Applications are closed. Winners will be announced soon.

Introducing the 2025 Winners

Somnath Ray

CEO & Cofounder | CLIP

Som Ray is a design technologist and serial entrepreneur recognized by MIT TechReview as a top innovator. With 20+ years of experience, he’s built consumer software and hardware, founded India’s first EV auto rickshaw startup, and won the TR35 award for a low-cost wheelchair. As CEO of CLIP, a Brooklyn-based clean mobility startup, he’s making urban commuting sustainable through affordable e-bike tech.

ABOUT CLIP

CLIP’s mission is to democratize access to e-bike technology in order to fight climate change. The Brooklyn-based startup launched the world's first and only Plug & Play device that upgrades any bike into an e-bike—no tools or pre-installation required. CLIP is 4x less expensive than the average e-bike and is patented in 47 countries. 

Following the launch of the groundbreaking CLIP, we began piloting BOLT—our newest and more affordable addition designed for emerging economies. BOLT retails for $100, is 20 times less expensive than the average e-bike, and can immediately motorize the 2 billion bikes already in circulation and eliminate up to 5% of CO2 emissions globally. 

Kunjpreet Arora

CEO | Angirus

Kunjpreet Arora is the co-founder and CEO of Angirus, a climate-tech startup building sustainable alternatives to traditional construction materials. A civil engineer by training and an IIM Indore alumna, Kunjpreet is passionate about solving systemic environmental problems through practical, scalable innovation. She has been recognized by Forbes Asia, TiE Global, Netflix & the Govt. of India, Clinton Global Initiative & World Economic Forum.

ABOUT ANGIRUS

Angirus is a climate-tech startup transforming plastic and construction waste into Wricks®, high-strength bricks made without cement, burning, or excess water. Our innovative, patented process creates durable, waterproof, and thermally efficient building materials while reducing CO₂ emissions and landfill waste. By decentralizing production through micro-manufacturing units, we empower local entrepreneurs, create green jobs, and make sustainable construction accessible and affordable. With over 100,000 Wricks® deployed, Angirus is proving that circular solutions can drive real environmental and social impact.

Franco Rodriguez Viau

CEO & Cofounder | Satellites on Fire

Franco Rodríguez Viau is an Argentine entrepreneur harnessing technology for global environmental impact. By 15, he created a wheelchair-racing game promoting inclusion. At 16, he co-founded Satellites on Fire, a wildfire alert system protecting 56 million hectares across 19 countries and preventing 400+ wildfires in recent months. Recognized among the Top MIT Innovators Under 35, Franco has raised funding from MIT and the UN, has taken part in Techstars and the 776 Fellowship by Reddit’s co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Connected with leaders like Richard Branson and Tim Draper, he continues advancing innovation at the intersection of technology and sustainability.

ABOUT SATELLITES ON FIRE

Satellites on Fire is an AI-powered wildfire early alert system, co-founded by Franco, Joaquín and Ulises after witnessing Argentina’s devastating fires. We integrate satellite imagery every 5 minutes, tower cameras, forecasts & proprietary AI to detect fires 35 minutes faster than NASA. Unlike fragmented or hardware-heavy systems, we deliver fast, accurate alerts. Operating in 19 countries and protecting 56M+ ha, we prevented 400 wildfires in the last quarter. Backed by $850K from MIT, Techstars, the UN Green Climate Fund’s top climate-tech accelerator, and Reddit’s founder, our mission is to stop wildfires before they spread and protect vulnerable communities and ecosystems worldwide.

Zizipho Ntobongwana

CEO | Sheba Feminine

Zizipho is a menstrual health innovator designing new narratives and solutions at the intersection of sustainability, technology, and education. As the Founder and CEO of Sheba Feminine, she focuses on sustainable product innovation and menstrual equity, producing eco-friendly menstrual products while leading community programs like “Pay for a Pal’s Pads,” which tackles period poverty through education and distribution.

ABOUT SHEBA FEMININE

Sheba Feminine is a South African menstrual care company founded in 2017 to create sustainable, inclusive, and socially impactful period products. Our range includes organic, biodegradable pads, tampons, panty liners, menstrual cups, period underwear, and bamboo wipes, designed to protect both people and the planet. Beyond products, we tackle period poverty through education, outreach, and partnerships with schools and NGOs. With the upcoming launch of “Blud”, our youth-focused brand, and “Bluddy”, a data-light, multilingual period tracking app, we are reshaping menstrual care in Africa through innovation, accessibility, and social change.

Filip Lundin

CEO & Founder | Sopköket AB

Filip Lundin is the founder and CEO of Sopköket, a Swedish social enterprise leading a circular, financially sustainable model that reduces food waste, donates meals and creates jobs for people from marginalized backgrounds. A serial entrepreneur since age 16, Filip lectures globally with Wharton University and the European Union on food waste reduction and sustainable policy.He is now preparing Sopköket’s international expansion through larger production kitchens and a SaaS platform for grocery kitchens, while advocating for Scope 4 CO₂ accounting —proving that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.

ABOUT SOPKÖKET AB

Sopköket (the waste kitchen) is an award-winning Stockholm-based social enterprise fighting food waste, hunger, and social exclusion through a financially self-sustaining model. Founded by Filip Lundin in 2015, it rescues surplus food to create catering and frozen meals, donating thousands monthly via partners like the Red Cross. Sopköket has rescued over 120 tons of food, donated 80,000 meals, and built a team where half come from marginalized backgrounds. Clients include Spotify, Marshall, PayPal, ICA,Coop, and Fotografiska,and the company has earned four of Sweden’s top sustainability awards.

About the Awards

PayPal and Global Citizen have joined together to celebrate small businesses that are revolutionizing commerce and advancing social and environmental impact.

The Global Citizen and PayPal Small Business Impact Awards were established to celebrate entrepreneurs and small business owners. We are looking for innovative leaders of small businesses and social enterprises who have developed products, services, and business models that make a positive social or environmental impact. 

The awards platform will grant these community leaders a $25,000 USD cash prize and connect them to data and insights, access to highly skilled commerce and payments experts, and marketing/brand activations to accelerate their work and impact. 

Evaluation Criteria

🚀 Innovation
How your business’s innovation supports your mission and creates a positive societal or environmental impact.

🎯 Impact
Demonstrated track-record of measurable impact the last 3-5 years, advancing one or more of the Global Goals.

📋 Vision
Compelling vision and concrete plans for how to expand this work in the next 3-5 years.

🔥️ Grit
Tell us about an obstacle your business has faced or is facing, and how you have worked or are working to overcome it.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Active Business Leader
    The applicant must be the business's owner, CEO, or founder and actively involved in business strategy and/or operations.
  • Small-to-Medium Sized Business
    Business has fewer than 50 full-time employees or annual revenue under $1 million, and be registered as a small business in its home country.
  • Demonstrate Community Impact
    The business should have at least 3 years of operation and show significant, tangible contributions to the local community.
    • Supporting local causes, charities, or nonprofit organizations. 
    • Engaging in community development projects or local partnerships. 
    • Implementing sustainable practices that benefit the local environment or economy. 
    • Creating jobs or providing educational/training opportunities for community members. 
  • Serve the Local Community
    The business must operate and primarily serve the local community.
    • ❌ Business Cannot Be:
      • Affiliated with an organization from any country or entity subject to financial or other sanctions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) or other government entity of the United States of America.
      • A franchise or part of a national or international chain, as the focus is on independent, locally owned enterprises. 

    Apply

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the Global Citizen and PayPal Small Business Impact Awards?

    The Global Citizen and PayPal Small Business Impact Awards celebrates entrepreneurs and small business owners who are driving real impact in their communities by demonstrating a deep commitment to equity and sustainability in their business practices. The award will highlight innovative leaders of small business and social enterprises who have developed products and services that make a positive social or environmental impact.

    What do winners of the Global Citizen and PayPal Small Business Impact Awards receive? 

    Each winner (five) will win $25,000 and a free Masterclass training with Global Citizen's Marketing and Social Teams.

    What is the judging process? 

    Candidates will be judged against set criteria by a group of Global Citizen and independent experts.

    Up to fifteen (15) finalists will be selected on or around September 22nd and will be required to submit three (3) letters of recommendation. If applying for the Prize, you should have your letters of recommendation ready for submission. Additional supplemental information might also be requested of finalists.

    If selected as one of the 15 finalists, you will be judged by a panel of representatives from Global Citizen and independent experts. 

    What does it mean to be a small to medium business?

    The business must be registered as a small-to-medium-sized business, typically with fewer than 50 full-time employees or annual revenue under $1 million (subject to local regulations and standards)

    Do I have to be the founder/CEO/owner of the organization to be eligible? 

    Yes, we are looking for a transformative leader who is playing a key role in the business. This can be a CEO, owner or (co-)founder as long as you are still actively involved with the business. 

    In your application, you will be asked for the title of your role in the organization to help us understand how you are having an impact.

    Do you accept people from any country? 

    We accept applications from all over the world, with the exception of countries and entities subject to financial or other sanctions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) or other government entities of the United States of America that may restrict the transfer of the Prize money. 

    Do you accept non-profits? 

    No, we are looking for individuals leading businesses, who are doing impactful work and who have a registered legal entity such as for-profit, B-corp, social enterprise, etc. 

    Is this prize for individuals as well as business? 

    The Prize will be accepted by an individual on behalf of the business, and the money will be allocated to the business that the individual works for. 

    I have a lot of great ideas, but am just starting out. Am I eligible for the Award? 

    We are glad you are passionate about making a difference in the global community. However, this Award is for individuals who have a demonstrated impact over the last 3-5 years so this may not be right for you. 

    What is needed for the application? 

    The application consists of four parts: (1) About you & about your business, (2) Pitch (3) Description of how your work aligns with the judging criteria (4) Supplemental organizational details (upon request)

    For the first part, you will be required to submit basic information about you and your business.


    For the second part, you must explain why you deserve this award and provide us with a 1-2 minute video of your pitch. 


    For the third part, you will be required to answer four short answer questions about your work. In 250 words or less, you will describe how you meet each one of the Awards’ criteria.

    When does the application open? When does it close? 

    Applications open for submission at 10:00amPST Thursday, June 26th, 2025  and close at 17:00pm Friday, August15th, 2025.

    When will I find out if I have been selected? 

    Up to 15 finalists will be notified on or around September 22nd, 2025.

    What documents are required if I am a finalist? Should I prepare them now? 

    If you are selected as one of the 15 finalists you will be contacted on or around September 22nd, 2025 to submit 3 letters of recommendation:


    3 Letters of recommendation should include: 

    • A Colleague 
    • A Funder or Operational Partner 
    • Person you’ve impacted 


    Once you apply for the Award, you should have your letters of recommendation ready for submission. Supplemental information might also be requested of finalists. Finalists who are contacted and cannot provide letters of recommendation and supplemental information by the deadline may be removed from further consideration. 

    If selected as a finalist, you will be provided with instructions on how to submit your letters of recommendation and supplemental information. 
    In addition, shortlisted applicants may be required to provide their business’s registration details, including one or more of: the certificate of registration, certificate of incorporation, certificate of tax exemption (pdf only), annual report and/or business plan; please be prepared to provide this information. 

    If I’m selected as a finalist, who should provide the letter or video of endorsement? 

    You should provide a letter or video of endorsement from each one of the following: 

    • A colleague 
    • A funder or operational partner 
    • A person you’ve impacted 


    Letters should have an official letterhead and original signature.  

    Endorsements don’t need to be new / given specifically for this Award, but we do ask that they are less than six months old. 

    Can I nominate someone for this Award? 

    No, applicants must apply for the Award themselves. 

    Can I apply in a language other than English? 

    Unfortunately, at this time we are only able to accept applications in English. 

    You are welcome to draft your application in another language and send us a translation. We are judging you on the criteria, not your writing. 

    What happens to my application materials after I submit? 

    All application submissions will be reviewed against Award criteria: “Innovation,” “Impact,” “Vision,” and “Grit” 

    If I am selected as the winner, do I have to spend the Award money in a certain way? 

    No. Award money is unconditional. However, we do ask applicants for an idea of how they plan to use the money and require the winner to provide quarterly written updates on their organization’s progress for a period of 1 year. 

    How do I make and send my video? Can I still apply if I cannot create a video? 

    Your application must include a 1-2 minute video of your pitch, convincing us why you should be awarded this prize. Feel free to shoot the video on your phone, camera, or other recording device, as long as the video can be uploaded to YouTube. Once you have filmed your video, you must provide a link to the YouTube video- remember to make the link unrestricted. 

    Applications without a video pitch will not be accepted. 

    Can I change my application after I submit it? 

    No, all applications are considered final. 

    I’m having trouble submitting my application, what can I do? 

    Please email paypal@globalcitizen.org 

    Where can I ask questions not covered here? 

    If you have any questions that are not answered on the award’s information page or in these FAQs, please email paypal@globalcitizen.org. Regretfully we will only be able to respond to questions not answered here. 

    What is Global Citizen? 

    Global Citizen is an action platform dedicated to achieving the end of extreme poverty. By taking action with us, Global Citizens earn rewards, such as tickets to events and digital experiences with artists and influencers. Policy-makers make commitments to achieve the end of extreme poverty on our platform and we hold them accountable. So far, we’ve inspired 49.2 million actions since 2009. Today, these actions, in combination with high-level advocacy work, have led to over $49 billion being distributed to our partners around the world, impacting 1.3 billion lives in the fight to end extreme poverty. Together we can defeat poverty and defend the planet. 

    What is PayPal? 

    PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. PayPal’s core values include Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness.