RESIST

Networking

Impact assessment

Capacity building

Webinars

Social innovation (SI) and social entrepreneurship (SE) have the potential to address transformative challenges, strengthen social cohesion, and create jobs. However, in many Baltic Sea Region (BSR) areas, social innovators and entrepreneurs face significant obstacles:

  • Mainstream innovation strategies and support systems prioritize industry, R&D, and technology while neglecting social innovation.
  • Limited cooperation exists within the social economy sector and between it and other sectors.
  • Financing options are often project-based, lacking sustainability.

To thrive and create both economic and social value, social innovators and entrepreneurs need improved access to financing, skills development, and integrated support systems.

Rather than creating separate support structures, RESIST aims to open existing innovation and business support systems to make them more accessible for SI and SE. This involves reshaping policies, business models, and innovation paradigms to emphasize societal impact alongside growth, fostering a more inclusive and effective ecosystem for social innovation.