Willemijn Verloop is co-founder and CEO of Social Enterprise NL, the organization enabling exponential growth for social entrepreneurship in the Netherlands. Next to that she is the founder and partner in the investment fund Social Impact Ventures NL, which is the largest private impact fund in the Netherlands.
At the age of 24 she founded the international aid agency War Child and was its executive director for 15 years, creating positive impact on the lives of over 1 million children in over 14 war torn countries.
We are humbled to have her attend and speak at Impact Startup Fest the 26th of may. You can still buy your ticket!
In 2011 Willemijn published a research paper in co-operation with McKinsey on the opportunities of the Dutch Social Enterprise sector. Recently she published a book about the field of Social Enterprises and its impact on the world. Willemijn holds positions on several non–executive and advisory boards (including ASN bank, Achmea Foundation and War Child). She has an MA degree in history from the University of Amsterdam. WOW that’s a stunning resume!
“Impact driven entrepreneurs can effectively create the innovation we need for a more inclusive, sustainable world, and the Netherlands in particular.”
What is necessary for the development of the Social Impact Economy?
Social functioning enterprises live in an ecosystem that is strongly influenced and dependent by governments, financial institutions and research institutes.
These organizations are crucial to the continued growth of the social enterprise sector. Social entrepreneurship is a relatively new phenomenon, there is still much need for education and research to support further growth.
- One of the key focus is educating social entrepreneurs to have at least more than 50% of its revenue from actual paying users and customers. This way businesses are less dependent on outside factors and are more eager to make impact then those expecting to get gifts from institutions.
- Futhermore important is there need to be more investors aware of the shift in value, which is not only in profit. A sector wide interpretation should be given to be able to measure impact beyond money and show this accordingly.
- Next to that, encouraging governments and corporates to give a substantial boost to the sector purchasing from social enterprises.
That does not mean social impact ventures can’t challenge the status quo if they don’t work with governments, financial institutions and research institutes. On the contrary, they are strong hearted and impact minded people.
The people running social ventures are entrepreneurs and they will do anything to impact the world with their business!
What better way to explain Social Enterprises is to mention three:
Part Up
Part-up is on a mission to give you a future full of jobs and your best teams ever! It’s the marketplace for teamwork, where access to work is more important than work security. The platform matches people in temporary teams. You can build your optimal real team, and start working together.
With part-up everyone can organize without organization.
Part-up is a community, they reinvest profits to enable part-ups for free which makes it available to everyone. Let’s Part-up! Learn or use Part-up and come to Impact Startup Fest where they organize a workshop and where they launch their The Hague Innovators Tribe, with the purpose of connecting the The Hague Innovators!
Greenfox
GreenFox makes lighting more efficient. they do all this with smart LED and fluorescent solutions. The work will mostly be carried out by people from the labor market finding it hard to get a job.
Greenfox believes that everyone has an edge in the job market.
A limitation is transformed into a specialty, this results in low prices, high quality and above all fun in the overall work.GreenFox has an award-winning employment process and performs for many parties in their light requirements such as RAI, Unilever, Pepsi, IBM, Eneco, National Real Estate Company and Cofely.
For more information, here’s their website or check their short film:
Yoni.care
Tampons, sanitary napkins and panty liners by Yoni are made from organic cotton. They contain no plastics or other synthetic materials, no chlorine and no traces of pesticides.
Yoni her products are healthier and more environmentally friendly than the conventional synthetic counterparts.
Yoni wants every woman can choose healthier tampons, sanitary napkins and panty liners. By sharing the story itself and to make the choice together we can change this industry.
The social impact venture enables real change
The Social Impact Ventures team consists of highly committed professionals with a unique mix of experience in private equity/venture capital and (social) entrepreneurship. Social IV provides growth capital and hands on venture assistance for social enterprises
We are all driven by a passion to create positive social impact through business and to help build the emerging Dutch social enterprise market.
They believe in the power of entrepreneurship to create solutions to the social and environmental challenges we face.
Our generation urgently needs to develop new, innovative solutions to societal challenges, including the environment, social cohesion, economic development, access to the labour market and affordable healthcare.
They support promising Dutch social entrepreneurs with growth capital and proven business tools to reach their full potential and enable them to achieve systemic change.
Their investors are in on it as well
Their investors include Dutch entrepreneurs, families and institutions who share their belief in the power of entrepreneurship for a better future in the Netherlands. They are investors who want to learn how we can build sustainable businesses while achieving positive impact.
Through their regular Investor Circle meetings, Social Enterprise NL aims to actively exchange learnings and knowledge, leveraging the experience of both the team and of our investors.
Impact Startup Fest will be overcrowded by social impact ventures, and Willemijn will be on the lookout for you! So get your ticket (and get one stage) now! 
The post Willemijn Verloop accelerates Impact: State of the Social Enterprise sector appeared first on Impact City The Hague Innovators.