The Social Innovation Ecosystem Strengthening project (CRAFT) is designed to bolster social entrepreneurship and expand the impact of social and purpose-driven initiatives across Europe. By hosting events, summits, and developing a digital ecosystem, CRAFT fosters stronger collaboration and knowledge sharing among diverse actors within the social innovation landscape. Central to the project is the creation of a European peer-to-peer academy and the curation of best practices and tools, all aimed at empowering social entrepreneurs and their support organizations for sustainable growth and systemic change.
The context for this project is the urgent need for robust, interconnected ecosystems that can effectively address pressing societal challenges. Social innovation holds vast potential to tackle complex issues—from social inclusion and health to environmental sustainability—but its impact is often limited by fragmented support systems and lack of coordinated resources. CRAFT seeks to bridge these gaps by forging connections between social entrepreneurs, SMEs, accelerators, investors, philanthropy groups, academia, and public entities, enabling these actors to work more synergistically.
CRAFT’s objectives are threefold:
European Peer-to-Peer Academy: Establish a collaborative academy owned by European support organizations to enhance capacity building. This academy will deliver training, facilitate knowledge exchange, and provide best practice sharing, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the ecosystem.
Tools and Best Practices Platform: Develop a digital knowledge-sharing platform offering free access to practical tools, templates, and guidance for social entrepreneurs, sourced from across Europe’s social innovation landscape.
Events and Summits: Facilitate local events and high-profile summits to nurture networking, exchange of innovative practices, and engagement with emerging trends, helping to build a vibrant, supportive community.
The expected impact includes:
Registration and assessment of best practices to curate impactful tools.
Organization of two social innovation policy summits and a final conference to convene key stakeholders.
Development of a freely accessible digital ecosystem hosting all tools and resources.
Strengthened European network enabling deeper collaboration and sustained momentum within the field.
By weaving together these elements, CRAFT not only enhances the practical capacities of individual entrepreneurs but also cultivates a connected, resilient ecosystem. This project contributes meaningfully to inclusive economic growth and sustainable societal transformation, leveraging the collective power of Europe’s social innovation actors.
