BOGOTA, COLOMBIA – May 8, 2025 – (Originally published to Business Wire) NESsT, a global impact investor and venture philanthropist, announced today a new multi-year partnership with Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) to accelerate and invest in green enterprises that generate decent jobs and advance sustainable practices throughout South America.
Sweden joins as a donor to NESsT’s long-standing South America acceleration program, enabling the program to increase the number of enterprises it supports and to expand its efforts in Colombia, Peru, and into Brazil. The partnership between NESsT and Sida will enhance the business and operational capacity of 20 green value chain and circular economy enterprises throughout these three countries. With the program's support, participating enterprises will sustain at least 2,000 jobs, drive local economic growth, and protect the environment while improving conditions for marginalized populations such as women and Indigenous People.
"With Swedish commitment in our South America Accelerator Program, we can strengthen our efforts to drive sustainability and economic inclusion in under-represented communities," said Chad Sachs, CEO of NESsT. "This collaboration not only provides essential financial and operational support but also fosters long-term partnerships that amplify the impact of these enterprises in addressing regional inequality and environmental challenges. Our nearly three decades of experience working with social enterprises have shown the immense potential of connecting these businesses with the resources they need to thrive."
A key focus of the program is scaling the efforts of enterprises within green value chains that prioritize environmental sustainability including circular economy solutions, renewable energy initiatives, and sustainable agriculture enterprises. To support this growth through access to new markets and networks, each of the 20 enterprises supported by Sweden will form a partnership with at least one corporation, either Swedish, national, or international.
“Through innovation and collaboration, this program makes evident how public, private, and nonprofit sectors can come together to drive measurable change,” said Helena Storm, Swedish Ambassador to Colombia. “By raising awareness with Swedish corporations and fostering cross-sector partnerships, we are working together to advance sustainability and equity. We are building a model for inclusive, long-term impact.”
Sweden’s support marks a new chapter in NESsT’s 20-year commitment to social enterprises in South America. Launched in 2001, with strong support from IKEA Social Entrepreneurship since 2020, NESsT’s South America accelerator program has provided technical and financial resources to 196 impact-driven enterprises throughout Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Peru that tackle regional inequalities and environmental challenges through dignified employment and planet-friendly business models.
For more information about the South America Accelerator Program, visit nesst.org.
About NESsT
NESsT invests in and supports social enterprises that create dignified employment for underserved communities in emerging markets. Over the past 28 years, NESsT has accelerated and financed more than 300 enterprises, in total sustaining dignified employment opportunities for over 129,000 individuals and improving the lives of over 3.3 million people from under-represented communities around the world.
About Sida
Sida – the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency – is a government agency working to create better living conditions for people living in poverty and under oppression around the world. Sida works on behalf of the Swedish government and parliament and the agency's activities are funded through Swedish tax revenue.
Sida has two cooperation strategies operating from Colombia: a bilateral one for Colombia and a regional one for Latin America. Both strategies combine efforts to support this alliance.
Contacts
Michele Crater Aguilar
Communications Manager, NESsT Global
mcrater@nesst.org