IMPACT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD - First regional conference in Tbilisi, Georgia -

Actio, CSRDG and EVPA will host an international conference on impact investing

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

European Venture Philantrophy Association (EVPA) in collaboration with the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) is to host the first regional conference on Impact Investment in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 28-29 June, 2023.

Join the Collaborate for Impact community for two days of building social entrepreneurship through impact investing!

Learn, connect and scale impact with pioneers and leaders of impact entrepreneurship in the central and eastern Europe and Middle East and north Africa (MENA) regions.

THE AIM OF THE CONFERENCE

Organised by Collaborate for Impact, the event dives deep on smarter ways to finance systems change and social entrepreneurs for long-term sustainability, building resilience for both enterprises and communities.

WHO ARE THE PARTICIPANTS?

We’re bringing together 150 of the world’s most determined impact people to share their journeys. While Europe’s east will get a large share of the spotlight, the event will convene diverse perspectives, with a programme to match:

Impactful businesses – including corporate actors and capacity building companies. Build a business case for impact, figure out the ‘S’ in ESG, leverage the right corporate resources and more!
Public authorities – learn the value of public-private partnerships, and how to set them up for maximum impact!
Impact Together! partners – part of a new project building the impact ecosystem from Morocco to Lebanon. First chance to connect and build synergies!
Seasoned European players in impact ecosystems – hear their cases and learn what didn’t work!

These impact neighbours will freely discuss successes and failures in building ecosystems, including how this happens in challenging socio-political contexts. They’ll also present best practices and learnings from 25+ countries, including Ukraine, Palestine, Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Egypt, Serbia, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova and many more.

Expect inspiring stories, controversial discussion and bold ideas. Expect impact for breakfast, khachapuri for lunch and new connections for dinner!

Talk of the block

Impact in the Neighbourhood is all about community wisdom and first-hand accounts. The event will cover topics like:

How to build an impact ecosystem from the ground up How to set up impact funds and create access to finance for impact businesses – even with seemingly few resources available.
How to build lasting public-private partnerships with corporates, banks, municipalities or state authorities.
Policy frameworks for more impact entrepreneurship.
Differentiating factors for traditional vs. impact investment.
Impact finance for social entrepreneurs: what it is, why it matters and what it takes to get it done in new or challenging markets In the interconnected world, common ideas and approaches can travel easier and faster. But it takes a neighbourhood get-together to make it happen!

Some of the speakers

Roberta Bosurgi

Roberta is a purpose-driven visionary leader with an inclusive leadership style. She brings over 20 years of international corporate and management consulting experience. She is building multi-sector private-public partnerships and working with social enterprises on the journey to scale and financial sustainability. At the "Impact in the Neighborhood"conference Roberta Bosurgi will speak about Demystifying impact investing.

Eric Buckens

Eric Buckens has been leading the ABN AMRO Social Impact Fund since 2012, a venture capital fund that invests in social enterprises and innovative instruments, such as social impact bonds. In total, Eric has over 27 years of experience in international finance, of which 7 years in Asia. As an investment professional, he has worked in asset management for 12 years and in private wealth management for 8 years. In total, he has over 10 years of experience in private equity and venture capital. Eric Buckens will share his experience - What can banks do to create impact and what does that mean for your work?

Florian Ott

Florian Ott has 15 years of professional experience in international banking and consultancy. Today he is working in Erste Group’s Social Banking Development supporting social organizations, starting entrepreneurs and marginalized clients/people at risk of poverty. Since 2019 he is also authorized officer at Erste Social Finance Holding. financial institutions can be instrumental in shaping impact ecosystems, often intervening in areas where others are less willing to enter, such as challenging topics or geographies. Join us to see what makes a bank a smart bet for impact.

Björn Vennema

Björn Vennema has been at the forefront of the development of Social Impact Bonds and Outcomes Contracts in the Netherlands., as he was part of the ABN AMRO team that developed the first SIB of the Netherlands in Rotterdam. Since then he has been active in the field of impact investment and public sector innovation through various roles at the ABN AMRO Social Impact Fund, Social Finance UK and Monitor Deloitte. In 2018 Björn co-founded Social Finance NL which has working on innovative financing and partnerships for social challenges in the Netherlands. Alliance for impact with public authorities – challenge or opportunity? Vennema will speak at the "Impact in the Neighborhood" conference.

Elemer Eszter

Elemér Eszter is Chairman of the Board of Directors at PBG FMC Ltd., a venture capital firm founded in 2011. The primary goal is to maximize the value of managed funds entrusted to it by external investors, and to facilitate the market success of small and medium enterprises, who generate a substantive export income for Hungary. In 2009 Elemér Eszter contributed to the founding of SSP Inc. in the US on behalf of investors and is a member of the board ever since. Eszter Elemer is a cofounder and he President of the Hungarian Social Impact Investors Association; Eszter Elemér is a co-founder and CEO of Impact Ventures Ltd. (2017), which will manage the first CEE Social Impact Fund. From venture capital to impact investing - Elemér Eszter will speak at "Impact in the Neighborhood".