NAB impact investing and Co-Financing Our Future are coming together to accelerate the growth of impact investing, uniting nearly 50 members including specialised impact funds, institutional investors, larger asset owners and asset managers.
The two largest networks for impact investors in the Netherlands, NAB impact investing (NAB) and Co-Financing Our Future (CoFoF), are joining forces with the aim to “accelerate the growth of impact investing and strengthen the Dutch impact investment ecosystem”.
The NAB, one of the national partners of GSG Impact, focuses on promoting impact investing by raising awareness, addressing barriers, and strengthening the ecosystem. CoFoF aims to stimulate co-financing and creates opportunities for impact investors to collaborate and exchange knowledge through events and gatherings.
Under the agreement, the two organisations will consolidate their activities within the NAB structure, allowing members of both groups to benefit from shared resources.
Speaking to Impact Investor, the NAB’s managing director Laure Wessemius-Chibrac said that the move is an important step towards reducing the current fragmentation in the impact investing ecosystem. The two organisations have collaborated on multiple occasions over the last few years, complementing each other’s efforts, and the new partnership will benefit both memberships. “Many organisations, in particular small fund managers, don’t have the bandwidth in terms of time or financial resources to be part of multiple networks,” she added.
The combined organisation will bring together close to 50 direct members, comprising key Dutch impact investors. While the NAB features a member base that includes large asset owners, asset managers, NGOs, and a smaller number of specialised impact funds, CoFoF has a stronger presence in the impact venture capital segment, primarily attracting specialised impact funds.
According to Wessemius-Chibrac, the two memberships are complementary, and the partnership presents “a huge opportunity to collaborate.”
“I think it’s important to join forces because, if we want impact investing to progress, we need to involve a variety of stakeholders. It’s not just about the financial sector –it’s about the entire enabling environment, including regulators, policymakers, and sector associations. Doubling our member base will strengthen our voice, representing a larger and more diverse group of organisations and help us to be heard.”
Next steps
The NAB will welcome CoFoF community members, with its founder Merijn ten Thije joining the NAB board.
“After 6 years of many events with inspirational speakers and moderators and co-sharing 100+ deals it is time for the next step. With joining forces with the NAB we can professionalise and have access to a worldwide network of impact minded investors,” ten Thije, who is also impact investing principal at DOEN Participaties. “With CoFoF, we try to make it easier for impact entrepreneurs to raise capital. A way these processes can move much faster if investors find each other more rapidly and collaborate more efficiently.”
Announcing the new partnership, Yvonne Bakkum, chair of the NAB, emphasised the importance of the collaboration in accelerating the development of the sector: “Global challenges urge us more than ever to act. Our combined power represents the full width of the Dutch impact investing community. Together we can move more forcefully towards our target of directing at least 10% of assets under management to impact investments by 2025, with a specific 4% allocation to emerging markets by 2030. This is crucial for catalysing the large-scale changes needed to achieve the SDGs.”
The NAB has also unveiled a refreshed brand identity with a new logo, and has plans for updates to their website over coming months to make their content more accessible for anyone who wants to learn more about impact investing, Wessemius-Chibrac added.
