In April, the NESsT - IKEA Social Entrepreneurship CEE Accelerator hosted its first in-person mid-term event, bringing together portfolio social entrepreneurs from Poland and Romania, business mentors from IKEA and the NESsT Poland Program council, and NESsT portfolio managers.
Discussions with strategic advisors
“The event buzzed with an incredible amount of energy that filled every room. One word that we kept coming back to was ‘inspiration’.” – Tirza Voss, IKEA Entrepreneurship
Over two days, we opened dialogues around circular economy and sustainable agriculture, reflected on the lessons learned from the first half of the program, and mapped out goals for the next phase.
“People need to share and feel that they are not alone. We got to see their [the social enterprises’] products, see exactly what they are doing, and listen to their stories.” - Ioana Samoil, NESsT Romania Country Representative
Collaborating with social enterprises allows businesses to innovate, expand their reach across diverse value chains and customer bases, and acquire knowledge on sustainable strategies.
“Working together with social entrepreneurs with a passionate drive to create positive change brings forth new perspectives when we transition back into the corporate world. Witnessing their refreshing approaches demonstrates the transformative impact that can be achieved, ultimately shaping and influencing us all,” says mentor, Jarek Kowalski, Managing Director, IKEA Purchasing Services Romania
Atelierul de pânză founder presenting
NESsT Romania portfolio enterprise Atelierul de pânză (ADP) produces upcycled textile products. During the enterprise spotlight sessions hosted at the mid-term retreat, ADP’s founders shared how the accelerator has supported them to develop an online platform that promotes and sells sustainable products – all of which are made by small marginalized producers or organizations working with excluded groups.
Today, ADP supplies from 11 such producers, supporting 82 individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
On day 2, roundtable discussions explored new ways to promote circularity and sustainable agriculture to accelerate business growth as well as social and environmental goals. One example is ALTRNTV (previously known as “Atelier Merci”).
This newly opened conscious fashion store is contributing to the circular economy in Romania while helping marginalized individuals find quality work. ALTRNTV sells not only its own products, but also handmade clothing and accessories crafted by Romanian artisans from rural communities.
Since joining the accelerator program, the social enterprise has improved the lives of 175 beneficiaries, 94% of whom are marginalized women.
How social enterprises benefit from tailored acceleration support
We know that we’re not alone – we’re on this entrepreneur journey together.
— Jarek Pilecki, Arte Social Cooperative
As part of the mid-term retreat, social entrepreneurs had one-on-one strategy discussions with experts from IKEA and the NESsT Poland Program Council to address current business challenges tailored to their stage of growth.
“I feel like we have group wisdom that stays with us; we won’t forget the connections we formed.”
Heca Coop co-founders meeting with mentors
Targ Pietruszkowy is a social enterprise that partners with local farmers to bring their organic products directly to Krakow-based customers through biweekly agricultural markets and an online store.
Targ representative presenting products
IKEA mentor Bogna Czeska worked closely with the business to prepare the social entrepreneurs for crucial upcoming meetings with local authorities. With the support of another IKEA mentor, Jakub Swidzinski, and NESsT portfolio managers, the Targ team mapped key action points to raise visibility of the business’s organic food products and expand the brand’s e-commerce segment – a strategy which has already shown an 15% increase in sales compared to the previous year, in the midst of an economic crisis and high inflation.
Filip Wadowski, NESsT Poland Country Director
“We prioritize long-term support for entrepreneurs by providing them with stability during this crucial phase of growth and financing options on flexible terms that would be challenging for them to secure through conventional market channels.” – Filip Wadowski, NESsT Poland Country Director
Examples of business support that entrepreneurs have received:
Balancing profit and purpose: developing a business model that aligns financial goals with an impact-driven mission by securing sustainable revenue sources and effectively measuring social and environmental impact
Shifting business models: global events such as COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine require social enterprises to adapt to disrupted supply chains – “We need help tapping into changing market behaviors," remarked Mariusz Godlejewski from Fundacja Studio M6
Securing external funding and “knowing how to spend it in the best way” as one social entrepreneur in attendance put it: ‘missing middle’ social businesses face difficulties in raising capital and many investments require commercial returns
Sourcing and retaining talent: consciously hiring and accommodating marginalized groups, including refugees, and sustainably growing diverse, inclusive teams with strong retention rate in areas with talent shortage means investing time and money in training and essential wraparound services
“Social enterprises are at the forefront of change in our local communities, but we need support from global organizations like NESsT and IKEA to help us to get our message forward. ”
Meet the attendees:
NESsT and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship launched the Central and Eastern Europe Accelerator in 2021 to leverage the potential of social entrepreneurship in the region to address critical challenges. The program currently supports eight social enterprises based in Poland and Romania.
Altrntv (formerly Atelier Merci), Arte Social Cooperative, Atelierul de pânză (ADP), Heca, Helyénvaló, ROMO, Fundacja Studio M6, and the Fundacja Targ Pietruszkowy
Watch the video from the event!
