Catalysing Impact: MFC & EN Member Meet-up

Mark your calendars for the Catalysing Impact: MFC & EN Member Meet-up on September 24, 2024, from 10:00 to 11:30 CEST on Zoom. This event is specifically designed to deepen connections between MFC and EN members, focusing on the critical role of social finance in supporting social enterprises. 

Euclid Network represents more than 50 social enterprise intermediaries over 30 European countries that together represent more than 100,000 impact driven organisations. We would like to join forces and share insights on social finance and the needs of social enterprises, to understand how microfinance organisations and social enterprises could enhance relations and what are the areas we can cooperate together or help each other to grow.

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Agenda Highlights:

  • Opening Remarks: Welcome by Gerlinde Schmidt (EN) and introductions by Beata Biela (MFC) and Toby Gazeley (EN). 
  • Expert Presentations: Learn about the work and vision of social enterprise support organizations and microfinance institutions, examples of successful cooperation, funding needs, funding opportunities, challenges and much more from our experienced speakers: Cristina Pojoga (Consolid8/Fonduri Structurale, Romania), Martina Grigorova (SIS Credit, Bulgaria), Octave Kleynjans (Mouvement Impact France, France), Felicia Relenschi (AFIN, Romania)   
  • Interactive Q&A: Utilise this great opportunity to ask direct questions to our experts. 
  • Breakout Sessions (open for European and Caucasus members): Let’s get to know each other! Let’s talk about financing! Let’s talk about areas to cooperate! Great opportunity to participate in these region-specific discussions. 
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Meet our experts:

Cristina Pojoga – Partner & Senior Consultant at fonduri-structurale.ro and Co-founder & Campaign Manager at consolid8 

Cristina Pojoga has been with fonduri-structurale.ro since 2009. Cristina has over 10 years of experience in business consulting, project management, non-reimbursable financing for companies, civil society organizations, and public organizations and have also been actively involved in most of the organization’s acceleration programs dedicated to early-stage entrepreneurs.  

Consolid8 supports social entrepreneurs in Romania through consultancy, project management, funding, training, and events. It is a spinoff of Fonduri Structurale, a business support organization established in Bucharest, Romania, working since 2007 supporting public and private organizations in securing EU funding, which operates the most accessed online platform on funding opportunities in Romania. 

Cristina Pojoga is an alumna of the Social Innovation and Management master’s program at the WU Executive Academy in Vienna, a member of the NGO Academy in Vienna and a passionate supporter of social innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives in Romania. 

Martina Grigorova – Executive Director of SIS Credit, the leader in social finance in Bulgaria 

Martina Grigorova has 15 years of experience in the financial sector, 13 of which at SIS Credit.  

Martina has strong involvement in social initiatives in Bulgaria and Europe, including participation in working groups in support of vulnerable groups, design of dedicated financial instruments, development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem (especially for youth entrepreneurs). Martina is one of four microfinance practitioners selected by European Microfinance Network to take part in working group on behalf of EC for adding social protection standards into the European Code of Good Conduct. She takes part in numerous Academies for entrepreneurs and is a mentor and a jury.  

Since December 2022 Martina is a Board member of Microfinance Centre with focus on advocacy for the sector, communication with the EC and strategy for the microfinance in Europe investors. Since 2023 she is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Bulgarian Minister of Labor and Social affairs for the topic of Corporate Social Responsibility, member of the Advocacy committee of EMN, as well as part of the Mentors Academy of Early Warning Europe, initiative of EU that aims to support SMEs in crises.  

Martina Grigorova holds master’s degree in Financial Management from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia. 

Felicia Relenschi – CEO of  AFIN – Alternative Financing IFN SA in Romania 

Felicia Relenschi is a manager and business consultant with over 15 years of experience in the field of financial services. She has held management positions both within non-banking and banking financial institutions (General Manager  – GE MONEY LEASING Romania, Executive Director Patria Credit IFN SA and Patria Bank SA).  

Currently Felicia is General Manger of AFIN – ALTERNATIVE FINANCING IFN – the first non-bank financial institution with Romanian capital exclusively dedicated to legal entities with social impact and a member of the SOCIAL FINANCE ASSOCIATION – an NGO aiming to support local entrepreneurs to develop social projects and overcome financial barriers through financial education and consultancy for easier access to finance. 

Felicia Relenschi graduated from the Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest and holds an MBA in banking and finance from the University of Birmingham, the UK. 

Octave Kleynjans – Director of the Impact Lab run by Mouvement Impact France in coalition with makesense, La Ruche, Corporate for Change, INCO and Pulse 

Impact Lab produces tools and resources to help to make progress on social and ecological impact for entrepreneurs focused on impact or transition and support structures (incubators, accelerators, entrepreneurial networks). 

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