Social Entrepreneurs Ireland

What Social Entrepreneurs Ireland does

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) is a Dublin-headquartered not-for-profit, founded in 2004 by Declan Ryan and Sean Coughlan as an initiative of the One Foundation. It was the first organisation in Ireland explicitly dedicated to supporting social entrepreneurs and operates as a registered charity (no. 20065379) and company limited by guarantee (no. 433846), compliant with the Charities Regulator Governance Code and holding the 2025 Charities Institute of Ireland Triple Lock Standard. SEI's mission is to find and nurture individuals tackling Ireland's social problems across domains including mental health, housing, education, accessibility, food sustainability, and gender equality, and it has supported over 660 entrepreneurs and organisations to date with cumulative direct funding and pro bono services exceeding €14.5 million.

SEI delivers its support through a tiered programme ecosystem rather than a core technology platform. The portfolio comprises seven named programmes plus a free downloadable toolkit: Ideas Academy (3-month early-stage), Action Lab (3-month piloting for Ideas Academy graduates, €1,000-€5,000 grants), Impact Programme (9-month scaling with €20,000-€30,000 of support), Transform Programme (12-month systems change, minimum €20,000), Investor Readiness Pathway (6-month, €500 bursary), Changing Ireland Accelerator (12-month, €60,000), and Elements of AI (delivered with MinnaLearn, supported by Google.org). Underlying technology is standard: a third-party grant management platform at socialentrepreneurs.grantplatform.com, Google Analytics, and conventional communications/social media tooling; no proprietary AI, data products, or developer APIs exist.

SEI's business model is philanthropic. It does not charge participants; instead, it is funded by individual supporters, corporate partners, and foundations — including DCC plc (partner since 2011), Google.org, Bank of America, Kennedy Wilson, KKR, eBay Foundation, A&L Goodbody, Brewin Dolphin, KPMG, The Ireland Funds, NTMA, INCO, Tomar Trust, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Pro bono service partners (A&L Goodbody for legal, KPMG for professional services, Bradley for brand/media, Crowe Ireland as auditor) extend operational capacity. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: annual nationwide application calls, information sessions, the Voices of Change annual event, podcasts and a docuseries, plus an active alumni network of 660+ entrepreneurs that functions as the principal referral channel. SEI also operates the only Elements of AI programme in Ireland. Adam Harris, founder of AsIAm and a former SEI programme participant, is CEO as of 2025, and a new 2026-2028 organisational strategy is in launch phase.

Name

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland

Legal name

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland

Website

https://socialentrepreneurs.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland is a Dublin-based not-for-profit founded in 2004 that finds and supports social entrepreneurs tackling Ireland's social problems through a multi-stage programme ecosystem, providing funding, mentorship, training, and pro bono services to early-stage and scaling ventures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Social Enterprise Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Entrepreneurship & Impact Business (EDAMAHAK)

Keywords

• Social enterprise support
• Non-profit capacity building
• Social entrepreneur programmes
• Impact investment readiness
• Charitable funding programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropic Funding: SEI is a privately funded not-for-profit organization supported by individual supporters, corporate partners, and philanthropic foundations. Funding comes from a community of donors who provide direct funding, skills, and expertise. Major funders include DCC plc (partner since 2011), Google.org, Bank of America, Kennedy Wilson, KKR, eBay Foundation, A&L Goodbody, Brewin Dolphin, KPMG, The Ireland Funds, NTMA, and INCO.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) is a not-for-profit support organisation that identifies, nurtures, and scales social entrepreneurs tackling Ireland's social and environmental challenges. It delivers a multi-stage portfolio of programmes (Ideas Academy, Impact Programme, Action Lab, Transform Programme, Investor Readiness Pathway, Changing Ireland Accelerator, and Elements of AI), combining tailored mentorship, peer community, expert pro bono services, and unrestricted direct funding. All programmes are free to participants and funded through donations and philanthropic partnerships.

Product overview

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland operates a multi-tiered support ecosystem for social entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey. The core offering consists of seven named programmes: Ideas Academy (3-month early-stage support), Impact Programme (9-month scaling support), Action Lab (3-month pilot-stage support for Ideas Academy graduates), Transform Programme (12-month transformational change support), Investor Readiness Pathway (6-month investment preparation), Spark Toolkit (free downloadable resources), and Changing Ireland Accelerator (12-month support for underserved entrepreneurs). Elements of AI provides AI training in partnership with MinnaLearn. All programmes provide various combinations of funding, mentorship, training, peer community, and consultancy services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ideas Academy A three-month programme that supports budding social entrepreneurs to move from idea to action. Provides training, peer support, networking, and an opportunity to pitch for pilot funding. Designed for individuals at ideation, research, or early testing stages.
• Impact Programme A nine-month programme strengthening leaders to scale solutions to Ireland's biggest social challenges. Provides unrestricted funding plus additional supports worth €20,000-€30,000 per organisation, expert consultancy, tailored mentorship, and peer community membership. For social entrepreneurs with proven solutions actively delivering for at least 12 months.
• Action Lab A three-month programme supporting Ideas Academy graduates through the piloting stage. Provides group workshops, community connections, mentorship, peer support, and business grants of €1,000-€5,000. Sponsored by Brewin Dolphin.
• Transform Programme A 12-month programme guiding social entrepreneurs towards transformational change at national level. Provides coaching, mentorship, peer support, consultancy, pro bono expertise, and minimum €20,000 in seed funding. For SEI alumni who completed the Impact Programme and seek systems-level change. Supported by the Tomar Trust.
• Investor Readiness Pathway A six-month investor readiness capacity-building programme for social entrepreneurs planning to raise social or impact investment. Includes a pitching diagnostic, investor-ready support, closing pitch, and a €500 bursary per participating organisation.
• Spark Toolkit A free downloadable toolkit providing early-stage entrepreneurs with guidance and tools to develop their social enterprise ideas. Lead sponsored by the eBay Foundation.
• Changing Ireland Accelerator A twelve-month initiative for underserved social entrepreneurs needing support to accelerate their impact. Provides €60,000 in direct funding from INCO, one-to-one support, coaching, consultancy, and group training.
• Elements of AI A four-week AI training learning journey combining theory, practice, and hands-on AI experimentation. Delivered in partnership with MinnaLearn, supported by Google.org/INCO. Available only through SEI in Ireland.

Quantifiable outcome

• Social entrepreneurs supported by SEI are up to 50% more likely to succeed than those without SEI backing
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• A&L GoodbodycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerA&L Goodbody is a leading Irish law firm providing pro bono legal services to SEI and its programme participants. They are listed as both a corporate/foundation supporter and a pro bono partner, offering their legal expertise to support social entrepreneurs.
• MinnaLearncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinnaLearn is SEI's partner for delivering the Elements of AI for Business programme. SEI is the only organization in Ireland offering this programme, which combines MinnaLearn's award-winning Elements of AI course with SEI's support for social entrepreneurs.
• Iseult Ward (FoodCloud)coreOthersIseult Ward, CEO of FoodCloud (SEI alumni), serves on the SEI Board of Directors, bringing her experience as a successful social entrepreneur to help guide SEI's governance and strategic direction.
• KPMG IrelandcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKPMG Ireland provides pro bono professional services and support to SEI. They are listed as both a corporate supporter and pro bono partner, offering their expertise to support social entrepreneurs.
• Bradley (The Brand Agency)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBradley is SEI's brand agency partner providing pro bono marketing and branding services. They are credited as the agency that built and supports SEI's digital presence.
• AREA MediaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAREA Media is listed as a pro bono and special projects partner providing media services to SEI.
• Media CentralminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMedia Central is a pro bono partner providing media services to support SEI's communications.
• FurthrminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFurthr is listed as a pro bono and special projects partner, providing support for SEI initiatives.
• CCI Executive SearchminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCCI Executive Search is a non-profit specialist recruitment consultancy managing the CEO recruitment process for SEI, handling candidate screening and shortlisting.
• Crowe IrelandcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCrowe Ireland is SEI's appointed auditor, providing fully audited financial statements and ensuring compliance with accounting standards including Charity SORP FRS 102.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ashoka: Global organisation supporting leading social entrepreneurs via fellowship, network and funding. Comparable as an upstream social-entrepreneur identification and capacity-building organisation at greater scale and longer history than SEI.
• Social Enterprise UK: UK national membership and representative body for social enterprises. Directly comparable as a sector-support and advocacy organisation for social entrepreneurs in an adjacent national market, with similar funding model (membership, corporate partners, grants).
• Echoing Green: US-based social-entrepreneurship fellowship providing seed funding, leadership development and a peer community. Directly comparable multi-stage support model for high-impact social entrepreneurs.
• UnLtd: UK-based charity finding, funding and supporting social entrepreneurs through awards, programmes and a peer community. Closest direct peer: similar multi-tier programmes (Doer, Pioneer, Growth), funding-model parallels and target beneficiary (early-stage social entrepreneurs).

Regional players

• Social Finance Foundation: Ireland-based impact investor and intermediary advancing social outcomes through outcomes-based contracting. Comparable as an adjacent Irish ecosystem organisation focused on social-mission organisations, with overlap on the Investor Readiness Pathway beneficiary profile.
• The Wheel: Ireland's national representative body and support organisation for community and voluntary organisations. Comparable as a domestic non-profit infrastructure body serving an overlapping constituency of social-purpose organisations in Ireland.

Broad incumbents

• Skoll Foundation: US-based foundation funding social entrepreneurs and the ecosystem, including via Skoll Award. Comparable at the funder-of-social-entrepreneurs level but operating at substantially larger scale and with a global remit.
• Schwab Foundation: World Economic Forum-affiliated foundation that supports a global network of social entrepreneurs. Larger, broader scope, but directly comparable as a social-entrepreneur identification and convening organisation with corporate funder involvement.

Others

• Pilotlight: UK charity pairing senior business professionals with charities and social enterprises as pro bono advisers. Comparable in offering the pro-bono expertise layer that SEI delivers via A&L Goodbody, KPMG and Bradley, and adjacent as a UK capacity-building intermediary.

Emerging players

• NESsT: Non-profit that incubates and finances social enterprises in emerging economies. Comparable as an enterprise-support intermediary with similar funding-plus-capacity-building mix, though with a different geographic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/seireland
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GetInspiredWithSEI
• Facebookfacebook.com/socialentrepreneursireland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/social-entrepreneurs-ireland
• Instagraminstagram.com/seireland

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments8 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Social Entrepreneurs Ireland