Promoting venture philanthropy among the venture capital and private equity community in Central and Eastern Europe.

NESsT has established strategic partnerships with venture capital/private equity associations in Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia in an effort to increase awareness of social enterprise and venture philanthropy in Central Europe and to develop volunteer and corporate giving opportunities for the associations' members:

Czech Venture Capital  Association (CVCA)

Hungarian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HVCA)
Slovak Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SLOVCA)

CVCA, HVCA and SLOVCA members include many of the leading venture capital and private equity firms active throughout Central and Eastern Europe. The associations provide networking/training opportunities for their members, represent their members' interests before regulatory bodies, promote high ethical standards in the venture capital/private equity fields, and provide information to entrepreneurs seeking capital.

“Cooperation between CVCA and NESsT represents a real opportunity for us to help our members give back to the communities in which they invest in a philanthropic way that parallels their professional investment strategy and skills.”

"Investors and fund managers are looking for a strategy to give back to the communities in which they invest.

The HVCA partnership with NESsT will allow us to show our members how venture philanthropy can achieve this.”

 “Partnership with NESsT brings a new dimension to our work and industry. It utilizes the skills of our members for a social purpose, and brings a new perspective and meaning to our work.”
Jaroslav Horák  of DBG Eastern Europe in Prague  is Chairman of the Czech Venture Capital Association (CVCA). Julián Tzvetkov,  Managing Director of the Hungarian Investment Bank Ltd. in Budapest , is President of the Hungarian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HVCA). Iveta Griacová of Genesis Capital in Bratislava is Director of the Slovak Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SLOVCA).

From Venture Capital to Venture Philanthropy

The session "From Venture Capital to Venture Philanthropy" at NESsT's International Venture Philanthropy Forum in Budapest examined the strategies and practice of venture capital and the adaptation of this strategy for investing in social enterprise through a venture philanthropy approach.

The focus of the discussion centered on four key areas: portfolio creation, methods of investment, capacity-building engagement, and performance measurement.


To view "From Venture Capital to Venture Philanthropy" session presentations,

click here.

 

 

  

 

 

Press Release:

Venture Capital Associations Sign Cooperative Agreements with NESsT to Promote Venture Philanthropy in Central Europe >> click here

 

What is Venture Philanthropy?

Venture philanthropy is an emerging field of philanthropic "double bottom-line investment" that combines the policies and practices of long-term investment and venture capital models of the for-profit sector with the principles and public-benefit missions of the nonprofit sector. Venture philanthropy strategies typically combine financial capital "investments" in nonprofit organizations or nonprofit enterprises with some form of additional capacity-building or technical assistance support.

Some of the key distinguishing characteristics of the venture philanthropy approach versus "classical philanthropy" are discussed in the NESsT article: "Venture Philanthropy: The Black Sheep in Wolves Clothing."

Some additional articles on venture philanthropy:

David Yanovich, "The Best of Both Worlds: The concept of venture philanthropy is proving to be one of the most efficient means of financing non-profit organizations." PODER (Miami: Revista PODER , October 2002), pages 46-48. 

 

"Venture Philanthropy Brings 'Social Returns'," The Wall Street Journal (Paris: The Wall Street Journal, European Edition, December 28, 2001).

 

"The Rise of New Philanthropy in the Old World: Venture Philanthropy in Europe," Philanthropy in Europe, Issue No. 6 (Paris: April 2001) pages 10-11.

 

Lee Davis and Nicole Etchart, guest editors: 'Venture philanthropy - the future of philanthropy or misguided hubris?' Special feature on venture philanthropy in this special issue of Alliance Magazine (Vol 7 No 2, June 2002) on venture philanthropy with articles written by NESsT staff, board members and donors.

 

" Venture Philanthropy Embraces Key Strategies of Venture Capitalists," Knowledge@Wharton (The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, May 2003).

 


 


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