Since time immemorial, human beings have faced a litany of existential hurdles that individuals have struggled to overcome. The inability or unwillingness to address both the root causes and symptoms of poverty and inequality ranks among the greatest failures of societies across the world. Thankfully, a new generation of dynamic, socially conscious entrepreneurs is stepping in to fill in the gaps that governments have been unable to fill.

Whether it is solving deficiencies and injustice in healthcare, education, jobs, housing, food security, or simply having access to a bank loan when it is needed, there are founders and innovators aplenty creating and implementing new solutions to these daunting challenges. The only barrier to empowering many of these entrepreneurs is the availability of funding to ensure that their ideas can get off the ground and eventually scale to serve the vast “bottom of the pyramid.” This is where venture capitalists, angel investors, and other funders of early-stage businesses can and must step up to make a difference.