The recent lecture regarding social entrepreneurship illustrated how various entrepreneurs use business skills to create social change. As business school students, we are often bombarded with the idea that maximizing profits is what defines success. It is refreshing to explore how a business can remain profitable while also improving the lives of many people and impacting society in a positive way.

Prime examples of social entrepreneurs are Ned Tozun and Sam Goldman, Stanford Institute of Design graduates who turned their solar-powered lamp idea into a company called d.light. D.light sells affordable solar-powered LED lamps to people in developing countries where electricity is scarce. The solar lamps are much more affordable and less dangerous than kerosene lamps (which are highly combustible), allowing children to study more easily in the evenings.

Without d.light, almost 12 million people would not have a safe source of light in their homes. It is very inspiring to see that entrepreneurs are able to create businesses that change and improve society. The work by Ned Tozun and Sam Goldman demonstrates that a simple idea combined with business skills and determination can help many individuals around the world. 

Sources:
http://www.dlightdesign.com/
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/04/0403_social_entrepreneurs/8.htm
http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2009-10-14/an-update-from-one-of-bws-americas-most-promising-social-entrepreneur-finalists
http://cdn.trendhunterstatic.com/thumbs/d-light.jpeg (image)