Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top London based Founder operating in the Non Profit space. If you think a Founder is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
John O’Nolan
Founder & CEO of Ghost
Founder at @TryGhost. Tweets about open source, startup life, non-profits, and publishing platforms. Travels the world with a bag of kites.
Follow John O’Nolan:
About Ghost: Professional, modern, open source publishing
Harry ‘Tomi Davies
Co-Founder and President of African Business Angel Network
Harry Tomi Davies (TD) is a versatile technology business leader, keynote speaker and advisor with over two decades of outstanding experience building large-scale, national and regionwide IT infrastructure projects across Africa. He has held a variety of executive and non-executive leadership roles with influential global brands like Ernst & Young, Marks & Spencer, Elf, Sapient and the One Laptop Per Child project. Over the last decade TD has looked after a growing portfolio of Africabased tech-enabled early stage businesses and is the Founder of the Lagos Angel Network (LAN). He is also President of the African Business Angel Network (ABAN). He is a seasoned technology strategist and project development expert with significant market intelligence, research and project management skills. Author and regular keynote speaker with a substantial network of connections globally including on most major social media platforms. He is an inspiring thought leader TD is a volunteer to a number of non-profit organizations and Guest lecturer at the Pan Atlantic University’s Enterprise Development Centre. His rich and varied experience has been leveraged by organisations for advisory services, speaking engagements and nonexecutive board roles at companies like MBO Capital Limited (Private Equity), TextNigeria Limited (Telecoms) and Sproxil Nigeria (Anti-Counterfeit Technologies)
Follow Harry ‘Tomi Davies:
About African Business Angel Network: ABAN is a non-profit association that seeks to promote a culture of Angel investing across Africa.
Anton Isaykin
Co-Founder of Fundraise Up
Anton Isaykin is the Co-Founder at Fundraise Up.
Follow Anton Isaykin:
About Campus On Fire, Fundraise Up: The new standard in online giving.
Asif Aziz
Founder of The Aziz Foundation
Follow Asif Aziz:
About Criterion Capital Ltd, The Aziz Foundation: The Aziz Foundation provides scholarships and grants to help seekers pursue education.
Ronald Cohen
Co-Founder, Social Finance USA and Social Finance Israel of Social Finance
Ronald Cohen is Chairman of the Global Social Impact Investment Steering Group and The Portland Trust. He is a co-founder director of Social Finance UK (2007-11), Social Finance USA, and Social Finance Israel, and of Big Society Capital. He was co-founder Chair of Bridges Ventures (2002-2012). He chaired the Social Impact Investment Taskforce established under the UK’s presidency of the G8 (2013-2015), the Social Investment Task Force (2000-2010) and the Commission on Unclaimed Assets (2005-2007). In 2012 he received the Rockefeller Innovation Award for innovation in social finance. He co-founded and was Executive Chairman of Apax Partners Worldwide LLP (1972-2005). He was a founder director and Chairman of the British Venture Capital Association and a founder director of the European Venture Capital Association. He is a graduate of Oxford University, where he was President of the Oxford Union. He is an Honorary Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School to which he was awarded a Henry Fellowship. He is a member of the Board of Dean’s Advisors at Harvard Business School and Vice-Chairman of Ben Gurion University. He is a former director of the Harvard Management Company and the University of Oxford Investment Committee. He is a former member of the Harvard University Board of Overseers (2007-2013), former Trustee of the British Museum (2005-2012) and a former trustee of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (2005-2011). In 2007, Sir Ronald published: “The Second Bounce of the Ball – Turning Risk into Opportunity”.
Follow Ronald Cohen:
About Social Finance: Social Finance focuses on mobilizing capital to drive social progress.
Yoav Aviram
Founder of Conscious Digital (YourDigitalRights.org)
Follow Yoav Aviram:
About Conscious Digital (YourDigitalRights.org): Your Digital Rights helps people regain control of their data by automating the process of sending GDPR and CCPA erasure requests.
Christopher Shields
CTO and Co-Founder of Givinga
Christopher Shields is the CTO and Co-Founder at Givinga. He oversees Givinga’s technology platform and systems integration and has provided business transformation services to leading enterprise companies. Prior to Givinga, Mr. Shields is a former Technology and Business Consultant, Principal – Technology Solutions, Custom Software Development at Jaroop and was an E-Analyst at ADP Dealer Services International.
Follow Christopher Shields:
About Givinga: Givinga is a provider of financial technology platform for employers.
Dion McKenzie
Co-Founder, Chairman of Colorintech
Follow Dion McKenzie:
About Colorintech: Colorintech is a London-based nonprofit on a mission to diversify the European tech industry.
Ashleigh Ainsley
Co-Founder of Colorintech
Ashleigh Ainsley is a tech evangelist hailing from London. Having started his career at Google, Ashleigh has worked advising a number of firms on digital strategy and tech enablement. Having helped scale London start up Qubit, Ashleigh then was a consultant at KPMG giving him a breath of experience across organisations of all sizes. Ashleigh now advises a range of corporates at Founders Intelligence on innovation, investments, and start up partnerships. Outside of the professional sphere, Ashleigh was one of a handful of Black Caribbean students to attend Oxford University and has worked with a number of organisations in conjunction with charity, Business in the community, advising on issues of discrimination, exclusion and inclusive diversity practices. Most recently as cofounder of colorintech.org, Ashleigh is working to develop partnerships to improve diversity within the tech community in the UK.
Follow Ashleigh Ainsley:
About Colorintech: Colorintech is a London-based nonprofit on a mission to diversify the European tech industry.
Julian Assange
Founder of WikiLeaks
Julian Assange is the founder of [WikiLeaks](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/wikileaks). He was a physics and mathematics student, a hacker and computer programmer before setting up WikiLeaks. He is currently a citizen of Australia.
Follow Julian Assange:
About WikiLeaks: WikiLeaks is an international non-profit organisation that publishes classified information provided by anonymous sources.
Jeanette Carlsson
Founder & CEO of Tech Nordic Advocates
Follow Jeanette Carlsson:
About newmedia2.0, Tech Nordic Advocates: Tech Nordic Advocates is Northern Europe’s largest and only pan-Nordic/Baltic tech/startup community.
Elena Sinel
Founder and CEO of Teens in AI
Elena is the founder of Acorn Aspirations, an education start-up which designs learning experiences where young people across the globe interact with leading experts in artificial intelligence, virtual, augmented and mixed realities, entrepreneurs, designers and marketeers to create solutions that solve real life problems. Prior to this, she worked as international specialist consultant with 9 years of experience in poverty reduction strategies, rural livelihood development and poverty alleviation with a specific focus on creation of small and medium enterprise development, product design, marketing and fundraising in Central Asia, the Balkans, Ethiopia and Bangladesh.
Follow Elena Sinel:
About Teens in AI: Teens in AI empowers young people to change the world through artificial intelligence for social good.
Indy Johar
Co Founder & Executive Director of Dark Matter Labs
Indy is a founding Director of 00 and Dark Matter Labs. An architect by training, Indy is a Senior Innovation Associate with the Young Foundation and a visiting Professor at the University of Sheffield. He co-founded Impact Hub Birmingham and Open Systems Lab, was a member of the RSA’s Inclusive Growth Commission. He is a thought leader in system change, the future of urban infrastructure finance, outcome-based investment, and the future of governance.
Follow Indy Johar:
About Dark Matter Labs: Dark Matter Laboratories design institutional infrastructure for a distributed and collaborative future.
Germán Bencci
Founder & CEO of CodeYourFuture
Follow Germán Bencci:
About CodeYourFuture: CodeYourFuture is a non-profit organisation supporting refugees with the dream of becoming developers.
Anne-Marie Imafidon
Co-Founder, CEO and ‘Head Stemette’ of STEMettes
Anne-Marie Imafidon Is A Woman On A Mission. A Child Prodigy Who Had Received Degrees From Prestigious Universities On Both Sides Of The Atlantic By The Time She Was 20, She Is Campaigning To Get More Women Into Science, Technology, Engineering And Maths (Stem).
Follow Anne-Marie Imafidon:
About STEMettes: They’re showing that girls do STEM (Sci, Tech, Eng & Maths) too.
Anna Pivovarchuk
Co-Founder, Deputy Managing Editor and Culture Editor of Fair Observer
Anna Pivovarchuk is the Co-Founder, Deputy Managing Editor and Culture Editor of Fair Observer, having previously held the position of Europe Editor. As a freelance writer and editor, she has contributed to various organizations such as the BBC, United Nations, NBC, Arise TV, Foreign Policy Association and The Moscow Times.
Follow Anna Pivovarchuk:
About Fair Observer: Fair Observer is a nonprofit media organization in the US that educates global citizens both through its journal and its teaching programs.
Paul Simpson
CEO & Co-Founder of CDP
Paul Simpson is the CEO and co-founder of CDP, formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project. Founded in 2000, CDP is a non-profit organization which created and operates the global disclosure platform for companies, cities, states and regions to measure, manage and share vital data on their environmental performance. Voted number one climate research provider by investors, CDP works with 827 institutional investors with assets of US$100 trillion and 89 purchasing organizations with a combined annual spend of over US$2.7 trillion, to motivate companies to disclose their impacts on the environment and natural resources and take action to reduce them. Paul sits on the board of We Mean Business, and is a council member of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) and the Global Stranded Assets Advisory Council for the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford. Prior to CDP, Paul worked with Chesham Amalgamations & Investments Ltd, the International Society for Ecology & Culture and is a former director of the Social Venture Network. He was previously on the Board of EIRIS, a member of the Global Agenda Council on Measuring Sustainability at the World Economic Forum and a High Level Panel Member for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Policy Dialogue. Paul holds a BSc in Business and Finance from City University, London and an MSc in Responsibility and Business Practice at the University of Bath (with distinction).
Follow Paul Simpson:
About CDP: CDP aims to transform the way the world does business in order to prevent dangerous climate change and protect natural resources.
Darshan Sanghrajka
Founder & Product Director of State of Ambition
Follow Darshan Sanghrajka:
About State of Ambition: State of Ambition is a social enterprise that helps young individuals build support networks around their ambitions.
Nora Stolz
Founder of WomenBreakfastClub
Follow Nora Stolz:
About WomenBreakfastClub: ‘Connect to Inspire’ – non-profit global networking organisation for aspiring women in leadership.
Nadim Nsouli
Founder & Chairman of Inspired
Nadim M Nsouli founded Educas, an education investment firm in 2013 to make an investment in Reddam House, a leading group of schools in South Africa. Since then, Nadim founded Inspired and led the growth of the group globally. Prior to that, Nadim was a partner at Providence Equity Partners, a private equity firm with $40 billion under management. Nadim was also a member of Providence’s Global Investment Committee and led Providence’s Education investment efforts in Europe and the Middle East. Prior to joining Providence in 2006, Nadim was the European head of The Gores Group, a special situations private equity fund based in Los Angeles. Prior to Gores, he founded and managed Lago Ventures, a venture capital firm. Previously, Nadim was a member of the media and telecommunications investment banking teams of Morgan Stanley and J.P. Morgan in London. Nadim started his career in New York as a corporate lawyer at Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue. He received a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD with distinction, a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science (magna cum laude) from Georgetown University.
Follow Nadim Nsouli:
About Inspired: Inspired is a operator of premium schools in Europe, Australia and Africa.
Raphael Mazet
Co-Founder of Alice SI
Multilingual public relations and public affairs consultant specialised in running international corporate communication campaigns. Expertise includes media relations, government relations, M&A communications and digital communications. Currently based in Brazil, advising on corporate communications in Latin America. Specialties:Corporate communications, public relations, public affairs, financial communications, M&A, digital communications
Follow Raphael Mazet:
About Alice SI, CliqStart: Alice SI is using the approach to provide donors
Dylan Tanner
he Executive Director & Founder of InfluenceMap
Dylan Tanner currently works as the Executive Director and Founder for InfluenceMap.
Follow Dylan Tanner:
About InfluenceMap: InfluenceMap provides information and analysis on the impact of business and finance on the climate crisis.
Andrew Levitt
Co-Founder and Director of Bridges Outcomes Partnerships
Follow Andrew Levitt:
About Bridges Fund Management, Bridges Outcomes Partnerships: Bridges Outcomes Partnerships focuses on policy, program delivery, data analysis, and impact measurement.
Richard Gott
Founder of The MemberWise Network
Follow Richard Gott:
About The MemberWise Network: The MemberWise Network the leading independent professional network of 3,800+ UK/EU membership and association professionals
Maria Baibakova
Founder & Director of Baibakov Art Projects
Follow Maria Baibakova:
About Baibakov Art Projects: Baibakov Art Projects is a contemporary art organization with a mission of supporting Russian artists globally.
Chakabars Clarke
Founder of Spartanfam
Chakabars Clarke is the founder of Spartanfam.
Follow Chakabars Clarke:
About Spartanfam: Spartanfam is a nonprofit organization that provides bodyweight training sessions to everyone.
Richard Loat
CEO & Founder of Five Hole For Food
The intersection of creativity and disruption – that’s where you find Richard creating change. The MBA grad with a Silicon Valley upbringing is pioneering disruptive philanthropy worldwide. Richard is also a humanitarian aid worker deploying to disaster zones, an active mentor for young entrepreneurs, marathoner, and street art photographer.
Follow Richard Loat:
About Five Hole For Food: Five Hole For Food is organization which hosts hockey events to benefit food banks across Canada.
Rouba Mhaissen
Founder and Director of SAWA For Development & Aid
Mhaissen is a Syrian-Lebanese economist, activist, community mobiliser, and development practitioner who works on development issues in the MENA region particularly forced migration and the Syrian refugee crisis. She is the Founder and Director of Sawa for Development and Aid (founded in 2011), a Non-Profit Organisation that supports Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Sawa Foundation UK (founded in 2016). Chosen as one of the 30 under 30s by Forbes in 2017.
Follow Rouba Mhaissen:
About SAWA For Development & Aid: Sawa for Development and Aid is a lebanese NGO supporting syrian refugees.
Bianca Jagger
Founder & President of The Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation
Bianca Jagger is the Founder and President of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation (BJHRF), Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador and member of the Executive Director’s Leadership Council of Amnesty International USA. She is a prominent international human rights, social justice and climate change advocate. For over three decades she has been a voice for the most vulnerable members of society, campaigning for human rights, civil liberties, peace, social justice and environmental protection throughout the world. She is the recipient of numerous prestigious international awards for her human rights and humanitarian work, including: in 2004, The Right Livelihood Award, also known as the “alternative Nobel prize.” In 1997, The Amnesty International USA Media Spotlight Award for Leadership. In 1994, The United Nations Earth Day International Award. In 2006, The World Citizenship Award from The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. In 2004, she was presented with The World Achievement Award by Mikhail Gorbachev. In 1997, The Green Globe Award from the Rainbow Alliance. In 1998, she was awarded the American Civil Liberties Union Award.
Follow Bianca Jagger:
About The Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation: The Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation is hosting its first benefit gala “Arts for Human Rights.”
Joel Sutton
Co-Founder of Youth Mental Health Foundation
Follow Joel Sutton:
About Youth Mental Health Foundation: Youth Mental Health Foundation supports the parents of young people who self-harm to play a key role in their child’s healing.
Shelley Taylor
Founder & CEO of trellyz
Follow Shelley Taylor:
About Digital Fan Clubs, trellyz: trellyz, a cloud-hosted platform, powers the public services supply chain across diverse networks at scale
Aron Pilhofer
Co-Founder of DocumentCloud
Aron Pilhofer is executive editor of digital at The Guardian and a co-founder of DocumentCloud. Previously, he was editor of interactive news at The New York Times. Aron joined The Times in 2005 as a projects editor on the paper’s newly expanded computer-assisted reporting team. Prior to joining The Times, he reported for the Center for Public Integrity in Washington, Gannett newspapers in New Jersey and Delaware and was on the national training staff of Investigative Reporters and Editors. He also has been a member of the IRE board of directors.
Follow Aron Pilhofer:
About DocumentCloud, Temple University: Making document research and reporting workflows possible.
Ahmed Shamso
Founder and CEO of SchoolX
Follow Ahmed Shamso:
About SchoolX: SchoolX is an online platform that facilitates the education process for out-of-school children in vulnerable areas.
Charlene Laidley
Founder and Chairwoman of FutureProof Foundation
Follow Charlene Laidley:
About FutureProof Foundation: FutureProof Foundation is an award-winning not-for-profit volunteer-led organisation connecting young women and girls in schools.
Clive Stafford Smith
Founder and Director of Reprieve
Clive oversees Reprieve’s casework programme, as well as the direct representation of prisoners in Guantánamo Bay and on death row as a Louisiana licensed attorney at law. After graduating from Columbia Law School in New York, Clive spent nine years as a lawyer with the Southern Center for Human Rights working on death penalty cases and other civil rights issues. In 1993, Clive moved to New Orleans and launched the Louisiana Crisis Assistance Center, a non-profit law office specialising in representation of poor people in death penalty cases.
Follow Clive Stafford Smith:
About Reprieve: Reprieve delivers justice and saves lives, from death row to Guantánamo Bay.
Rory Byrne
CEO and Founder of Security First
Follow Rory Byrne:
About Security First: Securing human rights defenders. Simply. Comprehensively.
Felix Finkbeiner
Founder of Plant-for-the-Planet
Follow Felix Finkbeiner:
About Plant-for-the-Planet: Plant-for-the-Planet is a non profit organization.
