1st Social Entrepreneur Competition

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 20^th of August the 1^st 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)