A Philanthropreneur, also known as a Philanthro-capitalist, is a Portmanteau of entrepreneur and Philanthropy. The Wall Street Journal used the term in a 1999 article,[1] while a publication entitled The Philanthropreneur Newsletter existed as far back as 1997.[2] Philanthropreneurship is often considered the start of a new era in Philanthropy, characterized by the development of the Philanthropist's role and the integration of business practices.
Laura Bush announcing partnership with Case Foundation to support the provision and installations of PlayPump water systems – Roundabout PlaypumpsAmr Al-Dabbagh, Saudi philanthropreneur, businessman, former government minister, and founder of the Stars FoundationPierre Omidyar, French-born American philanthropreneur and founder of the Omidyar Foundation. He is the founder and former chairman of eBay.
The core objective of Philanthropreneurship is to increase the Philanthropic impact of non-profit organizations through the use of corporations. Traditionally, non-profit organizations solely depended on donations, grants, or other forms of charitable giving. Philanthropreneurship differs by investing rather than donating; there is an expectation of financial profit on top of the social profit traditionally associated with non-profit organizations. Philanthropreneurs aim to achieve social change that is supposed to be both profitable and sustainable.[3]