Nesta and the Observer have revealed their list of Britain’s 50 New Radicals with 15 registered charities or charity leaders making it on.

They include: Alex Fox, chief executive of Shared Lives; the organisation MyBnk; and Lewis Archer, climate change programmes manager at Childreach International.

Also recognised were 16 organisations that describe themselves as a not-for-profit organisations or social enterprises, 17 businesses with social motivations, and two civil servants.

The list aims to highlight people or organisations that are finding new solutions to challenges such as health, education, ageing, unemployment, community regeneration and well-being.

Just over 350 people or organisations entered the inaugural competition which launched in December 2011. The 50 winners were chosen by a judging panel which included Martha Lane Fox (UK digital champion); Geoff Mulgan (chief executive, Nesta); Lucie Siegle (Observer ethical living writer); John Mulholland (editor of the Observer) and Indy Johor (co-founder of 00:/ blog).

The criteria for entries were that the project had been operating for at least six months and could show that it was meeting its goals and is sustainable. They also had to be based in the UK and not primarily motivated by profit.

Mulgan said: “We hope that this list will prompt greater interest in the many fascinating and inspiring things happening all over the country, and an overdue debate about what more could be done to help pioneering radicals bring their ideas to life.”

Click on image to view the full list of 50 new radicals