The Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World

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Identifying Market Opportunities in Ten Great Divides

LIKE THE WRIGHT BROTHERS over a century ago, the duo of decidedly unreasonable bicycle makers who dreamed of lofting their machines into the realm of birds, today’s social and environmental entrepreneurs see the possibility of helping people soar into the future where others see only insurmountable barriers. This optimism is somewhat uncharacteristic of the present, where looming, palpable threats continue to crop up—but that doesn’t deter these entrepreneurs. In fact, the thought of impending doom may actually energize many of them.

Throughout history, people have acknowledged that dark clouds can have silver linings. “In the middle of every difficulty,” Albert Einstein is said to ...