Disruptors for GOOD | Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises

Climate action often feels heavy. The headlines focus on crisis, the solutions demand sacrifice, and the average person ends up believing their choices are too small to matter. Robert Luo has been working to break that cycle. As the CEO of Tanbii , he is building a platform that turns climate restoration into a daily habit through play. His team has found a way to turn virtual energy into real wor...

Allbirds is a sustainable footwear and apparel company founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California (though with roots in New Zealand). Its mission centers on creating environmentally responsible apparel using natural materials, minimizing carbon footprint , and promoting sustainable consumer habits. From its early viral growth and celebrity adoption to raising hundreds of millio...

The idea that doing good should be simple is not new. The problem is the world rarely makes it simple. That is where Tab for a Cause comes in. What started as a clever college experiment has grown into one of the most accessible digital giving tools on the internet. With nothing more than an internet connection and the habit of opening new browser tabs, millions of people have helped raise real do...

In the crowded world of consumer packaged goods, few companies truly live their mission from the inside out. Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages , founded in 2012 in Hilo, Hawai‘i, stands apart as one that does. Co-founded by Ryan Emmons , his cousin Alex Preston , and friend Matt Meyer , the brand was built on a simple but revolutionary idea: great taste should never come at the planet’s expense....

At Causeartist, we love highlighting founders who turn lived experiences and community insights into solutions that change lives. Erik Olson, CEO of Dignity Made , has built a social enterprise tackling generational debt among coconut farmers in the Philippines. What began as a single conversation with a farmer has grown into a thriving business that provides economic freedom, restores dignity, an...

Oddbird is transforming the wine industry, proving that world-class wines can be just as sophisticated and celebratory without alcohol. Founded in Sweden in 2013 by a former social worker who witnessed the impact of alcoholism on families firsthand, Oddbird was born from a desire to challenge the role of alcohol in modern culture. Today, the brand stands as a pioneer in the dealcoholized wine move...

When most people think about brushing their teeth, they rarely think about nutrition. For Vladimir Vukicevic, it became the foundation for a new way of thinking about health and habit. As the Co-founder and CEO of Better & Better , Vladimir is reimagining what daily wellness can look like, starting with something as simple and universal as toothpaste. Born in Belgrade, Serbia, Vladimir’s story...

In an industry dominated by excess packaging and synthetic ingredients, Lola Arnao is carving out space for what the brand calls “slow beauty”, a movement focused on simplicity, sustainability, and self-care that’s good for both people and planet. Founded by a mother-daughter duo in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Lola Arnao creates concentrated, plastic-free skincare products designed specifically fo...

Every year, universities across the world throw away thousands of pounds of perfectly good food, from untouched entrees to overproduced menu items. For Raccoon Eyes AI, a startup born out of Georgia Tech, this isn’t just a statistic. It’s a challenge to be solved through data, design, and behavioral science. Founded by a group of engineering students who turned their senior capstone project into a...

Mural Pay’s founder, Sinclair Toffa , joins Disruptors for GOOD to share how stablecoins and programmable payments can rewire cross-border money movement for businesses, creators, and marketplaces. From early inspiration in West Africa to on-the-ground deployments with global platforms, Sinclair explains why faster settlement, lower fees, and end-to-end transparency are changing what is possible f...

On this episode of Disruptors for GOOD , I sits down with Kevin Barenblat, Co-founder of Fast Forward , to unpack how the nonprofit accelerator is helping mission driven teams use technology, and now AI, to scale impact. From the early days of tech nonprofits to a new wave of AI powered organizations, Kevin shares what he is seeing on the ground, what the 2025 AI for Humanity Report reveals, and h...

Trusty is building a simple, human way to pass down more than money. In this episode, Trusty co-founder and CEO Randy Frisch joins to share how a digital Letter of Wishes, paired with AI and secure sharing, can reduce confusion for families, bring advisors into the loop, and preserve the stories behind the things we love. Key takeaways Trusty creates a digital Letter of Wishes with video messages,...

Hey friends, Welcome back to Funding Rounds , where we break down the week’s most impactful startup and venture funding announcements—highlighting the mission, the money, and the impact behind it all. This week, over $1 billion was invested across public safety tech, clean energy, autism care, robotics, carbon removal, and more. Let’s get into it. First Due Secures $355 Million to Scale Public Saf...

In this episode of Disruptors for GOOD , host Grant Trahant speaks with Jorge Richardson , co-founder and CEO of Hope Hydration , a startup on a mission to make free water universally accessible—powered by beautiful, connected hardware and backed by advertisers. Fresh off a $20 million Series A funding round, Jorge shares how Hope is transforming how people interact with hydration infrastructure b...

Varda Raises $187M Series C to Manufacture Medicine in Space 🚀 Funding: $187 million Goal: Bring zero-gravity biomanufacturing to commercial scale Impact: Creating life-saving therapies that can only be made in orbit 🔗 Learn more AWAKE Chocolate Lands $8M CAD to Fuel Functional Chocolate Growth 🍫 Funding: $8 million CAD Goal: Expand caffeinated chocolate snacks as an alternative to energy drink...

Carbon to Sea Initiative Commits $4M to Ocean Carbon Removal R&D Funding: $4 million joint investment with MEOPAR Goal: Advance research on ocean-based carbon dioxide removal in Canada Impact: Unlocking ocean tech as a scalable solution for climate mitigation 🔗 Read more Trusty Raises $1M to Redefine Estate Planning with AI Funding: $1 million pre-seed round Goal: Build modern, AI-powered Let...

Hey friends, After 10 incredible years of building Causeartist solo, I’m excited to share something personal with you. Last year, some amazing partners who believe deeply in the mission and future of Causeartist reached out. I knew from the initial conversation it was the right fit. The Pay It Forward Company (PIF) has officially acquired Causeartist, and I couldn’t be more energized about what th...

Fiber Global Raises $20M to Scale Circular Building Materials Funding: $20 million Series A Goal: Expand production of sustainable materials that reduce construction waste Impact: Tackling industrial emissions and advancing the circular economy Read more → Lumion Secures $10M to Power the Future of Trade Schools Funding: $10 million seed round Goal: Build an operating system to modernize vocationa...

In episode 230 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast, I had the privilege of speaking with Angela O’Brien, founder and creative director of Cleobella , an ethical fashion brand rooted in global inspiration, artisan partnership, and sustainability. What began as a dream during a year-long adventure through Southeast Asia in 2006 has grown into a globally recognized brand celebrated for its craftsmansh...

In this episode of Disruptors for GOOD , I sit down with Brian Sheng , the co-founder and CEO of Aquaria , to explore how his company is reshaping the future of water access. At a time when nearly 30 million Americans are affected by water scarcity each year—and our infrastructure is failing to keep up—Aquaria offers a revolutionary solution: extracting clean, reliable water directly from the air...

In episode 228 of the Disruptors for GOOD Podcast , I had the pleasure of speaking with Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder & CEO of Acumen on her global journey that led her from the world of international banking to the heart of social entrepreneurship—beginning in Rwanda, and now reaching 650+ million lives through Acumen’s work around the world. From Chase Bank to Kigali: A Journey Rooted in Emp...

Welcome to another episode of the Investing in Impact podcast . Today, I’m joined by Dr. Andy Kuper, Founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments , a pioneering firm that has reshaped how global capital can drive profit with purpose. Dr. Andy Kuper , founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments , has redefined how private capital can create meaningful change. Since launching the firm in 2007, Kuper has led...

In episode 227, we’re diving into a powerful conversation about reproductive health and a movement that’s transforming the prenatal wellness space for both women and men. I’m joined by the incredible minds behind WeNatal , a supplement brand designed to shift the fertility narrative — from a woman-only issue to a couple’s shared journey. When it comes to fertility and prenatal care, the focus has...

Today, I'm joined by Howard Fischer , Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist of Gratitude Railroad , to discuss his journey from Wall Street to impact investing and how Gratitude Railroad is building a community-driven approach to fund entrepreneurs creating lasting social and environmental change. Prior to his work in impact investing, Howard spent over 30 years in traditional finance as the Founder and...

In episode 226 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Aaron Neiderhiser, CEO and Co-Founder, of Tuva Health , on transforming healthcare data with an innovative open-source model. By providing healthcare organizations with a robust and cost-effective solution, Tuva Health enables researchers, analysts, and engineers to streamline their data processes and extract cr...