Last week, members of the Alfanar team joined ecosystem leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and practitioners from across the region in Tunis for Impact NOW 2026, an initiative supported by Impact Europe and funded by the European Union through the Impact Together! initiative.

Bringing together voices from across the impact ecosystem, the convening created space for deeper conversations around capital, entrepreneurship, ecosystem building, and the realities of supporting social innovation in uncertain contexts. More importantly, it offered something increasingly valuable in today’s climate: the opportunity to exchange knowledge openly across borders, sectors, and experiences.

Held in a culturally rich setting that reflected the spirit, culture and identity in Tunisia, the experience explored topics beyond the traditional entrepreneurship space and touched on wider social, cultural, and ecosystem-related themes.

For Alfanar, the convening reinforced many of the conversations we are having across the Arab region about what sustainable impact actually requires – and what kinds of ecosystems, partnerships, and financing approaches are needed to support it.

Moving Beyond Silos

Throughout the convening, one theme surfaced repeatedly: meaningful impact requires stronger connections across the ecosystem. For Portfolio Manager Reya Kanaan, one of the most valuable aspects of the gathering was the diversity of actors brought into the same space.

“What inspired me most was the opportunity to meet such a diverse group of people across the impact ecosystem - from social enterprises and venture capital firms to philanthropic organisations - all united by a shared commitment to creating meaningful change in the region.”

The structure of the convening itself encouraged deeper conversations, with smaller thematic discussions focused on topics ranging from ecosystem development to innovative financing approaches for social enterprises.

Alfanar Co-Director Suha Abdul Rahim participated in The Investor Mindset Lab, a collaborative workshop exploring how investors can better understand and engage with impact-driven ventures across emerging ecosystems. The session examined how investment approaches are evolving – and what it takes to build stronger relationships between capital and locally-led innovation.

The session reinforced a wider theme across the convening: long-term impact depends on stronger collaboration between investors, ecosystem actors, and social enterprises.

As Portfolio Manager Qusai Atiyat reflected:

One key takeaway for me was the importance of building stronger collaboration between support organisations, investors, and social enterprises. Many of the discussions highlighted that long-term impact requires not only funding, but also trust, shared learning, and continuous support systems that help social enterprises grow sustainably.

Rethinking Capital in Uncertain Contexts

Alfanar Lebanon Director Maya Rahal moderated a panel on Strategic Capital in Uncertain Times: How Investors Adapt. Maya framed the discussion around a broader challenge facing the ecosystem:

“This question is not only for investors. It is for all of us working in this ecosystem – how we design programmes, how we build partnerships, how we show up for the entrepreneurs and communities we serve.”

The panel explored what responsible capital looks like in practice, where financing approaches can unintentionally create harm, and how organisations are adapting their support to enterprises operating in fragile and rapidly shifting environments.

Discussions also highlighted the growing need for more flexible financing models and stronger forms of portfolio support that respond to the realities enterprises are navigating on the ground.

As Reya reflected:

“One of my biggest takeaways is that there are many different ways to support and scale social enterprises beyond traditional funding models. The discussions highlighted how collaboration can unlock more creative and sustainable approaches to financing impact – as despite having different perspectives, we are all working towards the same larger goal.”

Building Stronger Ecosystems 

At a time when many organisations across the region are navigating uncertainty, gatherings like Impact Now serve as an important reminder that stronger ecosystems are built collectively – through collaboration, shared learning, and long-term commitment to supporting locally-led impact.

“One of the most valuable aspects of cross border convenings and knowledge exchange is the opportunity to step outside of our local context and gain new perspectives,” said Qusai.

“These spaces create meaningful connections, spark practical ideas, and remind us that many of the challenges we are tackling are shared across the region, which makes collaboration and collective learning even more important.”