The corona crisis is currently sending shockwaves through the world economy and is highlighting the need for investors and impact startups to find each other.
In all the five Nordic countries there are a wide array of startups finding solutions to the world’s social and environmental challenges. Now more than ever is it important for these businesses to get access to risk capital in order to succeed.
This is the background for this year’s Nordic Impact Business Summit that will be held in Copenhagen 17 September. Through an analysis of more than 1.000 Nordic and Baltic startups, 50 of the most promising of them will be selected to participate and be matched with around 200 handpicked ambitious global investors.
These initiatives reinforce our shared message and goals about the Nordic region as world leaders in sustainable growth.
– Niina Aagaard, Nordic Innovation COO
Nordic impact market analysis
Danish non-profit The One Initiative, who is hosting the summit together with Vækstfonden, the Danish Business Authority, +Impact by Danske Bank and Nordic Innovation, will also produce a Nordic market analysis on impact investment called Impact Report Nordic Investors 2020.
“In the Nordic Impact Business Summit, with matchmaking round table sessions, where the participating companies are pre-analyzed and the investors are carefully selected, you get further with the dialogue than in business summits normally. Also, conducting a market analysis on impact investing in the Nordic region reinforces our shared message and goals about the Nordic region as world leaders in sustainable growth. And thus, it is natural for Nordic Innovation to partner with these initiatives”, says Nordic Innovation COO Niina Aagaard.
Last year’s report found that 83 percent of Nordic impact investors expects that their investments will bring returns on the same level or higher than traditional investments – a clear indication of the market potential of Nordic impact startups.
“In recent months, the world has shown us the crucial and urgent importance of shifting capital and resources towards ambitious social and environmental goals. Gaining real insight into what is actually happening in this market is the key to moving toward increased action. I look forward to the report and to more investors who are taking on an active role in shaping the future we want to live in”, says Haakon Brunell, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Norwegian Katapult Impact Accelerator.
An important step towards sustainable growth
Nordic Impact Business Summit 2020 and the Impact Report Nordic Investors 2020 will join the ranks with Nordic Innovation funded projects like Impact Startup Nordic that all will help accelerate the growth of the Nordic impact economy.
Together, these initiatives have the potential to demonstrate the market potential of Nordic impact startups and bridge the gap between impact entrepreneurs and investors – which will be an important step towards making the Nordics a leading region for sustainable growth.
