The Ashoka Visionary Program is a pioneering part-time leadership program for current and aspiring social entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and change leaders from all sectors. It fosters the development of globally responsible leadership skills, innovative organizational and business models, and a commitment to mission and impact. It equips participants with the knowledge and skills to address societal challenges through entrepreneurial solutions.
Through the Ashoka Visionary Program, we offer exclusive access to Ashoka's +40 years of know-how, grounded in our global experience, toolkits, and networks of social entrepreneurs, changemakers, and partners.
The program, which began in 2015 and was initially prototyped and operated from the Ashoka Austria office, is now available in three regions: Central and Eastern Europe, East Africa, and the Mediterranean. Since its inception, 300 participants have graduated from the program, forming a powerful global alumni community.
WHY SHOULD YOU APPLY?
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Meet Ashoka Fellows and other groundbreaking social entrepreneurs and learn how they are creating lasting impact and changing systems around the world.
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Learn all the tools and frameworks for systems change, through 7 practice-based modules led by leading social entrepreneurs and experts from the public, private sectors, and academia.
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Accelerate your changemaking and responsible leadership skills and reflect on your personal changemaking journey and purpose.
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Put your learnings into practice, combining entrepreneurial success with social impact to solve societal problems in ways you hadn’t thought of before.
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Work together with an Ashoka Fellow or another leading social entrepreneur, or on your own impact challenges in co-creation with a diverse team.
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Become part of a supportive alumni network with more than 300 members from 36 countries, that connects changemakers and their ideas.
You can learn more about the program and apply on the Ashoka Visionary Program website.
*Apply before April 30th to benefit from the early bird discount!
9 MONTHS - 7 MODULES – 1 TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY
The program consists of seven modules, each lasting two days (Friday and Saturday). It offers participants the opportunity to collaborate with a social entrepreneur, pursue their own project, or embark on creating a new social venture.
Module 1 – Social entrepreneurship, innovation and changemaking
Spotting opportunities in the emerging market of social entrepreneurship for new system-changing ideas, social innovations, and collaborations.
Systems Change Strategy
Identifying root causes of the problem, formulating targeted systemic changes and designing a strategy to make them happen
Module 3 – Influencing narratives, mindsets, and behaviors
Uncovering mental models that play a critical role in maintaining the status-quo and designing actionable pathways to establish new narratives and norms.
Module 4 – Scaling up solutions and co-creation
Increasing the reach of proven solutions via replication, and getting government and corporate partners to take up and institutionalize ideas.
Module 5 – Hybrid business models for system change
Learning about key principles of funding systems change and crafting hybrid models of securing resources.
Module 6 - Leadership, Collaborative Impact and Changemaking Networks (May)
Getting inspired by the leadership style that unlocks changemaker potential of people and builds fertile ground for collective action.
Module 7 – Storytelling for changemakers
Designing and communicating powerful stories that motivate people to join your (ad)venture.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
TARGET GROUP:
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Executives, current and future entrepreneurs, changemakers from any sector
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
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The desire to become a thought leader and changemaker.
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5 years of work experience
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Fluency in English
Duration and location:
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7 modules of 2 days each over 9 months from October 2024 to June 2025.
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15 days of in-person sessions (Friday and Saturday)
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In-person in Vienna, Austria
Commitment:
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This is an intensive journey where participants meet in person seven times over the course of nine months and create strong connections and collaborations. This program costs EUR 10,000. Stipends are available for leaders from the foundation, corporate and NGO sectors. Selected Ashoka Fellows join for a reduced fee of EUR 1,000.
ONLINE INFO CALLS
Join the upcoming Online Information Calls to explore the program details and have your questions answered.
17 April, 17:00 – 18:00 (CET)
15 May, 12:00 – 13:00 (CET)
18 June, 10:00 – 11:00 (CET)
Sign up for your preferred date and register here.
Apply now for the Visionary Program to gain access to all the tools necessary for systems-changing social entrepreneurship and to connect with an international community of peers and experts as one of the 30 selected participants!
*Apply before April 30th to benefit from the early bird discount!