2025 Startups 100 | Social impact award winner and shortlist

Creating meaningful change in the world takes more than just good ideas – it takes action, innovation and an unwavering commitment to making a real difference.

The Startups 100 Social Impact Award celebrates businesses that embody these principles, focusing on startups addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Read on to learn more about the companies leading the charge for a better future. 

WINNER – Deploy Tech

When catastrophe strikes, communities are often left in desperate need of essential resources – especially clean water. Floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other disasters can disrupt water supply systems, leaving entire regions without access to safe drinking water.

Founder Paul Mendieta saw first-hand how access to clean water changed the lives of rural communities, and so made it his mission to develop water deployment systems that can provide safe, reliable water in the aftermath of natural disasters. This is how Deploy Tech came to be. 

But what makes it stand out among the rest, and earn it the title of Social Impact Award winner this year?

Describing itself as “the IKEA of infrastructure for water storage” its flagship product – the Deploy 14R water tank – is designed for quick and efficient water deployment. The flat-packed tech is well suited for use in rural areas or disaster response scenarios. 

With a capacity of 14,000 litres and operational within 24 hours of setup, it’s an ideal solution for situations where rapid relief is desperately needed. The tank is also made from a durable, concrete-filled fabric, offering minimal maintenance and designed to be easily transported on a standard industrial pallet. 

Deploy Tech’s mission and core values around improving the lives of different communities are shown through the tangible, real-world impact of its work. Not only has it provided clean drinking water to over 135,000 people across the eight countries, but it has also saved more than 124,000kg of CO2 emissions. 

Through its innovative technology and dedication to helping those in need, Deploy Tech’s rapid response, environmental responsibility and community support make it a clear winner for the Startups 100 Social Impact Award.

RUNNER-UP – Asan Wellness

While menstrual cycles are a normal part of life, they can really hold someone back if they don’t have access to period products. This is known as period poverty, and it affects around 500 million people around the world. 

To tackle this, founder Ira Guha developed and launched the Asan menstrual cup – a reusable and leakproof device with a removal ring for easy handling. The Asan cup also helps to reduce environmental waste by eliminating the need for disposable pads and tampons. In 2024, it stopped over 100 tonnes of plastic pads from entering landfill.

Further cementing its position as a social enterprise, for every Asan cup sold, one is donated for free, and the business supports menstrual health education in rural India.

Last year, its social impact programme reached over 100 villages, after expanding into Zanzibar and rural Malawi, Bihar and Gujarat. According to Guha, that means over 35,000 women are now using Asan cups, which translates to nine million extra days of work for the community and around $22 million saved in household income.

Asan doesn’t just make products; it’s a movement empowering women and transforming lives globally. And that’s what makes it a thoroughly deserved runner-up for the 2025 Startups 100 Social Impact award.

Click below to discover the nominees and winners for our other Startups 100 awards:

🌎 Startups 100 Sustainability Award 2025
♿ Startups 100 DEI Award 2025
📣 Startups 100 Marketing Award 2025