A milestone for the Red Cross: 5 years of REDpreneur
Vienna, 29 November 2025 – The Austrian Red Cross is celebrating an impressive anniversary: five years of REDpreneur, a program that has revolutionized humanitarian aid. The founding of this global academy in 2020 marked the start of a new era in which financial independence and the promotion of local entrepreneurship are at the forefront.
What is REDpreneur?
REDpreneur is an innovative initiative of the Red Cross aimed at strengthening national Red Cross societies as well as local civil society organizations and businesses in business development. Through targeted training, mentoring and networking, the program particularly supports so-called "social businesses" – companies that address social challenges in a financially sustainable way.
Elin Baranyai-Ulvestad, head of REDpreneur, explains: "We strengthen regional economic and social structures while simultaneously promoting innovations in the Red Cross's core areas. One example is Lebanon, where the Red Cross generates financial resources through first-aid courses for companies and the sale of first-aid kits, which flow into free school courses and support for the local emergency services."
Historical background
The idea behind REDpreneur arose from the need to make humanitarian aid less dependent on traditional donors. In recent decades it has become repeatedly clear that dependence on government and private donations jeopardizes the sustainability of many aid projects. Therefore, the Red Cross sought new ways to strengthen local structures while simultaneously generating financial resources.
The founding of REDpreneur in 2020 came at a time of global upheaval. The COVID-19 pandemic had exposed the weaknesses of traditional aid systems and underscored the need for innovative approaches. REDpreneur was launched in response to these challenges.
Concrete impacts on citizens
The impacts of REDpreneur are diverse and primarily affect the people on the ground. In countries like Lebanon, where the program is active, citizens benefit not only from improved services provided by the Red Cross but also from new economic opportunities. By promoting social businesses, new jobs are created, which in turn contributes to stabilizing the local economy.
Another example is Ukraine, where the Red Cross, thanks to REDpreneur, has been able to support 100 startups by women and internally displaced people in the past two years. This support is invaluable, especially in times of war, and demonstrates the importance of aid that empowers self-help.
Expert opinions
Michael Opriesnig, Secretary General of the Austrian Red Cross, emphasizes: „From Austria we have already promoted social entrepreneurship with REDpreneur in 39 countries. We are particularly proud of our work in Ukraine, where we have been able to support numerous startups over the past two years. In times of austerity programs and dwindling funds in international cooperation, this aid for self-help is more important than ever.“
Gottfried Traxler, head of the Economics and Development unit at the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), adds: „Within the framework of our economic partnerships we support projects that link entrepreneurial potential with long-term impact, create jobs, and promote sustainable growth. The REDpreneur initiative exemplifies what humanitarian aid and entrepreneurial spirit can achieve together – given the current global challenges, this is more important than ever.“
Comparison with other federal states and international initiatives
While Austria has taken a pioneering role with REDpreneur, there are similar efforts in other countries to make humanitarian aid more sustainable. In Germany, for example, the program „Sozialstarter“ was launched, which also focuses on promoting social businesses. Similar initiatives can also be found in the Scandinavian countries, where the focus on sustainability and social responsibility is traditionally strong.
The comparison shows that Austria, with REDpreneur, occupies a leading role in the international aid community and serves as a model for other countries.
Figures and statistics
- REDpreneur is active in 39 countries.
- In Ukraine, 100 startups were supported over the past two years.
- The program supports over 500 social businesses worldwide each year.
These figures illustrate REDpreneur's success and reach and show how effective the program is in different regions of the world.
Future outlook
The future of REDpreneur looks promising. The Red Cross plans to further expand the program and become active in even more countries. The goal is to be present in over 60 countries by 2030 and to increase the number of supported social businesses to over 1,000 annually.
In view of the growing global challenges, including climate change, political instability and economic uncertainty, REDpreneur's role as a catalyst for sustainable development and social innovation is becoming ever more important.
Political contexts and dependencies
REDpreneur's work is closely linked to political frameworks and international agreements. Support from organizations such as the Austrian Development Agency and the ERSTE Foundation shows how important international cooperation is for the success of such initiatives. At the same time, the dependence on political decisions and financial commitments makes clear that REDpreneur's stability and success also depend on the political landscape.
Conclusion
Over the past five years, REDpreneur has shown how humanitarian aid can be rethought. By combining social entrepreneurship and financial sustainability, the program offers a forward-looking solution to many of the most pressing problems of our time. The successes in countries such as Lebanon and Ukraine are impressive examples of how assistance that promotes self-reliance works in practice.
It is hoped that REDpreneur will continue to serve as a flagship project for sustainable development and social innovation in the coming years and be able to celebrate many more successes.
