NEXUS EUROPE

History of NEXUS Europe

One of NEXUS’ earliest regional chapters, NEXUS Europe convened its first Summit in London, June 2012. Since then NEXUS Europe has grown its membership network by bringing together young investors, philanthropists and social entrepreneurs in an effort to network young change-makers and transform philanthropy. The NEXUS Europe Summits, the European offshoot of the global programming, have helped create a more engaged and connected learning community for philanthropy, and sought to inspire greater generosity as a result.

MISSION

NEXUS Europe strives to bring together the leading Next-Gen philanthropists and exceptional social entrepreneurs to explore the common visions that young Europeans have for their generation and to engage in conversations about innovative ways to use wealth and privilege to improve the world.

By uniting Europe’s communities of wealth and entrepreneurship around a conversation on the power of philanthropy and social good businesses NEXUS Europe aims to inspire new leadership, greater generosity and more strategic investing in social and environmental projects

Connecting the financial, intellectual, creative and social capital of our generation, past NEXUS Europe events have resulted in the creation of dozens of new projects and partnerships and we look forward to continuing to deepen connections, spark conversations and ignite solutions facing Europe and beyond.

Goals and Actions

Upcoming NEXUS Europe Summits and Salons:

  • 2019 Europe Summit

Previous Summits:

  • NEXUS Europe Summit 2018
  • NEXUS Europe Youth Summit 2015
  • NEXUS Europe Youth Summit 2014
  • NEXUS Europe Youth Summit 2013
  • NEXUS London Summit 2012

OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM 

Stef van Dongen

Stef van Dongen

Chairman of NEXUS Europe

Stef van Dongen is Founder/President of the Rotterdam based social enterprise Enviu. He started the company in 2002 from the belief that entrepreneurs can play a major role in solving the world’s biggest challenges. Over the years Stef co-founded more than a dozen social enterprises and innovation programs in the domains of Financial and Economic Inclusion, Food Systems and Circular Economy. Next to Enviu, Stef engages with organizations (e.g. The Vatican) and families to build partnerships that leverage private and public assets to realize societal impact. Stef was awarded the lifetime achievement award “Radical Innovators” from Vrij Nederland Magazine. He is a distinguished

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alumnus of the Rotterdam School of Management, where he did his MBA with a focus on Global Business Society Management. Stef is a passionate board member and advisor of several social companies, philanthropists, and innovation networks.

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Lorraine Grace

Lorraine Grace

NEXUS United Kingdom Outreach Ambassador

Lorraine is a Consumer Goods Equity Analyst at Close Brothers Asset Management in London, and currently a 2017 Level III candidate in the CFA Program. Lorraine was born and raised in New York and graduated from the University of Southern California with undergraduate degrees in Fine Arts, Business and Entrepreneurship. Lorraine’s main interests in philanthropy are focused on children’s education, women in conflict areas,  the arts, and entrepreneurship. In 2008, she founded a charity called the My World Project. The My World Project has connected and taught peaceful conflict resolution techniques and photography skills to children around the world, in the Middle East, Cambodia, Costa Rica,

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Switzerland, New York and Los Angeles. Lorraine is a member of the Wise Foundation NewGen Council, YPO Next Generation, Women for Women International Junior Leadership Circle, and a board member of the USC Alumni Association of London. Lorraine is also a junior board member of the Middle East Children’s Institute.

Her other areas of interest are art, photography, yoga and music including the guitar and song writing. Lorraine’s family’s philanthropies are focused on education for refugee women and children victims of war in the Middle East, and genetics and cancer research.

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What We’re Up To

Summits

In 2019 we’re hosting our 6th annual NEXUS Europe Summit bringing together exceptional young social entrepreneurs, philanthropists and impact investors to catalyze change

Salons

From Athens to London, Madrid to Copenhagen, we host regular Salons across the European Continent that are meant to inspire learning and collaboration between a uniquely powerful network of peers

Culture of Philanthropy

We strive to create an inclusive and safe atmosphere for philanthropists, social entrepreneurs and thought leaders to share ideas, experiences and questions with one another and to see our NEXUS Europe community  as an opportunity for reflection and growth.

Delegations to NEXUS Global

NEXUS Europe is proud to send yearly Delegations from all over Europe to our NEXUS Global Summit in New York to participate in NEXUS Global’s flagship event and network with NEXUS members from around the world