We’re now 100% nonprofit-owned

We’re thrilled to announce that last week Enviu transitioned into a 100% non-profit owned company! With our new ownership model, we become the first venture building studio globally that uses for-profit venture building within a non-profit structure. Profits derived from our successful ventures are now reinvested to build new impact driven companies, creating a flywheel to accelerate and enable our mission to build an economy that serves people and planet.

We builds world-changing companies that address social and environmental issues and drive markets towards a new normal. Since 2004, we have been developing the experience, methodology and network to ideate, pilot, develop and grow impact ventures to scale. Proving and showcasing by doing, we have (co-)founded and built over 20 impact-driven ventures with 14 more in the pipeline in India, Kenya, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Netherlands. From driving a zero-emission shipping infrastructure and realizing a fair and circular apparel production value chain, to closing the tap on plastic waste by making reuse the new norm – we are deeply engaged in all sustainability challenges the world faces.

“The steward-ownership organizational structure makes our mission even more engrained in our DNA: building companies to create large scale impact. We’re 100% impact driven in what we do, but also in who we are,” explains Michiel Elich, Enviu’s CEO. “With this step we’re independent from shareholders and can be fully clear with our partners as to what we stand for. Our new ownership model facilitates the long-term perspective needed to build companies that create lasting, systemic change. We believe in the power of viable companies and entrepreneurship as driver of change, with profitability as a means for sustainable impact. With this new ownership model we will be able to better apply this vision and are set to scale Enviu’s activities and impact.”

“We hope that taking this step contributes to the movement of imbedding societal purpose in every company. Understanding, in all fairness, that it’s a very fundamental step that requires time and serious effort. In the end It took over 1,5 years for us to realize this. We are very thankful to our former shareholders, especially Stef van Dongen, founder of Enviu, for making the new ownership model possible.”

After stepping back from the executive board in 2017, Stef now hands over his role as a shareholder and non-executive board member. “It’s time to take another leap forward,” he explains. “I am proud to see where Enviu stands and wholeheartedly believe in the steward ownership model, giving full power to the organization. To make this fundamental step it is crucial to have all stakeholders aligned on the goal: to speed up Enviu’s impact-mission.