WHAT IS SEA CHANGE?
Something to do with the ocean??? Nope.
But we do help entrepreneurs build businesses that make life better— for people, communities, and yes, even the planet!
Data-proven training to help Social Entrepreneurs do three things:
Develop a sustainable business model
Build a revenue-generating business that fuels your mission and grows your impact—without relying solely on donations.
Determine their meaningful social impact
Define the real-world problem you’re solving and create measurable impact that makes a difference in your community.
Access the tools to successfully launch
Get expert education, valuable connections, and all the resources (tips, hacks, cheat sheets) to level up your business faster.
Making business a powerful force for good
We exist to equip Social Entrepreneurs with the tools, connections, and resources they need to create sustainable, impactful businesses (known as Social Enterprises). Since 2015, we’ve helped hundreds of founders launch ventures that do good and do well from day one.
Designed for early-stage changemakers
Great ideas need support—especially in the early stages. We saw a critical gap in the ecosystem and designed our curriculum to help late-stage ideation, startups, and early-stage scale ventures that have equally important social impact and earned revenue. If your business is somewhere between a fleshed-out idea and a 5-years-old business (but flying by the seat of your pants!), our curriculum will help you move forward further, faster.
10 years of impact – 2015-2025
Meet the faces behind SEA Change
Behind every great entrepreneur is a team who believes in them. Meet the people leading SEA Change, from our dedicated staff to our board members.
Can’t forget these!
Transparency!
Our 990, 1023, conflict of interest policy, and governing documents are all available on request.
Latest news!
Catch up on the latest impact, insights, and behind-the-scenes happenings.
“Social Enterprise Accelerator” is a mouthful…
Here’s how we define these key terms.
-
A Social Enterprise is a business that exists to do good—not just turn a profit. It’s where purpose meets profit, where big ideas tackle big problems, and where every sale, service, or solution creates real-world impact. Whether it’s fighting food insecurity, reducing waste, or creating jobs for people who need them most, social enterprises use business as a force for good.
-
An accelerator is like rocket fuel for your business. It’s an intensive, fast-paced program designed to help entrepreneurs refine their ideas, build solid business models, and gain access to funding, mentorship, and a powerful support network. At SEA Change, our accelerator isn’t just about launching businesses—it’s about launching social enterprises that change the world.
-
A Social Entrepreneur is a problem solver with a business plan. They see a challenge—like poverty, inequality, or environmental damage—and build a business that tackles it head-on. Instead of relying solely on donations, they create sustainable, impact-driven businesses that make money and make a difference. It’s entrepreneurship with purpose, proving you don’t have to choose between doing good and doing business—you can do both.
A brief history of SEA Change
2015-2025 — Enjoy the scroll!
If you’re still reading this… Hello there Friend!!!
You must be eager to build something that matters, and you’re in the right place.
A “SEA Change” in Business
SEA Change (noun): “A profound or notable transformation.” Our translation: “a BIG change, that leads to even MORE change.”
We believe that entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurs, can change the world for the better.
SEA Change had simple beginnings as a training program run by consultants. Working with our amazing partners in Rhode Island, SE Greenhouse, the Business of Good Foundation brought a time-tested curriculum first to Northeast Ohio (Cleveland) in 2015, and expanded to Central Ohio (Columbus) in 2016 in partnership with SocialVentures and CauseImpact.
In 2017, one director was hired in each city (Next Step Business Consulting in Columbus and Bold Startups in Cleveland), in order to expand the programming.
79 successful alumni later, it became apparent that our reality was surpassing our consultant/program model, and we needed a change. In order to “walk the walk” of a social enterprise we first completed a financial sustainability assessment and identified our own measurable social impact.
In 2019, SEA Change became a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, where we continue our mission to support social entrepreneurs across this nation and around the world.
Social Enterprise is the future of business. And we’re excited to create this change—together. 🚀
People like you make it happen!
Skills-based, volunteer opportunities for subject matter experts, seasoned entrepreneurs, or business owners.
Become a funder or sponsor an upcoming event to support entrepreneurs who want to do good through their business ventures.
Access our library of content, class modules, and step-by-step guides to help you support entrepreneurs in your community.