders, charity leaders, impact investors and interested friends came to our launch event at EdgeOf in Shibuya, Tokyo to hear from fascinating Japanese social founders, to debate founder issues and network over drinks and delicious food.

Our guest speakers were Mie Kajikawa, founder of Sport for Smile, with Aiko Odachi and Makoto Goda, co-founders of Nippon Biodiesel Fuel and Green Image Film Festival.

30 Social Founders gathered at the Social Founder Network Breakfast Forum, hosted by EY London on 8th November, to network with other social founders, and hear the powerful story of Michelle Morgan, co-founder of Livity, and now founder of Pjoys.

Caroline Diehl gave a talk about Social Founders past and present to members & guests of the

Voluntary Action History Society

40 Sri Lankan social founders and their colleagues joined our launch event in July 2018 at the Good Market in Colombo to debate founder issues and to network with founders from charities, foundations, social enterprises, corporate and community organisations.

We were delighted to be back in Colombo in January 2019 to speak at the Social Enterprise international conference in partnership with Social Enterprise Lanka and the British Council, and to hold another gathering of Social Founders at the Good Market.

Read about Sri Lankan social founders in our Founder Gallery

We were thrilled that EY hosted our first event in their iconic London HQ. 45 social founders, at all stages of their founder journeys, came together to share their stories, hear from inspirational speakers.

We developed key themes to take forward, and priorities for the new network.

Social founders from across our global network are welcome to join our next London Forum, in person or online, on:

Tuesday 23rd May 2023, 08.30-12.00.

Hosted in EY's iconic Vista Suite, looking over the River Thames, Tower of London and Tower Bridge, the event will bring 40 social founders together in person for inspiration and connections.

Online links will be available too.

Hold the date!

to be sure to hear about future events, features and Social Founder Stories

Contact us if you would like to discuss being involved in, speaking at, or creating an event around a particular theme, or in your area.