Impact investing trailblazer ImpactAssets has named NESsT to the 2026 IA 50 Fund Managers list, a publicly available database that highlights fund managers delivering demonstrable social and environmental impact, setting the standard for uncovering opportunities across private markets. This is the fourth time NESsT has been included in the IA 50, first as an Emerging Manager in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

NESsT is proud to announce that the Lirio Fund has surpassed $20 million USD in disbursements through 37 loans, which have contributed to over 1.5 million hectares of land preserved and 16,000 lives positively impacted. 

NESsT and MetLife Foundation have forged a two-year alliance to strengthen the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Chile. This initiative aims to pave the way for a more inclusive and sustainable future by supporting social enterprises that create quality jobs, enhance financial inclusion, and promote environmentally responsible practices in underserved communities. 

NESsT announces the launch of a business assistance program under the Amazon Eco Bio Business Facility (EBBF Amazonia), where it will serve as an innovation partner.

NESsT, a global impact organization dedicated to supporting high-potential social entrepreneurs that create meaningful employment and income opportunities in their communities, is proud to announce the appointment of Dana Gilland to the NESsT Board of Directors.

The NESsT Refugee Employment Initiative focuses on financing and assisting a cohort of fifteen impact-driven enterprises in Central and Eastern Europe that provide refugees with long-term employment opportunities, especially those affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The initiative is welcoming the first six social enterprises to continue building upon important aid efforts in the region.

The two separate partnerships will study local, NESsT-backed enterprises to inform policy recommendations and drive more meaningful impact in the region

On World Refugee Day, NESsT is launching a program to empower refugees from Ukraine to rebuild their lives with support from Cisco Foundation.

NESsT and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship co-created a three-year accelerator programme to support enterprises in Poland and Romania that expand employment opportunities. The selected enterprises will receive market access assistance and advice, tailored business mentoring, technical assistance, in addition to flexible financing. Meet the enterprises now:

On November 22nd, the CVC Young Innovator Awards (YIA) ceremony took place in Brazil. The award recognizes innovative business solutions that can bring about positive change for communities. The competition was organised by NESsT with support from its portfolio companies Movimento Black Money (MBM) and Maré de Sabores, which invited entrepreneurs from their respective networks as participants.

On her ten mile walk from Henley to Reading, Claire Wilkinson, NESsT UK Board Member, reflects on the importance of supporting social enterprises to weather the adversity and inequalities brought on by the global challenge. She shares her insights on the transformative nature of social entrepreneurship in empowering disadvantaged communities and encourages donations to NESsT.

This co-created and tailor-made three-year accelerator program will provide social enterprises hands-on guidance from IKEA co-workers and NESsT advisors to support 12 social entrepreneurs in Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Brazil with their business scale-up plans.

Claire Wilkinson has been newly appointed to the Board of NESsT UK.  She’s walking the 184 miles of the Thames Path from the barrier east of Greenwich to the river’s source in Gloucestershire.  While she walks, she’s going to consider social entrepreneurship and write a blog for us.  She’s hoping to encourage donations to NESsT, to raise money for social enterprises generating dignified jobs for people most in need.

Latest post: 25 June 2019

NESsT and DLA Piper partnered to develop legal fact sheets for Polish and Romanian social enterprises. DLA Piper is a global law firm that has implemented similar initiatives in Great Britain and Belgium, which inspired this program.