What is Social Innovation?

By Julie Caulier-Grice

What is social innovation?

There are lots of definitions – each slightly different. We’ve gone for a simple definition; we’re interested in innovations that are social both in their ends and in their means. Specifically, we define social innovations as new ideas (products, services and models) that simultaneously meet social needs (more effectively than alternatives) and create new social relationships or collaborations. In other words they are innovations that are both good for society and enhance society’s capacity to act.