These are exciting times for the European social economy as, later this year,  the Commission will approve the first EU Action Plan for Social Economy while the sector is being increasingly valued as a key pillar in post-covid recovery. 

Social economy has been demonstrating its resilience to the latest crisis, showing that the values they represent are not only ink on paper: quality jobs creation, democratic structures and the primacy of the individual and the social objective over the capital. Currently representing 8% of European GDP and employing over 13.6 million people, is it time to recognize the importance of the sector and its potential to build a just Europe. 

Crowdfunding is an old ally of social economy. Social enterprises, cooperatives, foundations, associations and others have been turning to crowdfunding when the traditional sources of funding did not respond to their particular needs. These are initiatives that usually cannot comply with all the requirements that banks or other traditional credit providers request to regular businesses. Social enterprises require flexibility, adaptability, trust and commitment from their funders. And crowdfunding provides all that.  

In our latest CrowdTuesday, we will showcase different financial mechanisms and tools that can help support the social economy and hear experiences from European actors and experts in the field. Join us on September 28, 2021, 12-13.30 pm CEST. Register here.

But crowdfunding is not a one-way static model of funding, as hybrid models are being constantly developed by platforms and their partners, increasing the funding options of social economy actors and social enterprises to start up, scale up, innovate and create jobs. In our latest report Scaling Up Partnerships, we showcased, for example, how Oneplanetcrowd has attracted 1m EUR from the European Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) to support social entrepreneurship in the Netherlands through equity or quasi-equity crowdfunding. Also, platforms such as Produzioni dal Basso in Italy, partnering with regional or local authorities to support the social economy ecosystem of cities such as Venice or Milano. 

In the upcoming CrowdTuesday session we will deepen the discussion on how crowdfunding and its different models can keep on supporting the social economy sector, with the participation of key players on the field with highly interesting experiences: 

Chiara Rutolo, Project Manager and Fundraiser, Fundación Goteo

Project manager and communication officer with a high level of proficiency in multiple languages, experience working in diverse cultural contexts, and a burning ambition towards a sustainable and collaborative future. She is currently involved in Mediterranean-wide projects in the field of sustainable development, cultural innovation and exchanges, integration, social inclusion and education. Currently the person in charge of the Blue Crowdfunding project for Goteo, she is specializing in the field of training on crowdfunding and alternative financing through the innovative participatory methodologies that distinguish the organization.

Nuno Brito Jorge, President of the Board, Coopérnico

Nuno Brito Jorge is an environmental engineer and project manager by training and an innovation and sustainability enthusiast. He has worked in the European Parliament (Belgium) as an advisor for energy and environmental policy, in innovation consulting in Spain and as a project manager for large renewable energy projects in Portugal before becoming a dedicated entrepreneur. He is currently the CEO and co-founder of GoParity (his fourth company), an impact finance platform that allows any person or company to invest with an interest in projects that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN. He’s also a co-founder and President of Coopérnico, Portugal’s first renewable energy cooperative and a board member at ANJE (Portugal’s Young Entrepreneurs Association), RESCOOP and EUROCROWD.

Mario Vottero, Operations Manager, Rethink Ireland

Mario has over 15 years of international experience providing strategic guidance to international impactful projects, developing innovative business models and their team-building dynamics. Mario has over 15 years of international experience providing strategic guidance to international impactful projects, developing innovative business models and their team-building dynamics. Mario has a wide range of experience including long-term monitoring & evaluating EU-funded international development projects, setting up social enterprises, and driving change in the European social innovation ecosystem. An inclusive and creative leader who facilitates meaningful collaborations focused on problem-solving.

Eugenio Saba, Advisory Services Department, European Investment Bank

Eugenio works in the Financial Instrument Advisory Division of the EIB, advising public sector authorities on the design, set up and implementation of financial instruments and investment platforms that utilise EIB financing and/or EU funding sources, including the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds and the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI). Under the fi-compass advisory platform, a joint initiative of the European Commission and of the EIB, he deals with financial instruments co-financed by the European Social Fund, in support of social economy, social inclusion and education. In addition, under the European Investment Advisory Hub, a pan European advisory service managed by EIB on behalf of the European Commission and part of the “Juncker Plan”, he is involved in delivering the Social Outcome Contract Advisory Platform. Prior to joining the EIB, Eugenio was providing technical assistance to national and regional managing authorities of the European Social Fund.

Moderator:

Mauricio O'Brien, Regional Development Manager, EUROCROWD

For registration, please follow this link.