Root Impact
Root Impact is a Korean nonprofit intermediary that builds and supports the social impact ecosystem through coworking (HeyGround), venture philanthropy (IP1 Fund, CP1 Project), and programs spanning youth careers, women's workforce reentry, organizational development, and consortium childcare for changemakers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Root Impact does
Root Impact is a South Korean nonprofit general incorporated association (사단법인 루트임팩트) founded in 2015 that operates as an impact ecosystem builder for social ventures, nonprofits, and changemakers. Its core functions are community formation, organizational capacity building, philanthropic grantmaking, and programmatic support across the lifecycle of impact-oriented organizations and individuals, anchored physically at HeyGround, a coworking space in Seongdong-gu, Seoul that houses 124 organizations and 1,132 changemakers as of 2025.
The organization's product portfolio is structured as a series of interconnected programs rather than commercial products. Impact Base Camp (IBC), an 8-week project-based learning program launched in 2015, has graduated 478 explorers across 19 cohorts over 10 years. Impact Career W, running since 2018, supports women re-entering the workforce after caregiving breaks. The IP1 Fund (launched July 2022) and CP1 Project (launched 2025) deploy venture philanthropy capital, up to 100 million KRW per organization, combined with multi-stage capability development. Impact Work Lab (2026) and DEI Lab provide organizational development services, while Moduui-soop is a consortium workplace daycare serving 29 member organizations. Partnerships with Kia, Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance, Hana Financial Group, and UN Women Korea provide both funding and program co-design opportunities.
Revenue mechanics are those of a nonprofit intermediary: philanthropic grants, corporate partnership funding, and project-based support, with all beneficiary-facing programs offered at no charge. There is no proprietary technology platform; the core capability is program design, ecosystem facilitation, and organizational development methodologies. GTM is community-led and event-driven, leveraging reputation and referrals within the Korean social innovation ecosystem, anchored by large public events such as the annual Changemaker Conference and the Korea Social Value Festa.
Root Impact firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Root Impact
- Legal name
- 사단법인 루트임팩트
- Website
- https://rootimpact.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Root Impact is a Korean nonprofit intermediary that builds and supports the social impact ecosystem through coworking (HeyGround), venture philanthropy (IP1 Fund, CP1 Project), and programs spanning youth careers, women's workforce reentry, organizational development, and consortium childcare for changemakers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Root Impact industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Impact Ecosystem Development / Nonprofit Capacity Building
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Sustainability Engagement, Training & Behavior Change Programs (On-site) (BPABALAK)
Keywords
Where Root Impact is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Root Impact business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Grants and Donations: Root Impact operates as a nonprofit organization (사단법인) funded primarily through philanthropic grants, donations, and project-based support. The IP1 Fund is a grantmaking vehicle that provides up to 100 million KRW in unrestricted funding to selected nonprofit organizations. CP1 Project provides up to 100 million KRW in unrestricted capital support to climate nonprofits.
- Corporate Partnership Programs: Root Impact collaborates with corporations (e.g., Kia, Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance, Hana Financial Group) on co-branded programs such as the 'Imaum Playground' project and the 'Caring Father' workshop series, with corporate funding and sponsorship.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Free programs for changemakers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Root Impact product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Root Impact is a nonprofit ecosystem builder that operates programs supporting changemakers across the social impact lifecycle, including coworking community infrastructure (HeyGround), unrestricted multi-year grantmaking (IP1 Fund, CP1 Project), organizational development and DEI experimentation programs (Impact Work Lab, DEI Lab), youth career education (Impact Base Camp), women's workforce reentry support (Impact Career W), and workplace childcare infrastructure (Moduui Sup). Most programs are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, with operations funded through philanthropic grants, donations, and corporate partnerships.
Product overview
Root Impact is a general incorporated foundation (사단법인) that operates as an ecosystem builder for changemakers, offering a portfolio of interconnected programs targeting youth career development, women's workforce reentry, workplace childcare, nonprofit organizational sustainability, and climate action. The core offerings include Impact Base Camp (youth education), Impact Career W (women's reemployment), Impact Career Talk (career lectures), HeyGround (co-working community), Moduui Sup (collective workplace childcare), IP1 Fund (nonprofit financing), Impact Work Lab (organizational development), DEI Lab (DEI experimentation), and CP1 Project (climate nonprofit support). Together these programs form a comprehensive support system spanning education, employment, workplace infrastructure, funding, and organizational capacity for the social impact ecosystem in Korea.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 헤이그라운드(HEYGROUND): 성수동에 위치한 사회혁신 임팩트 지향 조직을 위한 공유 오피스 및 커뮤니티 공간
- 임팩트 베이스캠프(IBC)
- 임팩트커리어W(ICW)
- 모두의숲
- IP1 기금
- CP1 프로젝트
- DEI Lab
- 임팩트 워크랩
- 임팩트닷커리어
Products and services
- Impact Base Camp (임팩트 베이스캠프, IBC) An 8-week project-based learning career education program for young adults (18–30) developing social and environmental problem-solving capabilities through work with impact-oriented organizations; has graduated 478 explorers across 19 cohorts (2015–2025) with approximately 45% pursuing direct impact careers.
- Impact Career W (임팩트커리어W, ICW) A career support program (2018–2025) helping women with career breaks return to the workforce through joint recruitment with social ventures, reboot camps, and practical project experience to rebuild professional skills.
- HeyGround (헤이그라운드) A collaborative co-working community space for social ventures, social enterprises, and nonprofits in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, providing shared office infrastructure and fostering an impact ecosystem cluster — housing 124 organizations and 1,132 changemakers as of 2025.
- Moduui Sup (모두의숲) — Consortium Workplace Daycare A consortium-based joint workplace nursery school established in May 2020 with 11 founding impact organizations, operated with Hana Financial Group and Hansol Kindergarten Foundation; currently supports children from 29 member organizations (81 children, 12 teachers) with 86% of parents reporting reduced career-discontinuity anxiety.
- IP1 Fund (IP1 기금) A philanthropic venture philanthropy fund established in July 2022 providing up to 100 million KRW in multi-year unrestricted funding and organizational capacity development to selected nonprofit organizations; selected 7 nonprofits and 1 ecosystem project from screening 10,000+ organizations across 2 years and 9 months of operations.
- Impact Work Lab (임팩트 워크랩) A 6-month organizational development program for impact organizations in Seongdong-gu, providing project funding (1–1.5 million KRW), expert coaching, and capacity-building workshops to design and implement healthy organizational practices.
- DEI Lab An organizational experimentation program supporting impact organizations in conducting diversity, equity, and inclusion experiments, providing project funding and expert mentorship for 3-month experimental initiatives.
- CP1 Project (Climate Philanthropy 1) A climate nonprofit capacity-building program providing up to 100 million KRW in unrestricted funding and a structured 5-stage capability development program covering strategy, assessment, planning, impact measurement, and fundraising; selected organizations include Green Transition Institute, Energy Transition Forum, and Environmental Movement Federation.
- Impact Career Talk (임팩트커리어톡) A lecture series featuring professionals who have built careers through social impact, designed to help participants explore how to connect their own career paths with meaning and societal contribution.
Quantifiable outcome
- 86% of parents reported reduced anxiety about career discontinuity after enrolling children in Moduui-soop daycare
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Root Impact
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Root Impact technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Root Impact partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Kia (기아)flagshipRoot Impact and Kia partnered on the 'Caring Father, Growing Organization' (돌보는 아빠, 성장하는 조직) project, where Kia employees participated in a one-day care education program focused on male caregiving. Kia provided corporate funding, facilities, and internal influence to recruit participants.
- Hana Financial Group (하나금융그룹)coreHana Financial Group partnered with Root Impact on the Moduui-soop (모두의숲) consortium daycare center. The group serves not only as a sponsor but as a consortium member that directly supports the daycare's operations while simultaneously enhancing its own care inclusion practices.
- Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance (현대해상화재보험)flagshipHyundai Marine & Fire Insurance co-hosted the session '양육 커뮤니티, 함께 키우는 공동체로의 여정' at the Korea Social Value Festa 2025 with Root Impact, and is a partner in the 'Imaum Playground' (아이마음놀이터) project, investing 15 billion KRW over 7 years to create community care spaces in 4 communities.
- UN Women Korea (유엔여성기구)coreRoot Impact and UN Women Korea (Knowledge and Partnerships Center) jointly operate the 'Caring Father Workshop' (돌보는 아빠 워크숍, Papa School 2025) and the conference track '길어진 삶, 넓어진 돌봄' at the Changemaker Conference. UN Women provides validated curriculum, global frameworks (WEPs), and expert networks.
- TripleLift (트리플라잇)coreTripleLift serves as the impact measurement and communication specialist partner for the CP1 Project, supporting selected organizations in developing impact measurement frameworks, theory of change, and strategic planning.
- Korean Fundraising Association / Hwang Shin-ae (한국모금가협회 황신애)coreHwang Shin-ae, Korea's first high-value fundraising professional, provides fundraising strategy consulting and coaching for CP1 Project participating organizations, guiding them from strategy to execution of fundraising campaigns.
- Asian Development Bank (ADB, 아시아개발은행)minorADB partnered with UN Women on care economy initiatives referenced in Root Impact's Care Forum activities. ADB provided $11.5 million for elderly care in Tonga and announced technical assistance programs for childcare in Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, and Vanuatu.
- KAIST (카이스트)minorEstablished a social enterprise MBA program in partnership with SK Group in 2013, contributing to talent development in the impact ecosystem that Root Impact serves.
- Seongdong-gu District (성동구)coreSeongdong-gu operates the 'Social Venture Hub Center' and supports the impact ecosystem in partnership with Root Impact. The district has been a key supporter of the Impact Work Lab program.
- Seoul Metropolitan Government / Seoul Startup Hub (서울시/서울창업허브 성수)minorSeoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Startup Hub support social ventures in Seongdong, operating under a renewed mandate to support urban problem-solving ventures, complementing Root Impact's ecosystem-building activities.
- Hansol KinderGood (한솔어린이보육재단)coreHansol KinderGood provides outsourced daycare center management for Moduui-soop, bringing professional childcare expertise and operational infrastructure to the consortium daycare model.
- Heyground member organizationscore124 impact organizations co-located at Heyground form the core ecosystem community, participating in shared events, peer learning, skill-up programs, and collaborative projects.
- Gwangjin Tiruhandeul (프래그/노플라스틱선데이)minorFragg (NoPlasticSunday) co-developed the 'JumKit' (점킷) accessible braille sign product with Heyground, using recycled plastic materials to create modular braille signage for spatial accessibility.
- Korea Braille Publishing (도서출판 점자)minorKorea Braille Publishing provided accessibility consultation and braille translation services for the JumKit project, ensuring the product met usability standards for visually impaired users.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Root Impact competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ashoka: Global nonprofit that identifies and supports leading social entrepreneurs (Ashoka Fellows) through fellowships, networking, and ecosystem convening. Highly comparable to Root Impact's Impact Basecamp career-education and ImpactCampus models that cultivate changemakers, though Ashoka operates globally rather than concentrating in a single city.
- Echoing Green: US-based foundation that provides fellowships, seed funding, and leadership development to emerging social-impact leaders. Closely comparable to Root Impact's IP1 Fund + multi-cohort program model (unrestricted capital + capacity building) targeting early-stage changemakers.
- Acumen Academy: Capacity-building arm of Acumen focused on leadership development for social change through courses, fellowships, and community. Comparable to Root Impact's ImpactCampus + Impact Work Lab stack that combines cohort-based learning with practical skill-building for impact leaders.
- New Profit: US venture philanthropy nonprofit that provides unrestricted funding, capacity-building, and ecosystem support to a portfolio of social impact organizations. Closely comparable to Root Impact's grantmaking-plus-capacity model (IP1 Fund, CP1 Project) and its role as an ecosystem intermediary.
- Co-Impact: Global collaborative philanthropic platform that pools capital from multiple funders and partners with social-change leaders on long-term, systemic initiatives. Comparable to Root Impact's CP1 Project climate collaborative and IP1 Fund pooled-capital approach to nonprofit capacity building.
Others
- AVPN (Asian Venture Philanthropy Network): Asia-wide membership network for venture philanthropy and impact investing that connects funders with social-purpose organizations across the region. Comparable as an ecosystem-convening organization operating in the same social-investment space as Root Impact, though at a broader pan-Asian scale.
Regional players
- Social Ventures Australia: Australian impact ecosystem builder that supports social enterprises and ventures through investment, capacity building, and policy advocacy. Closely comparable in model and function to Root Impact but operates across Australia rather than concentrated in a single city cluster.
- Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency (KOSEA): South Korean government agency promoting social enterprises through certification, financing, and ecosystem support. Comparable to Root Impact in target beneficiary base (Korean social enterprises and impact ventures) but operates as a public agency rather than an independent nonprofit intermediary.
- Hana Foundation (하나금융재단): Korean corporate foundation of Hana Financial Group focused on social welfare, care infrastructure, and community programs. Directly comparable as a Korean grantmaking partner of Root Impact and as a peer funder within the same Seongdong impact ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- Skoll Foundation: Large US-based foundation that invests in social entrepreneurs through grants, the Skoll Award, and convening at the Skoll World Forum. Comparable in mission (scaling proven social entrepreneurs) but operates globally and at substantially greater capital scale than Root Impact.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Root Impact social profiles
Digital presenceRoot Impact financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Root Impact leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Root Impact funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Root Impact M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Root Impact
What does Root Impact do?
Root Impact is a nonprofit ecosystem builder that operates programs supporting changemakers across the social impact lifecycle, including coworking community infrastructure (HeyGround), unrestricted multi-year grantmaking (IP1 Fund, CP1 Project), organizational development and DEI experimentation programs (Impact Work Lab, DEI Lab), youth career education (Impact Base Camp), women's workforce reentry support (Impact Career W), and workplace childcare infrastructure (Moduui Sup). Most programs are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, with operations funded through philanthropic grants, donations, and corporate partnerships.
Is Root Impact a public or private company?
Root Impact is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Root Impact founded?
Root Impact was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Root Impact based?
Root Impact is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Root Impact make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Philanthropic Grants and Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnership Programs.
Who are Root Impact's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ashoka, Echoing Green, Acumen Academy, New Profit and Co-Impact. AVPN (Asian Venture Philanthropy Network) is listed as an others. Regional players are Social Ventures Australia, Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency (KOSEA) and Hana Foundation (하나금융재단). Skoll Foundation is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Root Impact have an API?
No public API is recorded for Root Impact.
What industry is Root Impact in?
Root Impact's product category is Social Impact Ecosystem Development / Nonprofit Capacity Building. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAM, Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.