New Delhi, June 3 -- Non-profit 'unicorns' are emerging as a powerful pathway to large-scale social change. These are rare organizations that positively impact at least 1 million people.

This includes direct impact. Educate Girls has enrolled 2 million rural girls in school through community volunteers, for example. And then, there is their indirect impact. PRS Legislative Research's research briefs for lawmakers, for instance, have led to better laws that affect millions.

What's common to them is a search for innovative ways to reduce the marginal cost of reaching each additional person. They signal a shift from service delivery to a product mindset, where the 'product' could be a policy tool, a government scheme playbook, a community ...