Promoting excellence and international role models in the field of venture philanthropy.

In an effort to promote excellence in the field of venture philanthropy and to create international role models in the field, the NESsT Board of Directors established the International Venture Philanthropy Award in 2001.

Also known as the "NESsT Golden Egg Award," the award recognizes an individual and/or organization that has applied venture philanthropy approaches in a particularly effective or unique way to address a pressing community need. The recipient of the NESsT Golden Egg serves as an international role model to practitioners, investors, philanthropists and donors for applying venture philanthropy approaches.

Prospective recipients of the NESsT Golden Egg Award are identified through an international search based on nominations from NESsT staff, Board members, advisors, colleagues and peers around the world.

International Venture Philanthropy Awards 2009

In 2009, NESsT is presenting two venture philanthropy awards -- one for Europe and one for Latin America.

- London, England: At the CEE Private Equity Forum, NESsT awarded on November 5, 2009 its Golden Egg to Robert Manz, a managing partner at Enterprise Investors in Warsaw. Mr. Manz has supported NESsT as a member of the International Business Advisory Network since 2005.

He was one of six private equity professionals in CEE who came together in early 2008 to launch NESsT's Private Equity Shares campaign to raise support for NESsT's portfolio of social enterprises in CEE.

"Robert is a great philanthropic role model for his peers. He and Enterprise Investors have been incredibly generous to NESsT as a donor and he has dedicated his time and ideas as well as opened his network of contacts for the benefit of our initiatives.

He has raised awareness of venture philanthropy among his colleagues and friends across Europe, helping to build confidence in our work among the private equity industry,” said Lee Davis, NESsT’s Co-Founder & CEO.

Click here to read the award press release.

- Latin America: The inaugural Latin America Venture Philanthropy Award was presented to Tim Purcell of Linzor Capital Partners during a luncheon with 160 private equity leaders at the LAVCA Summit & Investor Roundtable, September 21 in New York City. The luncheon was opened with remarks from Cate Ambrose, President of the Latin American Venture Capital Assocation (LAVCA) regarding the importance of private equity philanthropy in Latin America. The Award was presented by Felipe Medina of Goldman Sachs, Chairman of the NESsT International Board of Directors.

The Award recognizes Purcell's financial and in-kind support of NESsT in Latin America and for his active role in launching NESsT's Private Equity Shares Campaign for Latin America and promoting philanthropy to his colleagues and peers in the private equity industry. NESsT is grateful to LAVCA for its support in making this inaugural award event possible.

Click here to read the award press release.

International Venture Philanthropy Award 2007

The 2007 award was presented to Zoltán Tóth of 3i Investments plc at the 11th Annual CEE Private Equity Forum in London, on 18 October 2007. > Read more

The 2007 NESsT Golden Egg was awarded to Zoltán Tóth, a member of the 3i buyout team for Central and Eastern Europe. Zoltán has been a great philanthropic role model for his peers and a key promoter of CSO social enterprise development. He also serves as chairman of the NESsT Europe Supervisory Board.

The Award was presented by NESsT Co-Founder & CEO Lee Davis and Bill Watson (the 2006 award recipient) at the 11th Annual CEE Private Equity Forum.

NESsT is grateful to C5, the conference organizer, Squire Sanders, and Gordon Senior for their support in making this event a great success.

International Venture Philanthropy Award 2006

The 2006 award was awarded to William Watson of SGAM Alternative Investments at the 10th CEE Private Equity Forum in London, 30-31 October 2006. > Read more

The 2006 NESsT Golden Egg was awarded to William Watson, Chief Investment Officer at SGAM Alternative Investments (SGAM AI) responsible for Private Equity in Eastern and Central Europe. The Award recognizes Mr. Watson's role as advisor and donor to the NESsT Venture Fund in CEE and his commitment to Venture Philanthropy.

The Award was presented by NESsT Co-Founder & CEO Lee Davis and Brian Wardrop Lynch (the 2005 award recipient) at the 10th Annual CEE Private Equity Forum.

International Venture Philanthropy Award 2005

The 2005 award was awarded to Brian Wardrop of DBG Eastern Europe at the 9th CEE Private Equity Forum in London, 13-14 October 2005. > Read more

The 2005 NESsT Golden Egg was awarded to Brian Wardrop, a partner with DBG Eastern Europe in Budapest. The Award recognizes Mr. Wardrop’s leadership as one of the first and most active advisors, donors and volunteers to the NESsT Venture Fund in Central Europe.

The Award was presented

by NESsT Co-Founder & CEO Lee Davis and Eva Varga, NESsT Enterprise Development Manager for Central & Eastern Europe, along with Daniel Lynch (the 2004 award recipient) following the session “Supporting Social Enterprise in Central & Eastern Europe” at the 9th Annual CEE Private Equity Forum. The award was a sculpture of bronze and wood commissioned by NESsT from Gordon Senior, a California-based artist from England.  

International Venture Philanthropy Award 2004

The 2004 award was presented to Daniel Lynch of 3TS Venture Partners, at the 8th Annual CEE Private Equity Forum in London, on 12 November 2004. > Read more

The 2004 NESsT Golden Egg was awarded to Daniel Lynch, a senior partner with 3TS Venture Partners. The Award recognizes Mr. Lynch’s leadership as one of the first and most active advisors, donors and volunteers to the NESsT Venture Fund in Central Europe.

The Award was presented by NESsT Co-Founder & CEO Lee Davis during the session “From Venture Capital to Venture Philanthropy” at the 8th Annual CEE Private Equity Forum, an annual event organized by C5 to bring together private equity and venture capital professionals active in the Central & Eastern European region.

International Venture Philanthropy Award 2001

In its inaugural year (2001) the Award was presented at the International Venture Philanthropy Forum, hosted by NESsT in Budapest, Hungary, October 1-3, 2001.

George Roberts, REDF: The inaugural International Venture Philanthropy Award was presented to Mr. George Roberts, co-founder of the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund (REDF), and founding partner of private investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & co. (KKR). REDF was established in 1997 by The Roberts Foundation, a philanthropic foundation founded by Mr. Roberts and his wife Leanne, and Jed Emerson (former Executive Director of REDF). REDF has a dual mission: to provide operational support to San Francisco-based social enterprises in which it has invested, and to engage the nonprofit and philanthropic community at large in dialogue by publishing research based on its innovative work in venture philanthropy.

Read Mr. Roberts acceptance remarks from the International Venture Philanthropy Forum in Budapest, October 1, 2001.