How the EY Partner Ecosystem helps EY Ripples scale impact

Social innovators — including impact enterprises and nonprofits — are often closest to some of the world’s most urgent challenges — from climate resilience and workforce readiness to AI literacy and economic inclusion. They bring deep local knowledge, trusted community relationships and ambitious ideas. But too often, the solutions with the greatest potential are constrained by limited access to funding, technology, business expertise and the networks needed to grow.

Without those capabilities, promising ideas remain local pilots rather than becoming practical, scalable solutions that deliver wider social and environmental impact.

EY Ripples is a program working to bridge this gap. Launched in 2018, EY Ripples is a global corporate responsibility program aiming to mobilize EY people, clients and collaborators — connecting them with social innovators to accelerate environmental sustainability, social and economic impact and create ripples of change that can help build a better working world.

The EY Partner Ecosystem helps EY Ripples deliver that mission at greater scale. Alliances such as Microsoft, SAP, ServiceNow and IBM bring complementary technology, platforms, funding and specialist capabilities. EY Ripples provides the purpose-led framework, while the ecosystem helps match those strengths with the needs of impact organizations so promising ideas can move from local traction to wider adoption.

It’s a successful model that’s seen thousands of client and ecosystem collaborators support impact initiatives through EY Ripples since the program’s inception.

One of those collaborators is Mark Horoszowski, CEO of MovingWorlds, a global social enterprise working with EY Ripples on its Scaling AI for Good initiative. MovingWorlds operates a global platform that convenes partners from all sectors to build a more equitable, just and sustainable economy by empowering social enterprises and the people working with — and within — them.

For Horoszowski, lack of vision is rarely the reason why impact enterprises struggle to scale their solutions. Instead, it’s typically because “they’re short on the connections and capabilities needed to move from early traction to lasting, systems-level impact," he says.

By bringing the right mix of experience, technology, funding and partnerships around impact organizations, EY Ripples is helping turn promising ideas into scalable, sustainable solutions.

Across its programs, EY Ripples showcases how corporate responsibility can become more powerful when supported by an ecosystem.

As a first step, EY Ripples defines the mission and mobilizes EY people and collaborators around shared goals. The EY Partner Ecosystem then helps deliver that mission by bringing in the partners best placed to address specific barriers — whether through technology, funding, coaching, mentorship, data, community access or operational support.

Three initiatives show how that model works in practice.

1. Helping impact enterprises scale AI-powered solutions

Many impact enterprises see AI’s potential to address social and environmental challenges, but scaling AI responsibly takes more than access to tools. Founders also need strategy, technical guidance, business coaching and connections to partners who can help them move from experimentation to sustainable growth.

Through the program Scaling AI for Good, EY Ripples works with Microsoft, SAP and MovingWorlds to support impact enterprises using AI to address challenges in areas such as climate, health, education and equity. Each partner brings a distinct role: Microsoft contributes access to a diverse pipeline of AI-powered impact ventures; SAP provides pro-bono consulting support; MovingWorlds brings its global impact platform and specialist program delivery; and EY professionals contribute strategic coaching and business experience to help entrepreneurs strengthen their organizations for growth.

The result is a more complete support model. Impact enterprises can test and refine AI-enabled solutions, strengthen their business models, improve operational readiness and build the networks needed to reach more people. As Horoszowski explains, when strategic, technical and operational expertise is directed toward mission-driven entrepreneurs, the results can compound quickly.

Another example of this is Zanista AI, a UK-based technology company building generative AI (GenAI) tools for the finance and education sectors. Arman Khaledian, CEO at Zanista AI, says participating in the Scaling AI for Good program helped the company sharpen key aspects of its growth strategy, noting that it “supported our pricing, positioning, product strategy and network, with practical insights that are helping us scale our impact”. Through the program, EY supported Zanista AI in strengthening its commercial and risk framework for engaging with regulated buyers, while sessions with SAP helped shape the roadmap for expanding the company's platform.

Scaling AI for Good demonstrates how ecosystem collaboration can help responsible AI move beyond isolated innovation and become a practical accelerator of social impact.

The initiatives featured here address different challenges, but together they show how the EY Partner Ecosystem helps EY Ripples deliver its corporate responsibility mission. Technology can accelerate progress, but it delivers its greatest value when combined with human experience, local knowledge, responsible governance and strong partnerships.

Through Scaling AI for Good, impact enterprises are receiving support to apply AI responsibly and move more quickly from early-stage ideas to scalable solutions. Through Angels Climate Tech Africa, locally-led climate ventures are gaining access to funding, mentorship and business support that can strengthen community resilience and create new economic opportunities. Through the IBM Impact Accelerator, nonprofits and public sector organizations can access technology and capacity-building support to address environmental and economic challenges.