IE University and Impact Bridge promote social entrepreneurship and impact investing

IE University, through the IE Foundation, and Impact Bridge have announced the creation of the Impact Bridge-IE Chair in Social Entrepreneurship & Impact Investing. The objective of this Chair is to promote academic research into entrepreneurship and innovation, in response to major social and environmental challenges.

The announcement was attended by Salvador Carmona, Rector of IE University; Rachida Justo, Director of the Chair and a professor at IE University; Íñigo Serrats, co-founder of Impact Bridge, who focused his speech on the keys to sustainable business models; and Silvia Dorado, a professor at the University of Massachusetts, who analyzed the main challenges involved in meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Also present were Tom Adams, co-founder of 60 Decibels; Rebecca Eastmond, CEO of Greenwood Place; Saskia Bruysten, co-founder of Yunus Social Business, and Isabela del Alcázar, Director of Sustainability at IE University, who discussed the challenges and opportunities involved in impact investment. Finally, the event featured the inspiring story of Ousman Umar, who overcame obstacles from his birth in an African tribe to become the founder of Nasco Feeding Minds and CEO of Nasco Tech Code Made in Africa.

Impact Bridge-IE Chair

The Impact Bridge-IE Chair aims to offer, through study, an innovative vision of entrepreneurship and investment, addressing the latest trends in the field of impact. The research focuses on three main lines: the social and environmental challenges of the planet, the strategic and transformative potential of committed investors, and the measurement and integration of impact with the generation of economic value.

The Chair is directed by Rachida Justo, professor at IE University and PhD in Economics and Development, who has published articles in academic journals such as the Journal of Business Ethics and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, as well as collaborating with organizations such as the OECD or the Spanish Government’s Ministry of Equality.