Thinking Big

TIME surveys small businesses around the world and the entrepreneurs that keep them going

Grahamn Jepson

The Cobbler's Child

The scion of a shoemaking family takes a step in a different direction with Terra Plana More »

Photos: Belu: Environment-Friendly Bottled Water

A British company focuses on helping the environment and maintaining profits More »
Photos: Counting Surgical Sponges

A Pittsburgh company develops a simple technology to ensure that no surgical sponges get left behind More »
No Souvenirs

Using RFID, one firm makes sure that sponges don't go home with surgical patients More »
Absorbing a Setback

AbTech's founder couldn't sell his pollution solution to Big Oil. Turns out that big cities need it more More »
Photos: "Smart Sponges" Purify Stormwater

A Scottsdale, Arizona company finds a market for its "Smart Sponges", chemically-engineered filters that effectively — and cheaply — purify storm-water runoff More »
Photos: RealBenefits Reaches Out

A Boston company creates software to help people in need register for government assistance
Photographs for TIME by Lauren Fuller More »
Bottled Up

For the social-entrepreneur CEO of Belu, pursuing a purpose might be easier if he pursues a profit too More »
Selling Out to Growth

Nonprofit RealBenefits realized its software could help more people only if it got greedier More »
Ring, Ring, Bollywood is Calling

A young company seizes its chance in the craze for Indian movies and music More »
Photos: Saavn: Bollywood Gets Digital

A small U.S. company capitalizes on the growing popularity of Indian music and cinema More »