Ashoka operates in many countries, including ours, and provides support to Entrepreneurs worldwide—known as Ashoka Fellows—who dedicate themselves to solving Social and Environmental issues in the most innovative, sustainable, and scalable ways possible.

At Casa do Impacto, Ashoka is a familiar partner. We have worked together since the very beginning and continue to strengthen our ties, uniting forces to maximize the reach we can achieve, aiming to connect with more and more players with the potential for Social Transformation, whether they are Entrepreneurs, Governments, Companies, or Organizations across various fields.

The mission of identifying the right Entrepreneurs for Ashoka’s ranks is no easy task, and meeting the stringent criteria is equally challenging. Not just anyone can be considered a leader and driver of truly systemic and meaningful change that transforms lives. Not just anyone can wear Ashoka’s banner, “Everyone is a Changemaker”, and help promote a culture of Social Innovation in all sectors, spreading the belief that everyone can take an active role in creating positive Impact.

To ensure that Ashoka Fellows continue to play this pivotal role, Ashoka becomes a facilitator, offering them the best conditions to maximize their Impact. Financial support provides a stipend, enabling them to dedicate themselves to their Project in the long term. Strategic Support is delivered through specialized Mentoring and access to Consultants, while integration into the international network fosters the creation of synergies that can lead to meaningful Partnerships for all involved.

This is the Future—and, we can now proudly say, the Present—for Bernardo Branco Gonçalves, Founder & CEO of MyPolis, and Elena Parras Durán, Founder & CEO of 55+, the newest Portuguese Ashoka Fellows. These Entrepreneurs, whose Projects are based at Casa do Impacto, now join a prestigious list of Ashoka Fellows, including Alexandra Machado, Girl Move – António Bello, Just a Change – Celmira Machado, EKUI – José Soares, Football for All and Miguel Neiva, ColorADD.  They also join Hugo Menino Aguiar (Co-Founder of SPEAK), and Joana Moreira (Movimento Transformers / Mad Panda), who also participated in our Incubation and Investment programs.

Bernardo and Elena’s exceptional work is well-known in the world of Impact Entrepreneurship. For us, it’s a true privilege to witness their dedication and entrepreneurial spirit being recognized, especially as we’ve supported them from their very first capacity-building programs, welcomed them each morning, and crossed paths with them in the hallways every day.

It is impossible not to acknowledge their charisma, honesty, and contagious enthusiasm for the Projects they represent and the Causes they dedicate themselves to. Anyone would be lucky to work alongside them to help change the world.

Becoming an Ashoka Fellow is not for everyone, and very few achieve this recognition. That is why we are so proud to see that there are now four Entrepreneurs with this title who, in some way, we can claim as our own. Even those who are no longer with us know that they always have a home to return to here.

The Vision of Casa do Impacto—to position Portugal as the European Benchmark for Social and Environmental Impact—is reinforced and strengthened by knowing we have the right People helping us lead the way forward.

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