Causeartist's "50 Social Entrepreneurs to Watch for in 2026" report highlights founders embedding impact into scalable business models across key sectors like climate tech, financial inclusion, healthcare, housing, and sustainable products. This annual list, now in its second decade, showcases leaders turning lived experiences into solutions for global challenges, from battery recycling to earned wage access. We spotlight the report's trends and one standout example per category.
Report Overview
The list reflects matured impact investing, with over $1.4 trillion in assets under management fueling infrastructure-focused ventures over consumer apps. Founders prioritize unit economics where revenue ties directly to outcomes, such as recovering battery materials or enabling fee-free donations. Patterns include lived-experience origins, Global South innovation, and hardware resurgence to tackle climate, health, and exclusion.
Financial Inclusion
WYDE, founded by Martin Simms and Aaron Rafferty, builds the world's first 501(c)(4) impact exchange using cause-specific tokens called Cause Coins. Every trade funnels funds to verified nonprofits via Wyoming DUNA law, creating decentralized nonprofits governed by token holders. Starting with $EAT - end hunger token for hunger relief, it shifts fundraising from donations to continuous trading-powered funding with on-chain transparency. WYDE hit $14M Fully Diluted Market Cap and has already funded over 6000 meals for charity in just over a month of operation.
Climate Tech
JB Straubel’s Redwood Materials recovers 95% of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper from EV batteries and scrap, enabling closed-loop supply chains. The company has raised over $2 billion, partnered with Toyota, Ford, and Amazon, and plans $3.5 billion in U.S. facilities. This addresses mining dependency while processing electronics and vehicle waste at scale.
Healthcare Access
Jake Sussman and Dan Ross's Marble Health targets teen mental health via virtual platforms partnering with schools for specialist matching. It tackles provider shortages and access barriers amid rising adolescent anxiety and suicide rates. The model focuses on telehealth for specific demographics, bypassing long waitlists.