Author: Michaela Lednova

The fourth issue of the Better Incubation Newsletter describes the upcoming opportunities :

• Inclusive Entrepreneurship Workshop Series
• Reflections on the Interim assessment of pilot programmes
• Future activities and events
• Update on the video portrait of the inclusive incubation programmes

Find out more information about Better Incubation news by reading the newsletter here : Better Incubation Newsletter#4.

Fondazione CRT, together with OGR Torino and Microsoft launched Impact Deal, the new data-driven acceleration program for European enterprises aimed to generate societal and environmental impact.

The first call for impact enterprises will be open from February 3 to April 3, 2022.

The project, designed and developed in collaboration with TOP-IX, The Data Science for Social Good Center, Ashoka, Impact Hub and The Data Appeal Company, will be based in OGR Tech, the OGR Turin’s hub for innovation and applied research.

If interested in Info session to be held on 9^th March, please register  here

The first phase of the project, lasting approximately two months, will deliver targeted training to provide specific Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and entrepreneurial skills. A subset of the participating enterprises will then go on to the second phase, which will last approximately three months and focus in particular on business acceleration through the development of actual projects and solutions enabled by data.

A group of companies, organizations, and public and private bodies brought together under the name Data Club will play a key role in the program, effectively making business acceleration possible for the selected impact enterprises, by offering their datasets in a collaborative perspective, with the goal of generating social and environmental impact. The founding core of the Data Club includes Banca Sella, TIM, Fondazione Snam and Città di Torino.

The second phase of the program will end with a Demo Day, during which accelerated enterprises will present their progress to an audience of potential investors with a particular interest in impact investing.

More information about the initiative can be found at : https://impactdeal.eu

You can also check the launch Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RKtxEqvtmcU

December 16^th 2021, the European Action Plan “Building an economy that works for people: an action plan for the social economy “ (2021-2030) was launched by the European Commission. Built through the contribution of more than 130 organisations and experts, the document can be seen as a key tool to systematically incorporate the social economy into the different socio-economic policies of the EU, including industrial, innovation and cohesion policies.

The Commission proposes 38 concrete measures to be implemented in the coming nine years, in different core areas, including :

• promoting social economy at local, regional, and international levels,
• business support, skills, youth entrepreneurship,
• access to funding and finance,
• social impact measurement,
• social economy contribution to the green and digital transitions,
• social ​innovation.

The implementing phase of the Action plan thus offers new opportunities for the members of EBN, Impact Hub and EVPA, with the Better Incubation project referred to in the document as a good practice and inspiration.

In the Action plan, the European Commission also recognises, an importance that the mainstream business incubators have in the support of social economy entities (p.14) :

The Commission calls on Member States to encourage mainstream business incubators to extend their support to social economy entities, to improve business investment readiness support opportunities. The ‘Better Incubator’ pilot launched by the European Commission can serve as inspiration’. 

The partnership and cooperation of the three networks through the Better Incubation project should contribute the Action plan through development of social economy and social innovation ecosystems on local and regional levels. Throughout 2022, the project will continue supporting the  business incubators as catalysts of the entrepreneurial support ecosystem, experimenting with the inclusive incubation practices across Europe.

A new report from EVPA “Navigating impact measurement and management – How to integrate impact throughout the investment journey” demonstrates how impact measurement and management is deeply embedded into the DNA of investing for impact and how it drives decision-making throughout the whole investment journey, from the definition of investment strategy to the exit.

This report summarises the main elements to be taken into account to measure and manage impact throughout the investment strategy and the investment process, linking each phase to the relevant steps of the EVPA five-step framework.

To clarify how the EVPA five-step process and other IMM initiatives are linked and complement each other, this publication also refers to different principles or standards throughout the investment journey, such as the Dimensions of impact of the Impact Management Project, the Operating Principles of Impact Management, the Principles of Social Value and the SDG Impact Standards.

This report is part of the research project “Navigating impact measurement”, and will be coupled with other research materials, such as a short publication mapping IMM initiatives, a series of case studies, and a series of articles on burning topics.

The report can be downloaded here : EVPA_Navigating_IMM_report_2021.pdf

EBN on behalf of the Better Incubation project consortium is looking for a contractor to design and produce 10 short videos which will be used to increase awareness and understanding on inclusive incubation of vulnerable entrepreneurs.

The videos should be featuring 10 piloting programmes related to incubation support provided for entrepreneurs from marginalised groups implemented by EBN and IHUB members involved in the Better Incubation Project.

Locations: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, UK  (some changes might occur)

Assignment period: December 2021 – March 2022

Languages required: English and local languages

Application deadline: 30 November 2021

Please see Terms of Reference for more information –>  LIAISE Videos ToR

For further information please contact Michaela Lednova : michaela.lednova@ebn.eu

In its November Annual conference, European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) will bring together speakers from European Commission, philanthropic and social finance sector to discuss how to make social enterprise support system and social finance more inclusive. The session is inspired by the activities and lessons learned from the Better Incubation Project, where EVPA participates as  project partner contributing to ecosystemic change of incubation ecosystem ensuring the perspective of social impact and related investors are taken into consideration.

Among other things, discussions will cover specific approaches which could be adopted by the social enterprise support system to ensure that vulnerable groups don’t face barriers when accessing support programmes or finance.

More information about the session  All Aboard! – EVPA Impact Month 2021

More information about the EVPA conference Programme – EVPA Impact Month 2021

Centro de Empresas e Innovación de Aragón (CEEI ARAGON) based in Zaragoza, one of the EBN members participating in the Better Incubation Community of Practice for Senior entrepreneurs presented Better Incubation project to the international audience at the 8^th EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise, held in Zaragoza, Spain in October 4-8, 2021.

In her presentation, Concepción Ramos, Project Manager at CEEI ARAGON, also featured their inclusive incubation pilot ’50+ Getting Started. Boost your Project’. Starting early September, the pilot will be implemented through mid-January next year. The three best entrepreneurial business ideas of senior entrepreneurs with innovative spirit will be selected and will receive incubation support directly at the CEEI ARAGON.

The importance of this pilot lies in boosting entrepreneurship and innovation in the rural environment, largely suffering from a lack of job opportunities and de-population. As she stated the inclusive entrepreneurship can facilitate creation of jobs and create opportunities for self-development and economic autonomy of under-represented groups, including seniors and women living in the rural areas.

The EMES Conference offered a unique possibility to present the project to the large audience of local and international stakeholders of academic and non-academic background, working in social innovation, social entrepreneurship and solidarity sectors.

More information about the EMES Conference can be found here.

In November, our partner EVPA will be hosting the EVPA Impact Month, a series of events aiming to explore how investing for impact can be a driving force for social recovery and transformation.

The heart of Impact Month is the EVPA Annual Conference on 9 November – taking place online and giving a platform for the impact community to learn, share and connect across the globe. The session How to make social enterprise support system more inclusive? will highlight the Better Incubation project and explore how to best support social enterprises to become investment ready and to connect them with social finance.

You can expect thought-provoking and inspirational speakers and discussions, interactive workshops, knowledge exchange, networking opportunities, and a space to share your learnings and perspectives with fellow practitioners.

In a context of social, environmental and economic challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, investing for impact is emerging as an effective strategy to achieve long-lasting social change. We must not go back to business as usual, which is what has led to many current crises, from climate change to widespread poverty and inequalities. Instead of building back—even if it is “better”—let us be more ambitious and aim for societal recovery and transformation!

The #2 Newsletter gives insights on the key takeaways on the panel related to inclusive incubation held during the recent 2021 EBN Congress, and provides an overview of project progress, covering June – September 2021. Besides, you will find there the interviews with the two inspirational social entrepreneurs who are part of our project Communities of Practice.  Finally, we are happy to share with our project plans for upcoming months.

You can download it here and subscribe.