We interviewed Diploma Programme (DP) graduates who have used their experiences and forward thinking to disrupt the social entrepreneur scene. Read more about what inspired these IB graduates to dedicate their careers to social enterprise below.
Social entrepreneurship is a business start-up model that uses innovative perspectives and ideas to solve pressing social issues. Social entrepreneurs use their business know-how and expert understanding of social issues to creatively tackle the world’s most difficult problems. The IB curriculum exposes students to service and allows them to understand how and why social issues arise as well as provides them with tools to critically think about and implement solutions.
Elevating local businesses: Q&A with Balloon Latam’s Sebastián Salinas
After seeing the impact of social projects, Sebastián Salinas made it his mission to support under-funded and often over-looked entrepreneurs in rural areas of Chile, Mexico and Argentina with his company, Balloon Latam.
Camilo Saravia Aguayo is here to disrupt your wardrobe with Proton Smart Clothing
From the beginning Camilo Saravia Aguayo had a passion for creativity and knew he wanted to invent. He now balances his DP studies with serving as the CEO of Proton Smart Clothing, which combines fashion with wearable technology.
How students built a culture of leadership and social change in Melbourne
Jeanette Chan shares her experience as president the Melbourne Microfinance Initiative (MMI), a student-led finance initiative at University of Melbourne that supports six global projects each year.
Lightyear’s Qurein Biewenga: The future arrives in 499 seconds
Qurein Biewenga grew tired of automobile manufacturers’ lack of interest in producing solar cars commercially after he built solar race cars. This led him to co-found Lightyear with the goal of creating a self-charging solar car.
How one IB student is supporting women’s self-defense
Moiz Lakhani founded his prize-winning initiative NinjaGirls, when he was just a DP student by using his knowledge of the martial arts and a desire to make lasting change to empower girls through self-defense and education.
Activating STEM pathways in Spain
Cristina Balbás launched Escuelab to counteract the decrease in Spanish students pursuing STEM degrees and a lack of availability in after-school programming by implementing programming based on neuro-education research.
How I cultivate social change
Krista Kaufmann joined international start-up, Impact Hub Lausanne, to help social entrepreneurs access valuable training resources, work spaces and community-building networks as they tackle large-scale social issues.
Finding the energy to power an entrepreneurial career
Urs Riggenbach became a founding member of GoSol.Solar when recognized the need and potential for renewable energy in developing countries was greater than in developed countries.
Teaming up for youth empowerment
Ena Peeva co-founded EDUACTIVE Società Cooperativa when she discovered that many young people did not have access to the market-oriented skills valued in the job market.
To hear more from Diploma Programme (DP) graduates read these IB programme stories. Share your IB story by writing to alumni.relations@ibo.org.