From solidarity donation to investment in social enterprises: impact investing projects

In order to further qualify our social investments, in 2015 we established a partnership with Opes Foundation, a qualified fund for investments in high social impact entrepreneurial projects. We thus acquired the role of provider of philanthropic capital to invest through Opes in economically viable businesses able to promote social progress and emancipation from poverty. Opes is the first Italian Social Venture Capital able to fund social enterprises operating in critical development areas: health, access to water and basic sanitation, energy, education, and food sovereignty. Its mission is to support social enterprises and enlightened entrepreneurs who propose innovative and durable solutions to meet the most persistent needs of the population at the foot of the social ladder. Opes targets existing social enterprises located in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) and India when they are at an early stage of development, trying to validate their business model. Opes channels philanthropic capital, in form of investments, to pursue social impact and financial returns. All funds returning to Opes are reinvested in new social enterprises.