ADV Group – Institutional Partner supporting NextSEED-EU

ADV Group is a Romanian social economy organisation with extensive experience in social entrepreneurship, inclusive employment and the development of sustainable solutions for people and communities. Over more than two decades, ADV has contributed to strengthening the social economy ecosystem by combining direct social enterprise experience with entrepreneurship support, capacity building, access to finance, partnerships and public policy advocacy.
As an Institutional Partner supporting NextSEED-EU, ADV Group brings practice-based expertise into the project and strengthens the connection between academic learning and the social economy ecosystem. The partnership supports educational field visits, interaction with social entrepreneurs and practitioners, and the involvement of experts in selected educational, networking and dissemination activities.
An important dimension of the partnership is the wider ecosystem built around ADV Group, AFIN and the Social Finance Association (SFA). The three organisations provide complementary forms of support: ADV Group develops and supports social entrepreneurship, AFIN facilitates access to dedicated finance for social enterprises and impact-oriented organisations, while SFA contributes to financial education, investment readiness, partnerships and the development of social finance solutions.
For NextSEED-EU, this ecosystem provides a valuable link between social entrepreneurship, access to finance and social impact, allowing students to explore how social economy organisations are created, supported, financed and developed in practice.
The partnership is supported by two professionals whose expertise connects social entrepreneurship, social finance, inclusion and ecosystem development. Angela Achiței and Manuela Iftimoaei represent ADV Group within the cooperation with NextSEED-EU and contribute practice-based knowledge and experience to the project’s activities.

Angela ACHIȚEI,
Social Entrepreneur & ADV Group President
https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelaachitei/

Social Entrepreneur | Social Economy & Social Finance Expert | Impact Investor | Advocate for Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Angela Achiței is a social entrepreneur, international expert in social economy and social inclusion, and a strong advocate for inclusive entrepreneurship and innovative social finance. With over 24 years of experience, she has played a significant role in developing the social economy ecosystem in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, contributing to policy development, social enterprise creation, and sustainable financing solutions.
As President of ADV Group, she leads one of Romania’s pioneering social economy organizations, promoting inclusive employment, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable community development.
Angela is the co-founder of AFIN IFN S.A., Romania’s first non-bank financial institution dedicated to financing social enterprises and impact-driven organizations, and the Social Finance Association (SFA), which fosters financial innovation, capacity building, and strategic partnerships in the social economy sector.
Together, ADV Group, AFIN, and SFA form an integrated social economy ecosystem that connects entrepreneurship development, business support, access to finance, and social impact. Through initiatives such as ADV Academy and the Social Enterprise Accelerator, Angela and her team have supported the creation of numerous social enterprises in Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine.
She is currently contributing to the development of the AFIN Social Investment Fund, an innovative impact investment initiative expected to launch in 2027, designed to mobilize private capital and provide patient, flexible financing for social enterprises.
Beyond her entrepreneurial work, Angela is active in public policy and advocacy, having contributed to Romania’s social economy legislation and promoted social entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova. She is also President of RISE România – the Romanian Social Economy Network and a member of Romania’s National Commission for Social Economy.
Her contributions have received international recognition, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2016) and her inclusion among the Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise in Europe (2022).

Manuela IFTIMOAEI
Social Economy Expert and Deputy CEO of AFIN IFN S.A.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-iftimoaei

Social Economy & Social Finance Expert | Social entrepreneur | Inclusive Employment Advocate

Manuela Iftimoaei is a social entrepreneur and expert in social economy and social finance, with over 25 years of experience in social work, community development, and the management of programmes promoting social inclusion. Her work focuses on helping social enterprises develop sustainable business models and create employment opportunities for people facing barriers to the labour market.
As a co-founder, Board Member and Director of European Programmes at ADV Romania Group, she has contributed to the organisation’s strategic development and coordinated national and transnational projects supported by European funding. Her professional journey began in frontline social work and developed into leadership roles combining programme design, organisational development, and partnerships.
She is one of the initiators of the Social Enterprise Accelerator, which brings together training, mentoring, and financial support for the creation and development of social enterprises. She has also contributed to the establishment of Romania’s first social economy cluster, supporting cooperation across the sector.
Manuela is co-founder and Deputy CEO of AFIN IFN S.A., a Romanian non-bank financial institution dedicated to financing the social economy. In this role, she contributes to the development of financial instruments tailored to social enterprises, with a focus on social impact and the resources organisations need to sustain their activities.
She also serves on the Board of the Social Finance Association (SFA), supporting initiatives that combine access to finance with financial education, mentoring, and partnerships. Her roles across ADV România, AFIN, and SFA connect practical support for social entrepreneurs with financing opportunities.
She holds a degree in Social Work and a master’s degree in Social Reintegration and is pursuing a PhD in Sociology at the Romanian Academy’s Research Institute for Quality of Life. Her doctoral research examines the role of social economy organisations in supporting the transition towards sustainable labour market inclusion for people with disabilities in Romania.
Her work brings together professional practice and research to improve access to employment and help social enterprises strengthen their economic sustainability and social impact.