At the invitation of the Office of Development Affairs, Abu Dhabi, Smart Kolektiv participated in the international Balkan Impact Network Roundtable (October 29 – November 1), which brought together key stakeholders from the Balkans to develop joint programs supporting the growth of the impact ecosystem in the region.
Neven Marinović, Director of Smart Kolektiv, was a speaker on the panel Building the Right Environment for Impact: Policy & Investment Gaps, where he shared experiences from Serbia in developing impact investing and supporting social innovations. He also highlighted concrete examples from Smart Kolektiv’s practice and emphasized the importance of fostering an environment that encourages investments with social impact.
During the three-day program in Abu Dhabi, participants discussed the development of entrepreneurship and the SME sector, innovative models to increase social impact, and the shift from philanthropy to impact investing. Sessions focused on regional opportunities for joint programs and bilateral meetings with organizations from the Balkans added particular value.
The event confirmed the growing interest of international partners in advancing impact investing in the Balkans and opened opportunities for new initiatives that can contribute to stronger positive social impact in the region.
