Elizabeth Scharpf

Global innovation and impact leader building movements, markets, and organizations.

Elizabeth Scharpf is a social entrepreneur and business leader with extensive experience in sustainable development and social impact initiatives. She is currently a Consulting Partner at Urgent Optimist Labs, where she advises founders and senior leadership of high-growth enterprises on operational efficiency, strategy, capital raising, and impact measurement.1

Career Highlights

Founder and CEO of Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE): Scharpf founded and led SHE from 2008 to 2020. The organization focused on manufacturing and distributing affordable hygiene products made from local agro-waste (banana fibers) to help girls and women thrive in school and work. Under her leadership, SHE achieved profitability and was successfully acquired by the East African Workforce Authority.1 2

Other Notable Roles:

Board Member, Women's Leadership Board at Harvard Kennedy School (2015-present)
Angel Investor with Astia, focusing on female, BIPOC, and LGBT-led companies (2017-present)
Board Member at The OpEd Project (2016-present)
Echoing Green Fellow (2008-present)
Chief Operating Officer at Amylyx Pharmaceuticals (2006)
Private Sector Specialist at The World Bank (2005)
Consultant at Clinton Foundation (2004)
Strategic Management Consultant at IQVIA (2001-2004)1

Education and Achievements

Scharpf holds an MBA and MPA in International Development from Harvard, as well as a BA from the University of Notre Dame. She is also a Fulbright Scholar.1 2

Her work with SHE has garnered significant recognition:

SHE's menstrual pad was featured in the Smithsonian's exhibit "Design with the 90%: Improving Lives Around the World" in 2019
Recipient of the Echoing Green Fellowship
Winner of the Harvard Business School Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship1

Approach and Philosophy

Elizabeth Scharpf is known for her innovative approach to social entrepreneurship, combining business solutions with social impact. She emphasizes the importance of understanding local contexts and creating sustainable, market-driven solutions to address pressing global issues.2 3

Scharpf's work with SHE demonstrated her commitment to empowering women and girls by addressing menstrual health challenges in developing countries. Her approach focused on local manufacturing, using readily available materials, and creating economic opportunities for women in the communities served.2 3