Social impact entrepreneurship often involves an indirect relationship with the end user of the product or service. This makes it harder to know what's working and what's not; and it can catch people up in trying to please a decision maker with different priorities or views than the intended beneficiaries. It can even fuel harmful hierarchies which make assumptions about what people need and it can drive causes that in reality fall short of the mark. In these cases, what should such entrepreneurs be wary of and how should they prioritise meaningful impact?

The Ideas Space Incubator is a programme run by Cambridge Enterprise to support and develop high-impact ideas from the social sciences by providing exposure to pathways for impact, skills training, and a collaborative environment. Follow Ane Cornelia’s account of the programme in her work to revive a classic piece of British Industrial Design.

In the past, aesthetics has featured primarily in philosophical study but, understanding the influence of aesthetics can be a powerful tool for entrepreneurs. As the business world becomes increasingly homogenised, it is imperative for a business to ‘differentiate’ itself. Creating a brand, however, is about more than just putting together different visual elements. We need to look closely at the meaning denoted by these elements and how this generates ‘coherence’. Why? Because when something is coherent, it becomes convincing.

Knowing when and how to pivot is a critical decision for any entrepreneur. Research has shown that ventures that don’t adapt their business model, as they develop, die. Pivoting is essential for entrepreneurs to navigate uncertainty and ensure success. The process sounds straightforward: you have an idea, you go out and try it, and if you succeed, you keep going; if you fail, you pivot. In practice, things are far murkier – when should you pivot? When have you failed “enough”?

Entrepreneurship starts from seeing an opportunity that is not currently available to you because you do not ‘control’ sufficient resources. An entrepreneurial headteacher is one who works out how to get additional resources to achieve, for their pupils and families, more than is normally possible.

If you want to get to people, you’ve got to get onto their screens. But businesses haven’t yet recognised that social media can be more than just a tool to top-up in-person causes. Real, fundamental change can be made through social entrepreneurship online – without ever leaving the screen.

The theme of ‘entrepreneurship’ has the potential to inspire people working in different fields on innovative ideas. Mindsets hopes to provide a space to share a brief glimpse into the range of interesting individuals brought together by the Kings College Entrepreneurship Lab.