Poland, Portfolio
nesst-admin
Concordia: Crafting a Family Space for Youth & ...

Concordia crafts a family space for such youth daily where they receive the support they need and deserve.

Concordia: Crafting a Family Space for Youth & Nurturing Skills for Success as Adults
Guest User
Why Workforce Diversity and Inclusion is Not ...

NESsT focuses on improving economic autonomy because it improves community autonomy. As much as "Workforce Diversity and Inclusion" is used to solve this problem, it will not. We must pursue Workforce Equity and Justice.

Why Workforce Diversity and Inclusion is Not Enough
Romania, Portfolio
nesst-admin
Join Us in Taking A Stand Against Poverty This ...

Meet Victor. Victor is a coppersmith in the Romanian village of Brateiu. There used to be 200 Roma coppersmiths in his village. Now there are only six left. He says he’s proud he can continue to practice the craft of his ancestors and make a living doing so. 

Join Us in Taking A Stand Against Poverty This Holiday Season
News, Portfolio
Mónica Vásquez del Solar
Tips for Entrepreneurs - Steps in the Process

NESsT's portfolio director for the Andean Region offers three top tips for social entrepreneurs: (1) Look Deep, (2) Seek Feedback and (3) Test, Test, Test.

Tips for Entrepreneurs - Steps in the Process
Europe, Event
nesst-admin
#NESsT20: Enterprising Solutions, Dignified ...

In celebration of our 20th anniversary, NESsT hosted a photo exhibition and reception reflecting on 20 years of social enterprise at the Impact Hub Budapest. View the online gallery.

#NESsT20: Enterprising Solutions, Dignified Futures
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The NESsT Lirio Fund provides Kulkao with a second loan to increase the income of cocoa farmers in the Amazon basin

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The NESsT Lirio Fund provides Kulkao with a second loan to increase the income of cocoa farmers in the Amazon basin

Located in the jungle areas of central and eastern Peru, Kulkao sources cocoa from over 400 smallholder farmers living in the remote regions of the Amazon basin. Its products include cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and cocoa nibs that are sold to local and international markets such as Europe and North America. Due to its success, in 2023, NESsT approved a second revolving loan to Kulkao, supporting the social enterprise to continue to purchase cacao beans from local farmers committed to organic, sustainable practices. 

NESsT Appoints Kirsten Dueck as New CEO to Build Upon Quarter of a Century of Success for the Organization

NESsT Appoints Kirsten Dueck as New CEO to Build Upon Quarter of a Century of Success for the Organization

NESsT, a leading global impact investor and venture philanthropist, today announced the appointment of Kirsten Dueck as Chief Executive Officer.  NESsT announces this significant leadership transition as it closes out its milestone of over a quarter-century of success, and prepares to embark on its next quarter-century journey of impact investing. Nicole Etchart, NESsT co-founder and outgoing CEO, will transition into a new role as Senior Advisor and will remain on the Board of Directors.

NESsT at SOCAP 2023 with IKEA Social Entrepreneurship and Cisco Foundation

NESsT at SOCAP 2023 with IKEA Social Entrepreneurship and Cisco Foundation

SOCAP 2023 took place in San Francisco, California from 23–25 October. Nicole Etchart, NESsT Co-Founder and CEO, co-hosted the session ‘Scaling Impact Through Collaboration: Rallying Stakeholders Around Blended Finance,’ alongside Nele Bouchier, Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer for IKEA in the United States, and Charu Adesnik, Executive Director of the Cisco Foundation and Director of Social Innovation Investments at Cisco Systems, Inc.

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NESsT Welcomes Afrotourism Enterprise Diaspora.Black into its Racial Equity Portfolio in Brazil

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NESsT Welcomes Afrotourism Enterprise Diaspora.Black into its Racial Equity Portfolio in Brazil

Diaspora.Black, a social enterprise in the tourism and events sector, joins the NESsT Racial Equity Initiative. With NESsT’s investment, Diaspora.Black will offer training and funding to local Afro-entrepreneurs, fostering a community dedicated to expanding tourist routes that bring more visibility to the history and culture of Afro-Brazilians. 

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NESsT in Chile: Over 26 Years of Impact in the Region

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Nicole Etchart, NESsT CEO and Co-Founder, spoke with journalist Valentina Llompart at the Diario Financiero.

Article Summary: Founded over 26 years ago, Impact investor NESsT’s international trajectory has taken it to countries in Central and Eastern Europe and South America, including Chile – which was one of the first countries it invested in. NESsT has created significant impact in the region through investing in social enterprises that work on the ground with Chile’s marginalized communities.

Read the full article on Diario Financiero.

NESsT in Chile

Over 26 years, NESsT’s model has shifted its focus to support social enterprises in the so-called ‘missing middle’. Today, NESsT brings patient capital and business assistance to entrepreneurs working with marginalized communities in 10 countries across Central Europe and South America, including Chile. 

“The companies we support are slightly more advanced than startups – they have developed an initial idea and have an established business model, but they need a push to grow in order to create real impact,” shared Nicole Etchart.

The impact NESsT has generated in the region is significant. Since it was created, NESsT has channeled over US $2M in resources to social enterprises in Chile, supporting companies that often face obstacles when accessing financing from traditional sources due to their high-impact focus.

Through deploying patient capital and business assistance to 25 Chilean enterprises working with marginalized communities, NESsT has supported the creation of more than 5,000 dignified jobs in the country. To date, these efforts have positively impacted over 184,400 individuals.

Today, NESsT provides tailored business support to 9 social enterprises in Chile as part of the NESsT - IKEA Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program in South America, including Ecocitex, Bendito Residuo, Inclúyeme, Lazarillo, and Savia.


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Flower producer Cattleya joins the NESsT Lirio Fund to improve the livelihoods of rural women in Cundinamarca, Colombia

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Flower producer Cattleya joins the NESsT Lirio Fund to improve the livelihoods of rural women in Cundinamarca, Colombia

Flower producer Cattleya manages employs 350 individuals, primarily from the nearby rural towns of Suesca and Sesquilé, providing them with a stable source of income, fair wages, well-being services, and professional development opportunities. Over 50% of Cattleya’s workforce are women who are the primary earners of their families.