In 2017 Ashoka Romania created the Map of Social Innovators, a connected network with a well-defined core. It includes the names of almost 1,000 changemakers across Romania. The research also resulted in a list of social innovators and their supporters, which brought together more than 30 of the most well-known names in social entrepreneurship.

Key insights

• Top 3 sectors: social inclusion, education, socio-economic development
• 53% of social innovators are women
• Top 3 country regions: Bucharest-Ilfov, North-West, Centre
• Top 3 challenges for social innovators: access to funding; lack of a legislative framework conducive to the sector; attracting and retaining talent in social impact organizations

Top most nominated social innovators

Angela Achitei, president of ADV Romania, is on the map of social innovators in Romania!

Angela Achiței, the leader who has been running the ADV Romania foundation for more than 20 years, is included in the top of social innovators.

Angela was only 26 years old when she was appointed Executive Director at ADV Romania, a newly established organization by Holt International (USA). Since then, she has developed the organization spectacularly, together with a dedicated team, placing the organization on the international map of the most important actors in the social economy.

Read about Angela’s journey here.

The members of the AFIN Advisory Board (the first social banking institution with Romanian capital) are also present in the top of the most nominated social innovators:

• Zoltán Bereczki (Synerb)
• Diana Certan (Concordia)
• Alexandru Ghiță (Educativa)

One of the 42 social entrepreneurs supported by ADV Romania within the Social Enterprise Accelerator – Simona David Crisbășanu is also present in this top.  With a 100k grant offered by ADV Romania (through European funds), Simona established the Nucu Cultural and Community Center.

The map also features: Tincuța Apăteanu (EduSfera), Traina Brumă (UA), Anna Cristina Burtea (Inimă de Copil), Elena Calistru (Funky Citizens), Oana Craioveanu (ImpactHub), Vlad Craioveanu (ImpactHub), Cristina Cristea ( UA), Tică Daie (Made in Roșia Montana), Simona David Crisbășanu (ROI), Anca Gheorghică (Mai better), Cristian Hatu (CEAE), Alina Kasprovski (Bucharest Community Foundation), Cristian Lupșa (DOR), Raluca Negulescu (Policy Center for Roma & Minorities), Valeriu Nicolae (Council of Europe), Laila Onu (For You), Raluca Ouriaghli (Ateliers sans frontieres), Ștefan Pălărie (School of Values), Cosmin Pojoranu (Funky Citizens), Oana Preda (CERE), Alin Prunean (Agapis), Corina Puiu (Teach for Romania), Ionuț Soleanicov (Teach for Romania), Ciprian Stănescu (Social Impact Award), Oana Țoiu (Social Innovation Solutions), Mihaela Vețan (Reciproc Cafe), Daniela Vișoianu (Edu Coalition ), Roxana Vitan (RAF), Vlad Voiculescu (MagiCamp).

About Ashoka

For more than 40 years, Ashoka has built and supported the world’s largest network of social entrepreneurs.

Bill Drayton founded Ashoka in 1980 based on the idea that the world’s most powerful force for good is a social entrepreneur: a person driven by an innovative idea who can help correct an entrenched global problem. The world’s leading social entrepreneurs pursue system-changing solutions that permanently alter existing business patterns.

Ashoka is the most prominent global supporter of social entrepreneurship, focusing on social innovation with systemic impact and investing in people who make a difference in society. Some of the most successful social innovations implemented in Romania – Teach for Romania, TechSoup and Simplon – were founded in the country of origin by Ashoka members.

Discover the Ashoka Romania team, opportunities and projects here.

Full Report

Download the Social Innovators Map 2017.