Banpu Public Company Limited, a leading versatile energy company, has been honored with the Prime Minister Award: National Startup 2026 in the Best Brotherhood of the Year category by the National Innovation Agency (NIA). The award recognizes Banpu’s outstanding contribution to fostering Thailand’s social startup ecosystem, supporting innovation-driven entrepreneurship, and creating a lasting positive impact on Thailand’s sustainable economic development. The award was received on Banpu’s behalf by Mr. Rattapon Sukhunthee, Head of Corporate Communications, and presented by Mr. Julapun Amornvivat, Minister of Labour, who represented the Prime Minister and presided over the ceremony.
The award reflects Banpu’s commitment to empowering people as a driving force for positive social change through its Banpu Champions for Change (BC4C) project. The initiative is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of social entrepreneurs who leverage the social enterprise (SE) business model to address social, community, and environmental challenges while building sustainable businesses.
Mr. Rattapon Sukhunthee, Head of Corporate Communications at Banpu Public Company Limited, said: “The Prime Minister Award 2026 is another testament to the power of collaboration that has shaped BC4C over the past 15 years. We sincerely thank ChangeFusion, our valued partner, and the BC4C alumni network for their
shared commitment to building a vibrant ecosystem of learning, collaboration, and growth. At Banpu, we believe that sustainable change cannot be achieved by only single organization. Therefore, we work closely with our partners to create opportunities and empower social entrepreneurs by providing a platform where they can learn, explore, and turn their ideas into real-world actions. Through this project, we aim to nurture social entrepreneurs who create sustains value for the economy, society, local communities, and Thailand.”
Over the past 15 years, BC4C has continuously evolved its supports to meet the needs of social enterprises at every stage of their growth, with the aim of strengthening Thailand’s social enterprise ecosystem through two core programs. The Incubation Program equips aspiring social entrepreneurs with the fundamental business knowledge needed to turn their ideas into social enterprises. Meanwhile, the Acceleration Program supports established social enterprises in scaling their impact and achieving sustainable growth.
Since its establishment, BC4C has nurtured more than 130 social enterprises. Of these, 80% continued operating for at least three years after completing the program, while 82% remain actively engaged with the BC4C alumni network, leveraging its collaborative ecosystem to access new opportunities.
Collectively, BC4C-supported social enterprises have created measurable social impact across seven key areas: education, agriculture, finance, healthcare, volunteer, environment, and job creation. To date, these social enterprises have positively impacted more than 1.3 million people across Thailand. Their achievements include improving access to educational resources for more than 1.2 million students, equipping over 50,000 young people with future-ready skills, enabling more than 2,600 farmers to access wider markets while lowering production costs, and expanding access to healthcare, financial services, and employment opportunities for underserved and vulnerable communities.
Over the years, BC4C has nurtured successful social enterprises across a wide range of sectors. These include YoungHappy, an active aging and well-being platform dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and fostering social engagement among older adults; Bhukram, an enterprise that transforms traditional natural indigo dyeing and local craftsmanship into innovative products, creating greater value from local wisdom while expanding into broader consumer markets; Moreloop, a circular economy business that repurposes surplus fabrics from the fashion industry to reduce textile waste and greenhouse gas emissions; and Local Alike, a community-based tourism enterprise that collaborates with more than 100 communities across Thailand to promote regenerative tourism, generating sustainable economic, social, and environmental benefits. These success stories reflect BC4C’s long-standing commitment to developing social entrepreneurs, from nurturing ideas at an early stage to growing into impactful enterprises that create meaningful change at both the national and international levels.
To commemorate the 15th anniversary of Banpu Champions for Change (BC4C) under the theme “Energy of Possibility,” Banpu has launched a BC4C special program inviting social entrepreneurs and BC4C alumni to further develop businesses that leverage energy as a driving force to generate revenue while creating positive social, community, and environmental impact.
Selected participants in the special program will work closely with experts to further develop their project proposals through intensive coaching and mentorship. They will also be eligible to receive a total of THB 500,000 in funding to support the implementation of their initiatives. Application is now open until 11 July 2026. The list of selected participants will be announced on 17 July 2026 via the Banpu Champions for Change Facebook page or Tel: +66 87 075 4815 or Email: banpuchampions@gmail.com
Stay updated on news and activities of the “Banpu Champions for Change (BC4C)” project via its Facebook page: Banpu Champions for Change
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About Banpu
Banpu Public Company Limited is a leading versatile energy company, operating across four business pillars under its Energy Symphonics Strategy: Next-Gen Mining, U.S. Closed-Loop Gas, Power+, and Future Tech – with operations in Thailand, Indonesia, China, Australia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Japan, the United States of America, and Vietnam. The Company leads a responsible and sustainable energy transition by balancing reliable, affordable, and eco-friendly energy.
