Purpose Meets Profit: Insights from Emerging Social Entrepreneurs in Toronto

Abstract

This report explores the motivations, challenges, and success factors shaping modern social entrepreneurship through interviews with four Toronto-based founders: Bruized, Kind Karma Company, Culcherd, and Biofect Innovations. It identifies two main catalysts for social ventures—personal experience with a social issue and transformative awareness—and finds that most founders rely on passion-driven, trial-and-error approaches rather than formal feasibility studies. Despite their diverse industries, these entrepreneurs share common obstacles: securing funding, achieving product–market fit, measuring impact, and scaling operations without compromising their mission. The analysis reveals that social entrepreneurs combine purpose with pragmatism, often using innovation to address environmental and societal challenges while maintaining financial viability. The paper concludes with recommendations on measuring impact, testing hypotheses, refining business models, and engaging impact investors to ensure sustainable growth and accountability.

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