Representatives of Smart Kolektiv took part in Impact Week in Malmö from November 18–20, the largest European conference dedicated to impact investing, organized by Impact Europe and bringing together hundreds of participants from across Europe and the world each year.
Neven Marinović, Director of Smart Kolektiv, presented the work of the Smart Impact Fund, the first impact investment fund in Serbia, to the conference participants. Since 2019, the Fund has been supporting enterprises focused on sustainable and positive changes within their communities. Željko Mitkovski from Smart Kolektiv, Jelena Savanović from the Sidro Foundation, as well as partners from the Western Balkans who jointly implement the regional project Invest for Change with Smart Kolektiv were also attending the conference. The Invest for Change project is led by Impact Europe and funded by the European Union.
The conference was opened by Leslie Johnston (Laudes Foundation, Chair of the Board of Impact Europe), Åsa Skogström Feldt (IKEA Social Entrepreneurship BV, Impact Europe), Peter Surek (Erste Social Finance Holding), Markus Freiburg (FASE), Angela Wiebeck (CEO, Impact Europe), and Malmö’s Deputy Mayor Stefana Hoti, originally from Belgrade, who emphasized that Malmö is “a city of caring people – ready to collaborate across sectors, borders, and perspectives to make cities fairer, greener, and more humane.”
Key insights and messages from the conference
Throughout numerous panels, discussions, and meetings, several important trends and messages were highlighted:
Foundations play a crucial role in developing the impact investment ecosystem, especially in regions such as the Western Balkans, where the impact investing market is still emerging. Their role in de-risking has proven essential for sector development.
Social enterprises in Central and Eastern Europe demonstrate remarkable resilience, having adapted to operating with limited access to capital.
Climate change has become an increasingly significant source of risk – affecting agriculture, food supply chain stability, and the incomes of the most vulnerable groups, who contribute the least to the emissions that endanger them. The rise in global tensions since 2022 further exacerbates these risks.
The need to strengthen local and regional coalitions for the development of impact investing was strongly emphasized, along with the importance of promoting good practices and business models that reward employees for achieving and exceeding social impact goals.
Considerable investor interest in Asian and African markets was observed, while the Western Balkans must continue working to enhance its competitiveness and attractiveness for impact investment.
Impact Week once again brought together a diverse group of participants – from investors and foundations to entrepreneurs, academia, and the public sector. The connection between the business community, investors, and philanthropy opened new opportunities for collaboration that will undoubtedly contribute to the further development of impact investing in Europe and in our region.
Smart Kolektiv will continue to share key insights and takeaways from the conference, with the aim of strengthening the ecosystem and supporting the development of social innovation in Serbia and the wider region.
