Social Economy through Social Inclusion

What Social Economy through Social Inclusion does

SETSI (Social Economy through Social Inclusion) is a Toronto-based nonprofit coalition founded in 2019 by Victor Beausoleil to engage historically under-represented communities in Canada's social economy, social finance, impact investing, and cooperative ecosystems. The organization is not a technology company: it operates no proprietary platform, product, or SaaS offering, and has no disclosed commercial pricing model. Its activity centers on convening — running symposiums (including SETSI Summit 2019), webinars (SETSI WOMXN Social Finance series, AI and Social Community of Practice), workshops, and capacity-building sessions — supported by a Steering Committee and a small named core team of seven leads (community engagement, communications, partnerships, ecosystem development, project management, and project lead roles).

The organization's go-to-market is community-led: SETSI mobilizes young executives, social entrepreneurs, community organizers, economists, researchers, and justice advocates into a coalition, with event programming exceeding 100 sessions per year spanning multiple years through 2026. Revenue mechanics are undisclosed; the organization appears to be member-driven and coalition-governed rather than grant- or sales-funded in the formal data provided, and no funding rounds, M&A activity, or ownership structure beyond an independent nonprofit are reported. Key ecosystem relationships include the IRP/SFF partner ecosystem, the Toronto Community Benefits Network (Bill C-344 advocacy), CCEDNet (Econous 2019), and the Learning Enrichment Foundation (SETSI Summit 2019 venue).

SETSI's most consequential strategic artifact is the July 20, 2020 'Stronger Together' statement issued by the Solidarity Working Group, which codified six actions ranging from anti-racism training standards and diversity policies to the creation of an African Canadian intermediary within the Social Finance Fund and a self-determined fund for traditionally under-represented communities. This positions SETSI less as a service vendor and more as an accountability mechanism within the Canadian social finance infrastructure, with national (Canada) operating geography and a headcount band of 11–50.

Name

Social Economy through Social Inclusion

Legal name

SETSI Coalition

Website

https://setsi.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SETSI is a Toronto-based nonprofit coalition founded in 2019 that convenes stakeholders across Canada's social economy, social finance, impact investing, and cooperative ecosystems to advance inclusion for historically under-represented communities through events, capacity building, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SETSI is a Canadian nonprofit coalition that convenes, mobilizes, and empowers stakeholders in the social economy, social finance, impact investing, and cooperative ecosystems. It delivers its work through events, workshops, webinars, mentorship, and capacity-building programs aimed at advancing inclusion, diversity, equity, and access for historically under-represented communities. The organization also engages in public policy advocacy and coalition-building, including the 'Stronger Together' solidarity framework.

Product overview

SETSI is a community coalition organization focused on social economy, social finance, impact investing, and cooperative ecosystem development in Canada. Rather than a software product company, SETSI operates as a convening, capacity-building, and advocacy organization that engages historically under-represented communities through events, workshops, mentorship programs, and strategic partnerships. The organization does not offer a discrete technology product, platform, or SaaS offering; its work is centered on movement-building, community organizing, and ecosystem development in the social finance sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Stronger Together solidarity statement endorsed by stakeholders across social enterprise and social finance ecosystems in Canada (July 2020)

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Investment Readiness Program (IRP) / Social Finance Fund (SFF) PartnerscoreOthersSETSI coalition was formed in solidarity with IRP/SFF partners and stakeholders across social finance, social economy, cooperative, and community economic development movements in Canada. The coalition developed six key actions including creating a standing working group, developing performance indicators, anti-racism training standards, diversity policies, and a self-determined fund for traditionally under-represented communities.
• Solidarity Working Group SignatoriescoreOthersJoint 'Stronger Together' statement endorsed on July 20th, 2020 by stakeholders across social enterprise and social finance ecosystems. The statement articulates six key actions for advancing inclusion, diversity, equity, and access.
• The Learning Enrichment FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for SETSI Summit 2019 held at 116 Industry St, Toronto, Ontario on September 27th, 2019.
• CCEDNetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CCEDNet for Econous 2019 Conference (September 16-18, 2019) where SETSI members were encouraged to attend.
• Toronto Community Benefits Network (TCBN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with TCBN on Community Benefits Day On The Hill advocacy work in March 2019, seeking support for Bill C-344.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tamarack Institute: Canadian institute focused on community change, collective impact, and reducing poverty. Comparable to SETSI as both operate as Canadian convening/learning organizations targeting the social economy and community development space.
• SVX (Social Venture Connexion): A Canadian impact-investing platform connecting ventures, funds, and investors. Comparable to SETSI as both operate at the intersection of social finance, impact investing, and inclusive economic development in Canada.
• Vancity Community Foundation: A British Columbia-based community foundation supporting social-purpose organizations and impact investing. Comparable to SETSI in focus on community-level social-finance and inclusion, though with a regional focus.
• Social Innovation Canada (formerly SiG National): A national Canadian platform advancing social innovation and social finance. Highly comparable to SETSI given its overlapping mandate on social finance, impact investing, and ecosystem building in Canada.
• MakeWay (formerly Foundation for Social Change): Canadian nonprofit that provides shared infrastructure, grants, and operational support to movements and charitable projects. Comparable to SETSI in the social-purpose, coalition-supporting, Canadian nonprofit space.
• Tides Canada: A Canadian charitable platform that supports social-purpose projects and movements, including through shared infrastructure and grantmaking. Comparable to SETSI as both mobilize resources and coalitions for social-economy and impact initiatives in Canada.
• Social Capital Partners: A Canadian social-purpose organization that supports social enterprises and inclusive economic participation. Comparable to SETSI through shared focus on social finance, inclusion, and ecosystem development.
• CCEDNet (Canadian Community Economic Development Network): A national Canadian network advancing community economic development and the social economy. Highly comparable to SETSI given overlapping ecosystem focus, and the two organizations have an established partnership through Econous 2019.

Broad incumbents

• The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation: One of Canada's largest private foundations, with major programs in social innovation, reconciliation, and inclusive economies. Comparable to SETSI as a Canadian funder/convener in the social-finance space, but with materially larger scale and broader mandate.

Emerging players

• Foundation Black Canadians: A Canadian charitable foundation focused on Black community development and economic inclusion. Comparable to SETSI in mission on inclusion and economic participation for under-represented communities, and a natural collaborator in the African Canadian social-finance intermediary initiative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/setsi
• Xx.com/SETSICoalition

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Social Economy through Social Inclusion