E Pluribus Unum: Impact Entrepreneurship as a Solution to Grand Challenges

Abstract

Insufficiency of research and theory on the relationship between entrepreneurship and grand challenges means that we know little about who engages and what repertoires of actions they take to tackle socioenvironmental challenges that transcend firms, markets, and nations, and what sorts of solutions they create. Drawing on the five articles featured in this symposium-and focusing especially on their protagonists or actors, the actions these actors take, and their achievements-we begin to conceptualize an impact entrepreneurship perspective. Following the tenet of e pluribus unum (out of many, one) and adhering to the doctrine that diverse, decentralized human effort can improve the world, our impact entrepreneurship perspective refers to the development of solutions to grand challenges, in a financially, socially, and environmentally sustainable fashion. All in all, then, this symposium provides a starting point to discuss, conceptualize, study, interpret, and enrich our understanding of impact entrepreneurship and collective action to address grand challenges.