Entrepreneurial Support Hub

Teaming Up With Funders to Open Doors for Social Entrepreneurs

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Expertise

  • Discovery Research

  • Ideation Workshops

  • Journey + Empathy Mapping

  • Co-design

  • MVP Feature Prioritization

  • Stakeholder Engagement

Imagine that you are someone with an idea that will create transformative change in your community. This is how many peoples’ journeys through social entrepreneurship begin. That seed of an idea is then followed by figuring out ways to make it a reality, and that means finding like-minded organizations to help fund and nurture your idea. 

The landscape of funding can be fragmented and opaque for a budding social entrepreneur. Recognizing the gap in awareness and connections to funding opportunities,  Camelback Ventures, together with Moonshot, 4.0, NewSchools, and Echoing Green, came together to shift the experience. This coalition of Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs) is reimagining what it means to support social entrepreneurs by creating a one-stop shop, a place for entrepreneurs to discover and connect to funding and fellowship opportunities from a variety of organizations, with the intent of building a more coordinated, transparent, and human-centered ecosystem. Whether entrepreneurs are deeply embedded in a network or navigating the journey on their own, this partnership is committed to offering real-time support, funding clarity, and access to the right resources, so founders feel seen, supported, and set up to lead with confidence.

The Opportunity

While there are many resources available to entrepreneurs, access remains uneven, especially for those from historically marginalized communities. Success too often depends on access to personal networks, unspoken expectations around credentials, and the ability to navigate complex and often opaque power dynamics. 
Many entrepreneurs feel pressure to present their identities and lived experiences in ways that are both deeply personal and high-stakes, particularly in moments of evaluation and rejection.

Recognizing these systemic barriers, a collective of Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs)  came together with a shared vision: to reimagine the entrepreneurial journey as one that is not only more transparent and equitable but also more deeply rooted in guidance, community, and care.  Their goal? To create a place where emerging entrepreneurs could go to seek support and connection.

“
…the likelihood you get anything when you apply for things is next to none, the warm introduction is how you get [opportunities], which is what I’ve noticed from my personal experience.
Social Entrepreneur

Our Approach

Optimistic Design’s deep experience in design research, co-design, and interaction design was the right fit for the two-year partnership with the entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs).

We created a multi-phased engagement that began with in-depth design discovery research and opportunity ideation. For the initial discovery phase, we conducted in-depth research and opportunity ideation to uncover key insights and define a shared vision. These early findings laid the groundwork for the design and build phase, where we created a collective brand identity that unified the ESOs, and  co-designed—with ESO stakeholders, as well as emerging entrepreneurs— a new entrepreneurial experience. Through continuous RITE testing, stakeholder collaboration, and iterative refinement, we brought that vision to life, designing and developing a web-based platform where entrepreneurs could go for clarity, connection, and meaningful support.

Identifying Opportunities Through Research and Co-creation

To reimagine how to better support entrepreneurs throughout the full journey of discovering and applying for opportunities, we began by grounding ourselves in the current reality—what was working, what wasn’t, and where support systems were falling short. We conducted foundational research with key stakeholders from the ESOs, alongside past applicants and grantees, to surface core pain points and identify unmet needs.

With these insights in hand, we led collaborative ideation workshops that brought these diverse voices together. Through co-creation, we explored and prioritized potential solutions, ranging from new digital tools to enhanced support services, aimed at improving outcomes for entrepreneurs and strengthening the broader support ecosystem.

Centering The Unconnected Entrepreneur

Our design practice is focused on inclusion, with the principle that often the most valuable insights come from those at the margins.  Guided by this approach, we focused on individuals with the most challenging or disconnected experiences, knowing that solutions designed for them often improve the experience for all. Our team interviewed more than a dozen diverse participants, from ESO stakeholders to a variety of entrepreneurs, including those who’ve been rejected from previous opportunities, so we could develop a good understanding of varying experiences.