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Walking the Talk in Impact Investing: Lessons in Making Real-World Change by NESsT's Chief Impact & Operations Director

Walking the Talk in Impact Investing: Lessons in Making Real-World Change by NESsT's Chief Impact & Operations Director

In this article, NESsT Chief Impact and Operations Officer Renata Truzzi shares her lessons in walking the talk in impact investing – from measurable impact through rigorously-measured investments and running accelerator programs that prioritize locally-led businesses to prioritizing DEI-driven decision making – an approach that has allowed NESsT to create thousands of dignified jobs and improve millions of lives worldwide. 

NESsT Welcomes Catalina Rodriguez Hohman as Chief Financial Officer, Expanding Leadership Team

NESsT Welcomes Catalina Rodriguez Hohman as Chief Financial Officer, Expanding Leadership Team

NESsT recently expanded its executive team with the addition of Catalina Rodriguez Hohman as Chief Financial Officer. Catalina, who is based in Cali, Colombia, has over 15 years of financial experience in national and multinational companies including EY, Deloitte, Russell Bedford International, and most recently One Earth Future Foundation (OEF). 

Grzegorz Wach Named NESsT Country Director of Poland

Grzegorz Wach Named NESsT Country Director of Poland

NESsT announces today that Grzegorz Wach has been named NESsT Country Director of Poland, reflecting the impact investor’s expanding acceleration of social enterprises that create dignified jobs for individuals from excluded communities, including refugees, migrants, women, at-risk youth, the LGBTQIA+ community, and others facing systemic barriers to economic opportunity. 

Ioana Samoil Named NESsT Country Director of Romania

Ioana Samoil Named NESsT Country Director of Romania

NESsT announces today that Ioana Samoil has been named NESsT Country Director of Romania, highlighting the impact investor's deepening focus on accelerating Romanian social enterprises that create dignified jobs for individuals from excluded communities, including refugees, migrants, women, at-risk youth, the LGBTQIA+ community, and others facing systemic barriers to economic opportunity.

Reflecting on the NESsT-IKEA Social Entrepreneurship 2025 Retreat

Reflecting on the NESsT-IKEA Social Entrepreneurship 2025 Retreat

In May 2025, we were delighted to host an in-person meeting in Olsztyn, Poland, bringing together NESsT portfolio enterprises, partners from IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, and members of the NESsT regional and global teams.

Blended Finance: Unlocking Funding for Sustainable Businesses in the Amazon

Blended Finance: Unlocking Funding for Sustainable Businesses in the Amazon

When structured effectively, blended finance can connect entrepreneurs who need support with investors who care about impact. To make this model easier to understand, NESsT has created an infographic that clearly shows how blended finance works in practice and highlights its role in the Amazon impact ecosystem. This visual tool breaks down complex financial ideas into simple language, making it valuable for entrepreneurs, policymakers, partners, and anyone interested in advancing the Amazon bioeconomy through innovative financing. 

The NESsT Violet Fund: Strengthening Support for LGBTQIA+ Equality through Entrepreneurship

The NESsT Violet Fund: Strengthening  Support for LGBTQIA+ Equality through Entrepreneurship

As we kick off celebrations for Pride Month 2025, we’re revisiting the recent efforts of the NESsT Violet Fund that have helped drive our work to bring vital financial and technical support to enterprises that are advancing equality for the LGTBQIA+ community in Central & Eastern Europe.

NESsT Appoints Renata Truzzi Chief Impact & Operations Officer

NESsT Appoints Renata Truzzi Chief Impact & Operations Officer

NESsT announces Renata Truzzi has been named Chief Impact & Operations Officer. Truzzi – who joined the organization in 2012 – has served in multiple capacities within NESsT, most recently as Global Acceleration & Impact Director. Her background in impact investing, business development, marketing, and fundraising will further support NESsT’s organizational effectiveness and operational excellence. 

Proxima Servicios' solution to reducing inequality of opportunity in the Chilean labor market

Proxima Servicios' solution to reducing inequality of opportunity in the Chilean labor market

In the face of structural labor market challenges, the founders of Próxima Servicios sought to create solutions that can reduce the inequality of opportunity rather than just the inequality of income. Eduardo Castillo, CEO of Próxima Servicios, explained that “part of the problem is that workers can’t access quality careers that have growth opportunities; if you have worked 15 years in a multinational company in cleaning, that experience will only lead to the next job in cleaning.”