Repayable loans of up to $100,000 for Romanian entrepreneurs

One of the eligibility criteria: creating decent jobs for hard-to-employ individuals (youth, ethnic minorities, the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, immigrants, refugees, small producers and artisans, small farmers, undocumented workers, homeless individuals)

Interested entrepreneurs can apply here

Over 3,900 people from disadvantaged communities have found employment through NESsT acceleration programs in Romania between 2020 and 2024

NESsT, in partnership with IKEA Social Entrepreneurship and Cisco Foundation, is launching the NESsT Central-Eastern Europe Accelerator Program, a new support session for Romanian entrepreneurs who generate positive impact on the labor market.

The accelerator program continues the two programs already implemented in Romania over the past three years, which created opportunities for 3,900 decent jobs (with fully declared salaries and guaranteed social benefits) for hard-to-employ individuals.

In addition to financial support of up to $100,000, the NESsT Central-Eastern Europe Accelerator Program includes mentoring sessions for entrepreneurs and an extensive learning process with specialists from NESsT and partner organizations.

To date, NESsT Romania has supported entrepreneurial initiatives such as: ALTRNTV, a sustainable fashion store that hosts over 150 small local artisans and producers, and finances the "Zâna Merciluță" caravan, which brings a mobile dental laboratory to disadvantaged areas through the sale of these products;

Helyenvalo, a food hub in Odorheiu Secuiesc, where local producers from the surrounding area can sell their products, and in this process, they work in the formal economy (with employment contracts, health insurance, and necessary food certifications);

ROMO, the largest online community of independent producers, which has developed a mechanism to shorten the chain between producer and consumer, while also creating collaboration, education, and promotion opportunities for local entrepreneurs, facilitating their access to new markets and supporting the development of a sustainable ecosystem for independent production.

Atelierul de pânză, an enterprise that employs people with disabilities, who cut and sew canvas bags as an alternative to plastic bags, as well as products from textile waste that would have ended up in the waste stream.

“We have been direct witnesses to the transformative power of social enterprises in the lives of individuals who were once excluded from meaningful opportunities. These programs don't just create jobs; they restore dignity, offer hope, and build paths to prosperity. To see a refugee securing stable employment or a young person at risk of poverty finding a career is a testament to the resilience of our spirit and the importance of these initiatives,” says Ioana Samoil, NESsT Romania Director.

NESsT, a global business accelerator, creates opportunities for social impact enterprises in Poland and Romania: funding and operational support for business development. This support is tailored to the specific needs of enterprises and is provided by NESsT, together with industry mentors such as IKEA, Cisco Foundation, and other program colleagues. Although both Poland and Romania have made significant progress in reducing poverty over the past two decades, it is far from eradicated. In Poland, over 2 million people still live in poverty, and in Romania, nearly half of the population lives in rural areas, where 1 in 5 people is at risk of poverty.

The NESsT Central-Eastern Europe Accelerator Program is specifically designed for enterprises that create decent jobs for people from disadvantaged and marginalized communities. These include individuals who have experienced migration or displacement, small producers and artisans, youth, ethnic minorities, the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, women, small farmers, informal economy workers, and homeless individuals. The program aims to support enterprises that want to make a difference in their communities by directly creating jobs, facilitating employment, or improving the livelihoods of suppliers in their supply chains.

About NESsT NESsT supports and invests in social enterprises that create decent jobs for disadvantaged communities in emerging markets. Over the past 28 years, NESsT has helped develop businesses that have supported employment opportunities for over 113,000 people and improved the lives of over 1.8 million people.

About IKEA Social Entrepreneurship IKEA Social Entrepreneurship creates relevant opportunities for people from vulnerable and marginalized groups, helping them lead better lives. Founded in 2018, IKEA Social Entrepreneurship supports social entrepreneurs through investments, co-creation of acceleration programs, and sharing networks and knowledge, so they can reach more people and have a greater impact.

About Cisco Foundation The Cisco Foundation envisions a world with equitable, resilient, and self-sufficient communities where every person can reach their full potential and thrive. Its mission is to collaborate with organizations to create and scale innovative digital solutions that promote a healthy environment and support the well-being and independence of disadvantaged communities globally. The Cisco Foundation provides strategic expertise, catalytic funding, technology donations, and support from the Cisco community.