R078 - Social Innovation, with Irene Milleiro

We live in a world where major social and environmental challenges confront us more than ever. Inequality, climate change, and migration crises remind us that we need new solutions to build a fairer and more sustainable future. And while we often focus on governments or large companies, there are people who, through activism and social innovation, are making a real difference. How is change driven from the local to the global level? What role does digital activism play in an increasingly connected world?
And above all, what can we learn from those leading these transformations to become agents of change in our own reality?

We talk with Irene Milleiro, Executive Director of Ashoka Spain, to better understand how change is driven.

R078 - Social Innovation, with Irene Milleiro

What is the real world for you?

For me, the real world is the world we can imagine, because everything that exists was once an idea in someone's mind. The real world is what we can build together from our imagination and action.

What is Ashoka and what is its mission?

Ashoka is a global organization that was founded in the 1980s with the idea of identifying and supporting people who were changing social problems in innovative ways. They were neither traditional companies nor NGOs, but social entrepreneurs seeking to transform realities with disruptive solutions, like microcredits at the time.
Over time, Ashoka has evolved to spread that innovative spirit to other sectors: businesses, universities, and governments. We believe that the deepest social changes occur when different actors come together to think and act with empathy and creativity.

Social change occurs when different actors come together to think and act with empathy and creativity

Ashoka selects people with a very specific profile. What are the characteristics of a social entrepreneur in your network?

They are people obsessed with solving a social problem. They have a deep vision not only of the problem itself but of its root causes and consequences. Their approach is systemic: they seek solutions that change the rules of the game to prevent the problem from recurring.

They tend to be creative people because they have to find innovative solutions with very few resources. And above all, they have a demonstrated impact. At Ashoka, we select entrepreneurs with a proven track record because we want their example to inspire and influence others.

Changemakers

Are changemakers born or made?

Both. Some are born with a special sensitivity to social justice, and some become changemakers through an experience that marks them. The important thing is that everyone has something that touches their heart: animals, the environment, childhood, the elderly... From that place of empathy and indignation, change arises.

You can learn to be a changemaker, you can train empathy, and you can develop the ability to generate impact.

Activism is not just protest; it is strategy, creativity, and teamwork.

What is the biggest challenge in scaling social innovation?

First, surround yourself with a team. Change is not made by one person alone, but by a committed community. At Change.org, for example, a petition started by one person only had an impact if many more supported it.

Second, funding. Sometimes I wonder why it is so difficult to get resources for initiatives that benefit thousands or millions of people, while other industries receive investment easily. There are also impact investment funds, but they often require many certainties and security, something that is not always possible in social innovation.

AI and social impact

Speaking of technology, what opportunities and risks do you see in artificial intelligence applied to social impact?

The risks are clear: biases in data, digital exclusion, and the possibility that only a few have access to these tools. But the opportunities are enormous. AI can help scale social solutions and find patterns in complex problems.

For example, we have a social entrepreneur working in rural Spain. His work involved identifying abandoned plots by manually reviewing records. With AI, he can automate this process and scale his impact to levels that were previously unimaginable.

The key to change is not feeling alone. Find allies and build community.

Cyberactivism

Social networks have played a key role in activism. Now that Twitter (or X) has changed, where do you think digital activism is heading?

Social networks have lowered the barriers to participating in activism. Before, if you wanted to change something, you had to join an organization and wait to be heard. Now, anyone can start a campaign from their mobile and connect with thousands of people.

While Twitter has changed, the important thing is to understand how to use the available tools. The key to digital activism is to combine online with offline, finding new ways to hack the system to generate impact.

Activism is not just protest; it is strategy, creativity, and teamwork

We live in a crucial moment where major global challenges like climate change, inequality, or social exclusion invite us to rethink our structures, our priorities, and our role as part of society. Social innovation is not just a tool; it is a new way of looking at the world.

It is not about seeking temporary solutions, but about transforming systems and building initiatives that generate lasting impact. And most importantly, it reminds us that change does not start only in large organizations but in people like you and me who decide to act.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to generate change but doesn't know where to start?

Don't try to change the world all at once. Find a cause that moves you, something close, something concrete. Talk about it with others, look for allies. And above all, connect with those who are already working on it. The key to change is not feeling alone. Energy multiplies when you surround yourself with a community with the same passion.