NESsT Enterprising Solutions in Low-income Communities

Modern economic models bring prosperity to emerging market countries, but lead to growing inequalities in the distribution of wealth. Today, millions of people in these countries: Are deprived of economic opportunities. Lack fair employment and wages. Lack access to basic services. Efforts to solve these problems often follow a short-term approach: They lack the potential and resources for high impact and sustainability. They fail to install local capacities to support communities at risk of social and economic exclusion over the long term.

Social Enterprises: Provide access to employment, income and products that meet the basic needs of people who live in poverty. Are sustainable. Earned income from sales is reinvested in their mission. They do not depend on philanthropy and can sustain themselves over the long-term. Are scalable. Their models can be expanded or replicated to other communities to generate more impact. SOCIAL PROBLEMS NEED ENTERPRISING SOLUTIONS.

Since 1997, NESsT has developed sustainable social enterprises to solve critical social problems in emerging market countries through: Capacity Support Mentoring and training to increase entrepreneurial skills and strengthen management capacity. Investment Seed capital in the form of grants and soft loans. Social Capital Access to corporate professionals providing pro-bono consulting support. See our

Provide long-term (3-7 years) incubation of early-stage enterprises to successfully launch, sustain, and replicate their impact. Support enterprises that provide job and income opportunities or deliver technology innovations to low-income groups. Customize incubation and investments for a spectrum of enterprising solutions, from revenue‐generating nonprofits to for‐profit social ventures. Financial & Impact Measurement Portfolio of NESsT Enterprises Long-term support for 3-7 years Our Approach: We support enterprises that serve low-income communities and help to reduce their vulnerability.

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NESsT Locations: 90% of staff are based in emerging market countries San Francisco, CA Lima, PE Santiago, CH Buenos Aires, AR Sao Paulo, BR London, UK Warsaw, PO Timisoara, RO Budapest, HU 34 professionals working across nine offices. Diverse team with a unique combination of social sector and business experience.

NESsT Enterprises: examples in Central Europe Designs and markets eco-friendly cloth diapers and accessories sewn and repaired by persons with disabilities in Croatia. The enterprise reaches 40,000 clients and is in the process of scaling to reach new markets across Europe. Employment of close to 200 people with disabilities in Hungary. The enterprise designs and markets gift items and home décor products to individuals and corporations. Publishing of high quality children’s books focusing on progressive topics. Enterprise reaches 25,000 clients and provides employment to 135 women entrepreneurs. In 2012 it was acquired by Hungary’s leading children’s books publishing company. Produces and sells environmentally friendly shopping bags made from natural products as an alternative to plastic bags. Viitor Plus sells to 20,000 clients and raises awareness about the impact of plastic debris on the environment.

Medical equipment for rural clinics serving low-income families in Peru. The enterprise is the first to manufacture jaundice medical equipment in the country. Employment for low-income, migrant domestic workers in Peru. La Casa de Panchita has created more than 1,000 fair-paying jobs for low-income women. Offers training and job placement for low-income youth in Brazil. INCORES has increased the number of youth jobs from 77 to more than 1,000 per year. The enterprise is sustainable and replicating to new cities in the country. NESsT Enterprises: examples in Latin America Recycling enterprise in Chile whose profits support a children’s center. The enterprise is profitable and plans to reach 10,000 clients in the next 5 years.

NES S T IMPACT Impact since founding in 1997: Over 4,800 organizations and 11,000 entrepreneurs in 48 countries trained in social enterprise development. Investments of over US$8.5 million in 137 social enterprises in 10 countries across Central & Eastern Europe and Latin America. Each dollar invested has generated three dollars in NESsT Enterprise revenues. Creation of 16,000 job opportunities or placements by NESsT Enterprises in the past four years alone. 350,000 marginalized people’s lives improved, at a cost to NESsT and its partners of only $24 per life improved.

NESsT Sponsors: supporters of social enterprise

Business Advisory Network: pro-bono advice to NESsT Enterprises The NESsT Business Advisory Network is a group of 300 committed professionals who provide thousands of hours of pro bono advice and assistance each year to NESsT and to our portfolio of social enterprises. “The NESsT team is succeeding in its objective of instilling long-term, sustainable and entrepreneurial growth strategies within the worthy social enterprises in its portfolio. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to support such an important initiative." “It's very gratifying to be part of NESsT because they apply the same principles from the private sector to social enterprise, making efficient use of resources to maximize returns. It's exciting because it creates an impact on the organizations." Brian Wardrop Arx Equity Partners Czech Republic Tim Purcell, Linzor Capital Partners Chile