Impact Investing is a rising phenomenon in the Nordic region. NFBAN (Nordic Female Business Angel Network), in partnership with the EBAN Impact Investment Committee (EIIC), launched on the 20th of August the 1st Social Entrepreneur Competition. The competition, aimed at encouraging Nordic social entrepreneurship and social innovation, it was a true success.
The competition was open to all Nordic entrepreneurs with a business idea solving a social problem in society. Vast number of Nordic entrepreneurs showed participated the competition. Their business ideas covered a wide range of social issues, from health care to renewable sources of energy or more sustainable tourism solutions. After prescreening the best 8 participants were chosen for on-line pitching contest.
Online pitching session was coordinated by EBAN’s president Candace Johnson and EBAN’s team in Brussels headquarters. Every entrepreneur had 4 minutes to present their business idea to a jury with members of the NFBAN and the EBAN Impact Investing Committee, all of them with a significant background in social entrepreneurship.
The jury members gave their feedback and comments to the entrepreneurs and then announced the 2 best participants, BooknHeal and Handscover.
The 2 winners attended the NFBAN launch event on Thursday 27th August in Helsinki, where they had a chance to pitch their company to NFBAN and EIIC members. Awards were also given in launch event by NFBAN broad members.
Jury members were:
- Florence Korhonen (NFBAN, EBAN impact investment committee)
- Marijn Bergsma (EBAN)
- Alison Fort (EBAN impact investment committee)
- Jay Mitra (University of Essex)
- Candace Johnson (EBAN impact investment committee)
- Taru Haajanen (NFBAN)
- Kimmo Lipponen (Arvoliitto)