Startmate Launches Social Enterprise Stream Backing Founders Taking on Society’s Biggest Problems
•February 10, 2026
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Why It Matters
The initiative reflects a broader shift toward impact‑focused venture support, giving mission‑driven startups the capital and expertise needed to scale solutions to society’s toughest problems.
Key Takeaways
- •4‑6 scholarships fund social‑impact founders.
- •Mentorship by veteran entrepreneur Dave Jackson.
- •Open to for‑profits, hybrids, purpose nonprofits.
- •Emphasis on scalable, revenue‑linked impact models.
- •Applications close March 1, program starts late March.
Pulse Analysis
The rise of dedicated social‑enterprise accelerators marks a pivotal moment for impact investing, as capital providers recognize that profit and purpose can coexist. Startmate’s new stream taps into this momentum, positioning the Launch Club as a bridge between traditional tech incubation and the growing demand for sustainable, mission‑driven businesses. By allocating fully‑funded scholarships, the program lowers financial barriers for founders whose solutions address climate change, inequality, and other systemic issues, thereby expanding the pipeline of investable impact ventures.
Beyond funding, the program’s value lies in its mentorship architecture. Dave Jackson, a veteran with three decades of scaling experience, brings operational rigor to cohorts, ensuring that impact ambitions are matched with robust business fundamentals. The curriculum’s emphasis on revenue‑linked impact models forces founders to design financially sustainable solutions, moving away from pure grant‑dependency. This approach aligns with investor expectations for measurable outcomes and clear paths to profitability, making graduates more attractive for follow‑on capital.
For the broader ecosystem, Startmate’s initiative could accelerate the normalization of hybrid business structures that blend profit motives with social goals. As more accelerators adopt similar tracks, the talent pool of founders equipped to address global challenges will expand, prompting venture firms to allocate larger portions of their funds to impact‑centric deals. Ultimately, the social‑enterprise stream not only supports individual startups but also signals a strategic shift in how the startup community measures success—by both financial returns and societal benefit.
Startmate launches social enterprise stream backing founders taking on society’s biggest problems
Startmate launches dedicated Social Enterprise stream in Launch Club
Startmate has launched a dedicated Social Enterprise stream in its pre‑accelerator program, Launch Club, to back founders building solutions to complex social and environmental challenges.
The social enterprise stream will kick off in late March, with 4‑6 fully‑funded scholarship places available as part of Launch Club.
Applications are open now and close on March 1. You’ll find more details to apply here.
They’ll be part of the core program, which features high‑calibre peers, operator‑led education, and deep community support, while introducing tailored guidance from leaders within the social enterprise ecosystem.
Serial founder, early‑stage adviser, coach, and social enterprise advocate Dave Jackson (LinkedIn), will be the cohort’s mentor, bringing 30 years of experience in tackling the challenges of scaling startups to the table.
“For over a decade, Startmate has backed ambitious people shaping what comes next,” he said.
“Supporting founders tackling society’s hardest problems is a natural extension of that mission.”
Enduring solutions
Startmate’s new CEO Phoebe Pincus said they’re looking for founders with the ambition to take on problems that truly matter, and the determination to build solutions that endure.
“Some of the most important companies of the next decade will not only create economic value, they will help reshape the systems our society depends on,” she said.
Pincus explained that Startmate defines social enterprises as organisations built to solve meaningful social or environmental problems through sustainable, scalable models.
The founders they’ll back will have impact at the core of their business model; revenue linked directly to the solution for long‑term resilience; a structure that prioritises durable outcomes alongside financial sustainability; and ambition to operate at the scale the problem demands.
Startmate founder associate Louisa Lin said, “We’re less interested in intention alone; and far more interested in models that make impact inevitable.”
The scholarships are open to for‑profits, hybrids, and purpose‑driven non‑profits with a model that supports independence and meaningful reach.
Apply here.
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