This paper aims to unveil some linkages between design and a social entrepreneurship process. To achieve this purpose, this analyses the key literature regarding social entrepreneurship and design. It introduces an abridged version of four case study resulting from a qualitative research conducted to a Chilean social business incubator and four social entrepreneurs. The cases serve as empirical evidence of the diverse and complex nature of social entrepreneurship. A data analysis introduces insights into how design is connected to the social entrepreneurship process. The insights presented are not determinative and show that design is used in response to the different challenges that social entrepreneurs encounter. These insights are used to create a framework that is to be employed as an analytical and reflective device to understand the social entrepreneurship process in practice and the different roles that design plays within it.