NESsT, IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, and Cisco Foundation Announce New Phase of Central-Eastern Europe Accelerator Program
Accelerator Program to Drive Inclusive Employment and Sustainability in Poland and Romania
NESsT, a global impact investor and venture philanthropist, in partnership with IKEA Social Entrepreneurship and Cisco Foundation, today unveiled the next phase of the NESsT Central-Eastern Europe (CEE) Accelerator Program. This initiative seeks to invest in and accelerate 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.
The program builds on the combined experience of the NESsT Refugee Employment Initiative and the first phase of the NESsT-IKEA Social Entrepreneurship Poland & Romania Accelerator Program, incorporating valuable insights gained from three years of collaboration. Supported by IKEA Social Entrepreneurship and the Cisco Foundation, these initiatives collectively assisted 20 enterprises to provide 3,900 quality employment opportunities for people from marginalized backgrounds, including more than 875 jobs specifically for refugees and migrants, significantly improving income and job security. In its next iteration, the program broadens its scope to address interconnected social, economic, and environmental challenges across the region.
"Social enterprises are uniquely positioned to drive systemic change by addressing the overlapping challenges faced by underrepresented communities," said Kirsten Dueck, CEO of NESsT. "Over the years, we have seen firsthand how these enterprises bridge employment gaps, provide tailored skills training, and offer critical support to marginalized groups. This next phase of the CEE Accelerator Program reflects our deep commitment to fostering long-term, inclusive growth across the region."
"IKEA Social Entrepreneurship is proud to continue our partnership with NESsT to support social enterprises that are driving meaningful change in Central-Eastern Europe. Through our collaboration over the past three years, we have witnessed the positive impact of social enterprises in creating better opportunities for people from marginalized groups while addressing complex social and environmental challenges," said Åsa Skogström Feldt, managing director at IKEA Social Entrepreneurship. "This next phase allows us to build on this strong foundation of learning and continue fostering inclusive, sustainable solutions."
The NESsT CEE Accelerator Program aims to support 26 social enterprises in Poland and Romania by December 2027. These enterprises are expected to create and sustain 1,200 formal, fairly compensated jobs while embedding sustainable practices into their operations. The program provides patient capital in the form of recoverable grants, capacity-building support, and mentorship from industry experts at NESsT, IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, and Cisco Foundation.
The program's holistic approach is informed by key lessons learned from NESsT's extensive work in the region. Social enterprises in the NESsT portfolio have shown that addressing intersecting challenges—from social inclusion to environmental sustainability—through innovative business models leads to long-term impact. An example is ALTRNTV, a conscious fashion store contributing to the circular economy in Romania while supporting over 150 Romanian artisans from both rural and urban communities, 90% of whom are women.
Additionally, Ekoinbud, a socially impactful enterprise dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of the construction sector, aims to create 180 dignified employment opportunities in design, manufacturing, and on-site construction to youth, people affected by the war in Ukraine, and women. This enterprise will form part of the new program iteration and continue to receive tailored support to boost its impact and scale its operations.
"Cisco Foundation is committed to supporting innovative solutions that empower underserved people and communities, and address systemic challenges. This collaboration with NESsT is a significant step toward creating long-term, impactful change across the region," said Charu Adesnik, executive director at Cisco Foundation.
The NESsT CEE Accelerator Program is actively seeking new collaborators to amplify its impact. Donors interested in contributing to this mission can contact NESsT directly to explore partnership opportunities. Socially impactful enterprises in Poland and Romania interested in joining the program are encouraged to visit NESsT's website for more information and application details.
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 113,000 individuals and improving the lives of over 1.8 million people from the most marginalized communities around the world, including smallholder farmers, Black people, Indigenous Peoples, ethnic minorities, the LGBTQIA+ community, migrants and refugees, people with disabilities, women, and youth.
About IKEA Social Entrepreneurship
IKEA Social Entrepreneurship creates greater opportunities for people from vulnerable and marginalised groups to live a better everyday life. Founded in 2018, IKEA Social Entrepreneurship B.V supports social entrepreneurs through providing investments, co-creating accelerator programmes , and sharing networks and knowledge so they can reach more people and have a bigger impact.
About Cisco Foundation
Cisco Foundation envisions a world of equitable, resilient and empowered communities where everyone can reach their full potential and thrive. Its mission is to partner with organizations to create and scale innovative digital solutions that promote a healthy planet and advance the wellbeing and self-reliance of underserved communities globally. Since 1997, it has harnessed the breadth of offerings from Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO), the worldwide technology leader helping revolutionize the way organizations connect and protect in the AI era, for strategic guidance, catalytic funding, technology donations and support.
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Michele Crater
Communications Manager, NESsT Global
[email protected]