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Spotlights

Partner Spotlight on: SETSI

SETSI (Social Economy Through Social Inclusion) aims to co-create a social economy ecosystem in Canada that will reflect the diverse genders, races, cultures, orientations, and perspectives of constituents across Canada. SETSI nurtures broad coalitions to cultivate respect and establish intergenerational collaboration that will foster empathy between diverse opinions, beliefs, and interests.  

Victor Beausoleil, Executive Director of SETSI, discussed their role as an Ecosystem Builder for the Investment Readiness Program at a Lunch and Learn session for IRP Partners.

SETSI was the first Black-led organization be funded by the IRP to facilitate engagement and to build stronger solidarity between Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour communities specifically around social purpose organizations and social innovation.


“Social innovation is about survival to Black and Indigenous communities. It is not a theoretical exercise.”

SETSI has identified that when engaging Black and Indigenous Elders many feel extracted and sometimes exploited by academia and the media. Many have trepidation and distrust about working with governments due to their past experiences. However, through models of intergenerational collaboration and engagement, SETSI has managed to connect with many communities and they have found that the current iteration of the IRP 2.0 is very different, innovative in its funding structure from what others have had to contend with in past decades. In particular, building collaborations with IRP Ecosystem Builder partners doing work specifically in dismantling barriers and doing research that leads to systems-change level equity work such as New Power Labs makes this funding structure accountable to the communities who have historically been under represented in investment readiness, and the Social Innovation / Social Finance ecosystem more broadly.

Another concept discussed was about scaling international alliances and collaborations: the fact that a lot of work may be place-based and local, but there’s international themes as well. We need to create international solidarity around these movements, especially social innovation.

New emerging initiatives from SETSI:

  1. Decolonizing Data Institute: came from some of the insights from working on this IRP project

2. Beyond Solidarity table: a National Black and Indigenous table with leaders to connect the challenges Black and Indigenous communities have faced, while living on colonized land

3. Our Elders: even after the IRP project, SETSI will continue to identify ways to do ecosystem mapping, and amplifying voices of Elders, finding respectful ways to document and gather knowledge from our Elders

About SETSI

SETSI’s mission is to create prosperity and abundance in our society, utilizing social innovation and enabled by diversity and inclusivity. They want to build a world where all organizations have an intentional positive social benefit. Business leaders and entrepreneurs internationally are realizing that by innovating their business models they can create significant positive social impact, while also increasing their financial sustainability. In Canada the need for entrepreneurs incubation, mentoring and co-working services is obvious and SETSI is a convener, organizer and mobilizer.

SETSI is creating a more inclusive and thriving ecosystem for start-ups and emerging leaders. In an increasingly complex and changing world, it is clear to SETSI’s members that ‘traditional’ social frameworks simply don’t match the change around us anymore. Through SETSI’s strategic focus and direction, learning and honouring lived experience and shared social values SETSI aims to evolve the aforementioned sectors and ecosystems.