Etienne Salborn is a social entrepreneur and founder of SINA (Social Innovation Academy), recognized globally for his innovative leadership and transformative impact. Named among the Leaders50, Influential Leader by AACSB, and an Innovation Ecosystem Builder by MIT D-Lab, he has pioneered a new way of enabling disadvantaged youth and refugee communities to become the change they wish to see in the world. He also lectures at ESCP Business School and the Management Center Innsbruck on social entrepreneurship and systemic change.

SINA’s self-organized framework centres on “freesponsibility” to transform participants from passive aid recipients into active drivers of their own futures as social entrepreneurs. Through a mycelium-like replication approach, SINA has spread to 23 communities across eight African countries and Nepal, resulting in over 100 social enterprises that tackle social and environmental challenges, reaching millions of people. SINA has been recognized among others by the UNHCR Innovation Award, the Tony Hsieh Award, and the ZeroDX Award by Haier.

Etienne’s journey began in 2006 as a volunteer in Uganda, where he established an educational sponsorship program for orphans—an initiative that evolved into SINA over the years. Originally from Germany, he has called Uganda home since 2013 with his Ugandan wife and two children.