Ashoka Visionary Program for Executives

An in-person Executive Leadership Program running over seven months, designed to help you become a change leader, address societal problems in an entrepreneurial manner, co-create new projects, and expand your network.

Course dates & times:

The next cohort starts in October 2026 in Vienna, Austria.

Applications are now open. Please fill out the form below by August 30th, 2026.

APPLY HERE

About the learning journey

This program was created to fill a gap: the lack of programs teaching changemaking skills in an entrepreneurial and immersive way, and creating a space for changemakers to co-create. The 7-month learning journey consists of 5 modules that last two days each and cover the life cycle of a social enterprise. During each module, experts on the respective topic pass on know-how, practical experience, and share personal stories. Experts include Ashoka Fellows and other world-class social entrepreneurs, as well as academic experts from Ashoka’s network of partner universities.

Participants can choose to work together with an Ashoka Fellow or another leading social entrepreneur. Alternatively, they can work on their own impact challenges in co-creation with a diverse team.

Prototyped and operated out of the Ashoka Austria office, the Visionary Program is offered in three regions: Central and Eastern Europe, East Africa, and the Mediterranean. The modules include workshops, team-building exercises, pitches, and evening events with space for networking, reflections, and thoughtful exchange. The speakers, contributors, and content details of the program vary per region.

Learning objectives:

Acquire innovative tools and strategies for systems change in one comprehensive learning journey.
Connect to a community of peers, meet Ashoka Fellows, and learn how groundbreaking social entrepreneurs are creating a better world.
Work together with an Ashoka Fellow or another leading social entrepreneur, or on your own impact challenges in co-creation with a diverse team.
Put your learnings into practice, combining entrepreneurial success with social impact to solve societal problems in ways you hadn’t thought of before.
Become part of our global Visionary Program Alumni network that connects changemakers and their ideas.

Who this is for

Executives and leaders of change from all sectors are accelerating social impact initiatives in their environment. Pioneers striving for new careers, business, and social impact pathways in society.

Our participants include:

Ashoka Fellows
Current and future social entrepreneurs
Representatives of the corporate world and the public sector, civil society/NGOs, foundations, and impact founders
Highly motivated professionals

Please note that a minimum of 5 years of changemaking experience is required to apply. The next cohort starts in October 2026 in Vienna, Austria.

Applications are now open. Please fill out the form below by August 30th, 2026.

APPLY HERE

Practical information

Format:

Part-time for 7 months (5 modules every 6-8 weeks)
15 days of in-person sessions (Friday – Saturday)
‘Thought partner’ sessions and online support between modules
Apply your learnings by developing or advancing your own social project alongside a group of peers.
Lifetime access to curated preparation materials and follow-up content for each module.

Dates:

Next cohort in Vienna: October 2026 – April 2027

Commitment:

This is an intensive learning 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 excl. VAT. Stipends are available; you can find more information on the program website. Selected Ashoka Fellows join for a reduced fee of EUR 1,000.

Modules

You can find out more about the Program by visiting the Ashoka Visionary Program website.

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.

Module 2 - Systems change strategy

Identifying root causes of the problem, formulating targeted systemic changes and designing a strategy to make them happen.

Module 3 - Influencing  mindsets, narratives and behaviours

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 - Leadership, collaborative impact and changemaking networks

Getting inspired by the leadership style that unlocks the changemaker potential of people and builds fertile ground for collective action.

Module 6 – Hybrid business models for systems change

Learning about key principles of funding systems change and crafting hybrid models of securing resources.

Module 7 - Storytelling for changemakers

Designing and communicating powerful stories that motivate people to join your (ad)venture. 