By Beth Chapman, Trust Manager, All Good Ventures
Starting a social enterprise is a wild mix of excitement and uncertainty. You’ve got a brilliant idea that could make a real difference, but then, inevitably, come the questions: How do you fund it? How do you grow it? Where do you even begin?
Good news: If you’re just starting out, while the road ahead may feel uncertain, you don’t have to navigate it alone. With the right support, you can turn your promising idea into an impactful business. We’ve seen it time and again through our year-long funding and support programme which provides entrepreneurs with seed funding, business mentoring, and practical expertise from industry professionals.
In fact, since launching in 2019, 22 social enterprises from around the world have benefited from our support – including four in our current cohort. Over half of these businesses are still operating today, creating lasting change in their communities. And even those that have closed still leave behind a legacy of impact.
To inspire you as you begin your journey, we’re showcasing the impact of four remarkable enterprises we’ve supported. Each was less than a year old when they joined us, facing the same hurdles you might be encountering now. While it goes without saying that we can’t take credit for their success, we’re in the business of helping enterprises get off to a strong start – and these ones have taken flight.
Here’s a glimpse of what they’ve achieved since completing our programme* – may it lend you inspiration to dream about what you too could accomplish with the right support.
Ripple Movement (New Zealand) – Clothing children in material hardship
Sector(s): Child welfare, health and equity, environmental sustainability
Enterprise description: A fully circular business that collects and sorts unwanted and outgrown children’s clothing. Quality items go into gear boxes for New Zealand children experiencing extreme material hardship, with excess clothing reused, repaired or recycled.
Impact spotlight: Ripple Movement was just one month old when founder Michelle Jennings joined our programme in 2023. By the end of her year with us, the enterprise had made significant strides:
- They delivered clothing gear boxes to 217 children, each box providing a year’s worth of clothes.
- Shoes were provided to 200 children, and swimming togs were distributed to 120.
- Over two tonnes of textiles were diverted from landfill, preventing 1,085kg of greenhouse gas emissions.
- The total value of donated items was estimated at $65,100.
What they’re saying: “All Good Ventures are an incredibly generous and insightful team that understands what is needed to get a social enterprise off the ground. While the seed funding was crucial, the muscle and the mentorship became just as important in getting through the inevitable ups and downs of the start-up journey.” – Michelle Jennings, Ripple Movement founder.
Zero Waste Warrior Business Bins (Australia) – Empowering adults with disabilities through employment
Sector(s): Disability employment, education and training, environmental sustainability
Enterprise description: A plastics recycling and collection initiative for households and businesses, employing Australian adults with disabilities to assist with setting up recycling stations and processing collected plastics.
Impact spotlight: When founder Emma Holliday joined our programme in 2023, Zero Waste Warrior Business Bins was still a concept. By the time she had completed our programme, the enterprise had achieved exciting milestones:
- The business officially launched with a clear plan and a growing customer base.
- For the first time, Australian households and businesses can subscribe to receive recycling bins or tubs for plastics smaller than a credit card.
- Profits now support their parent not-for-profit, Lids4Kids, while creating meaningful employment opportunities for adults with disabilities.
What they’re saying: “[All Good Ventures’] mentorship … has been transformational. They helped hone my [business strategy] skills, validated my ideas, and taught me the crucial difference between ‘good ideas’ and ‘good business’.” – Emma Holliday, Zero Waste Warrior founder.
Strength & Stem (United Kingdom) – Supporting female survivors of modern slavery
Sector(s): Floristry, gender equality, education and training, poverty alleviation
Enterprise description: A floristry business offering floristry and prevocational skills, work experience and mentoring to female survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking in the UK.
Impact spotlight: In 2022, Strength & Stem had just completed a pilot of its floristry training programme. Founder Jess Visser applied with us and completed her full year on our programme. Here’s where Strength and Stem sits today:
- They have welcomed 65 survivors into their programme, providing them with valuable new skills and work experience.
- Leadership or mentorship roles have been taken on by 20 of these alumni, empowering them further.
- Additional stand-alone floristry workshops have reached 30 more survivors, expanding the programme’s reach.
- The most recent cohort achieved a 73% graduation rate, with 91% of participants feeling more prepared for employment.
What they’re saying: “My All Good Ventures mentor helped me know I’m not alone on my entrepreneurial journey and equipped me with additional insights, tools, and resources to move my social enterprise forward.” – Jess Visser, Strength & Stem founder
OneDay Health (Uganda) – Providing healthcare to remote communities in Uganda
Sector: Healthcare, education and training, poverty alleviation, community development
Enterprise description: A healthcare access organisation establishing health centres in very remote areas of Uganda. It trains nurses and provides medical services, with the goal of ensuring quality healthcare for every rural Ugandan.
Impact spotlight: All Good Ventures supported OneDay Health back in 2019 when they had barely any other funding and just a handful of centres open. Since founder Nick Liang went through our programme, they’ve made remarkable progress:
- They have opened 42 health centres across Uganda, expanding access to essential healthcare.
- Over 213,000 patients have been treated, including 82,300 children under five.
- They have diagnosed and treated 100,000 cases of malaria and 16,600 cases of pneumonia.
- By offering local care, they have saved rural communities approximately $380,000 in transport costs to distant health facilities.
What they’re saying: “Getting funding and support at this early stage was almost impossible through other sources. All Good Ventures gave us the encouragement and confidence to take off.” – Nick Liang, OneDay Health founder.
Could you be next?
Every one of these enterprises started where you might be right now: with a big idea, limited resources, and a whole lot of questions. With the right support, they launched businesses that, to this day, are transforming lives and communities. Now, it could be your turn.
We’re looking for our next cohort of changemakers. If you’ve got a bold idea for a social enterprise that will create lasting change for a marginalized community – and you’re ready to take the leap – we’d love to hear from you.
Our year-long programme provides:
- Money: An initial seed funding injection, typically ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 NZD, to help kickstart the social enterprise.
- Mentoring: A full year of business mentoring, starting with creating a business plan and budget, with continued support from a dedicated mentor.
- Muscle: Practical support to fill resource and expertise gaps, including optional access to LinkedIn Learning, consulting sessions with industry experts, and ad-hoc assistance.
Learn more and apply before the 31 March 2025 deadline – and let’s see what kind of impact you can create with our support.
*The data shared in this blog comes from our 2024 Impact Report. Please note, each enterprise has continued to grow and achieve even greater success since then.
