Both Poland and Romania have reduced poverty in the last two decades, but the job is far from done – over 2 million people still live in poverty in Poland; almost half of Romania's population lives in rural areas and 1 in 5 people in the country are at risk of poverty.
NESsT and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship co-created a three-year accelerator programme to support enterprises that expand local employment opportunities.
“We are excited to be partnering with IKEA Social Entrepreneurship in this new program to support social enterprises in the region where NESsT was born 25 years ago. ”
Scaling businesses and amplifying impact
NESsT and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship selected nine enterprises from more than 80 open call applicants. These companies are on the ground, have the trust of the communities, and have impact-first business strategies that also address climate change issues brought about by unsustainable environmental practices; they improve livelihoods for marginalized populations including women, migrants, small producers and artisans, youth, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities.
“The companies are committed to solving critical environmental problems while providing quality jobs to those most excluded. They are models demonstrating a path toward reaching our sustainable development goals,” added Nicole.
The accelerator will support the selected enterprises to upskill their local workforce to contribute to an inclusive, sustainable, and environmentally progressive society, offering business knowledge and insights from IKEA co-workers and NESsT expertise in business and impact development.
“ The entrepreneurs offer long-term solutions to poverty alleviation, providing training that helps marginalized populations to sustain their livelihoods and access income security and career growth. We are very inspired by their missions, and through the accelerator programme, we seek to fill the resource and capital gaps for these enterprises to help them to multiply their impact and to scale resiliently,“ shared Filip Wadowski, NESsT Poland Director
Over the course of their acceleration, the enterprises will receive market access assistance and advice, tailored business mentoring, technical assistance, in addition to flexible financing.
The entrepreneurs in the cohort will participate in regular mentor sessions with experienced professionals from the IKEA and NESsT networks who will help them to navigate business decisions. They also have the opportunity to hone their leadership and business skills in expert-led masterclasses alongside a community of social enterprises in the NESsT portfolio.
“We are very happy to welcome the cohort of social entrepreneurs to our accelerator together with NESsT in Poland and Romania. We hope that this program can contribute to a more inclusive future for people who need it the most.” Åsa Skogström Feldt, Managing Director IKEA Social Entrepreneurship BV
Meet the enterprises:
🇵🇱 Poland
Studio M6 Foundation
Supports youth and marginalized individuals
The Studio M6 Foundation’s mission is to generate quality job opportunities for residents of Torun. One of the foundation’s lines of business is the PERS social café, a vegan coffee shop that hires aspiring workers grappling with long-term unemployment, including people with disabilities, migrants, refugees, women, people at risk of poverty or homelessness, and youth. The café follows zero-waste policies, donating surplus food to Torun residents in need. Studio M6 also runs a manufacturing business that hires and supports women from local communities.
Targ Pietruszkowy Foundation
Supports small producers and farmers
The Targ Pietruszkowy Foundation brings local organic products directly to Krakow-based customers through its biweekly agricultural markets and online store. The social enterprise screens each supplier to ensure that they are eco-certified and supports them with information and tools to improve their sales strategy and online presence.
Spółdzielnia Socjalna “Heca”
Supports youth and marginalized individuals
Heca, located in Tczew, supports people with physical or mental disabilities and young people who are homeless to access training and quality employment opportunities. One of Heca’s lines of business is Patentu, a company that produces hand-crafted, quality furniture using recycled materials such as plastic waste collected from corporate partners. Heca also contributes to curbing carbon emissions through Tczew Bicycle Couriers, a bicycle-based urban delivery enterprise that trains and hires at-risk youth.
Pora na Pola
Supports smallholding farmers
Pora na Pola is an online marketplace that sells natural food products sourced from local small and medium organic producers. Examples of its products include organic vegetables, fruits, cheese, jam, and meat. This social enterprise connects sustainable small producers directly to consumers, helping farmers and artisans to expand their sales channels while providing urban consumers with healthy and diverse food options.
ARTE Social Cooperative
Supports marginalized individuals
Arte Social Cooperative provides comprehensive professional and psychological support for marginalized communities, especially people who are homeless, have been incarcerated, or struggle with problematic drug use. The social enterprise hires its program graduates to work to help people to gain work experience and hone their professional skills. Recently, Arte also launched a shop that sells basic needs products at affordable prices.
🇷🇴 Romania
ALTRNTV Lifestyle (Atelier Merci)
Supports small artisans
Atelier Merci produces handcrafted clothing made from sustainably-produced vegan and organic materials. The Romanian enterprise is preparing to launch a brick-and-mortar store with online channels, ALTRNTV, to sell not only its own products but also handmade clothing, shoes, and belts created by small Romanian artisans from underserved communities. Profits from the ALTRNTV shop are reinvested to fund education and medical programs for children.
Atelierul de Panza
Supports social enterprises and NGOs
Atelierul de pânză (ADP) produces and sells 100% reusable cotton bags that are unbleached, untreated and unpainted, as well as upcycled textile products. The Romanian enterprise plans to launch an online store to support other impact-first organizations, selling their products in holiday gift packages to corporate customers. The enterprises that ADP supports include bakeries that provide jobs to youth and mothers from disadvantaged backgrounds; and recycling businesses that hire people with HIV and physical and mental disabilities.
Helyenvalo SRL
Supports smallholding farmers and artisans
Helyenvalo helps small agricultural producers in the Odorheiu Secuiesc region to sell and promote their locally-produced, artisanal goods, including meat, fresh vegetables, pastries, herbal spices, and bee products. Helyenvalo organizes tastings, tea sessions, and farm visits to help producers engage and establish long-term relationships with their customers.
ROMO
Supports smallholding farmers and artisans
ROMO connects consumers seeking healthy and fresh products to rural small producers through digital channels, supporting smallholder farmers and artisans to establish stable sales channels while promoting sustainable practices. Products that small producers offer include organic fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, preserved foods, and artwork.
About NESsT:
NESsT invests in social enterprises that create quality jobs for underserved communities while sustaining the planet. NESsT raises philanthropic and impact investing capital to support the poorest communities facing isolation, discrimination, and lack of jobs skills or education.
Since its launch, the organization has trained over 22,000 entrepreneurs, supported over 1300 social enterprises and invested in close to 220 that have created over 75,000 quality jobs benefitting 700,000 underserved individuals in emerging market countries.
About IKEA Social Entrepreneurship:
IKEA Social Entrepreneurship is committed to creating a fair and equal world, where everyone has greater opportunities to provide for themselves and their families. At the same time, we contribute to IKEA becoming a more inclusive and sustainable business.
We support social enterprises with a vision to create a more inclusive and equal society. Our work is built around three types of partnerships; developing products, offering services, and giving support in the form of development programmes and investments.
Today, we back and boost social entrepreneurs all over the world, as well as expand the business we do together. That way, we get to be a part of creating new opportunities for vulnerable people and communities – while fighting the root causes of poverty and inequality.
