Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia

What Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia does

The Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia (Biedrība "Latvijas Sociālās uzņēmējdarbības asociācija", or LSUA) is a member-based non-profit association founded in autumn 2015 in Riga, Latvia. It functions as the principal national membership body for the social entrepreneurship sector, organized around three explicit activity streams: interest advocacy at the local, regional, and national levels; capacity building for its 146+ member organizations; and public awareness raising. LSUA's representative holds a seat on the Ministry of Welfare's Commission for Granting Social Enterprise Status, and the association actively participated in shaping the Social Enterprise Law that took effect on April 1, 2019.

LSUA's product surface is a portfolio of advisory and educational services rather than a unified software platform. Core offerings include individual one-on-one consultations on developing a social enterprise, social-economy expertise and analytical services, the Social Entrepreneurship Ambassador Network (regional volunteers launched in cooperation with the British Council in September 2017), educational materials for basic and upper-secondary schools, a methodology with 11 fillable forms for municipal action plans, curated links to external online courses (FutureLearn, Acumen, edX, Coursera), handbooks, and video lectures. The annual Social Entrepreneurship Forum is its flagship event. There is no proprietary core technology, API, or SDK; the technology stack is essentially a content and information website (sua.lv plus socialauznemejdarbiba.lv) and standard social media channels.

Revenue mechanics are typical for a national sectoral NGO: three streams — membership dues (paid by social enterprises, NGOs, and aligned organizations), project-based grants from EU programs (Interreg, ESF+), the EEA/Norway Grants Active Citizens Fund, and government partners (Ministry of Welfare, ALTUM for grant referrals), and consultation services offered largely free to members. Quantified inflows include an Interreg VI-A "Re:Impact" project (€595,286 total budget, €476,228.80 ERDF) and an AIF grant of €16,381.56 for organizational capacity building. The association employs a core team of four (Director, two project management roles, and an events organizer) and is overseen by a five-person board elected by members for two-year terms. The founding organizations in 2015 were Fonds DOTS, PROVIDUS, Latvijas Samariešu apvienība, Otra elpa, and the New Door accelerator.

Name

Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia

Legal name

Biedrība "Latvijas Sociālās uzņēmējdarbības asociācija"

Website

https://sua.lv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia is a Riga-based, member-driven non-profit founded in 2015 that advocates for the national social entrepreneurship sector, delivers consultations and educational resources, and connects social enterprises, municipalities, schools, and diaspora across Latvia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Services

NAICS

Business Associations (81391), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Support Services (61171), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMAHAK

Social Entrepreneurship & Impact Business

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Entrepreneurship & Business Enrichment

SECONDARYBPADAKAK

Education Systems Strengthening (Policy, Planning, EMIS, Governance)

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Education & Skills Development Programs

SECONDARYBPADAMAE

SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked)

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Trade & Economic Development

SECONDARYEDADADAF

Education Equity, Access & Inclusion Policy Research

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Policy, Research & Think Tanks

Keywords

• Social enterprise advocacy
• Membership association services
• Social entrepreneurship education
• Policy advocacy services
• Nonprofit capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Riga

HQ country

Latvia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Member dues: Revenue from membership fees from social enterprises and organizations joining the association
2. Project funding: Funding from EU programs (Interreg), Active Citizens Fund (AIF), and government grants for specific initiatives
3. Consultation services: Individual consultations on social enterprise development provided to members and non-members

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LSUA is a member-based non-profit association that supports the development of social entrepreneurship in Latvia through individual consultations, social-economy expertise, educational events, training materials for schools and municipalities, and an ambassador network across Latvian regions. It advocates for favorable legislation (including the Social Enterprise Law), builds member capacity, and raises public awareness of social entrepreneurship via the country's largest Latvian-language information portal on the topic.

Product overview

The Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia (LSUA) is a member-based organization that does not offer a unified software product but rather provides a portfolio of educational, advisory, and networking services. Core offerings include individual consultations, social economy expertise, and educational events. The association has developed educational materials for both upper secondary and basic schools, a methodology for municipal action plans, and curates online courses from external platforms. LSUA operates the Social Entrepreneurship Ambassador Network across Latvian regions and organizes the annual Social Entrepreneurship Forum. The organization maintains informational resources including handbooks, guides, and video lectures on social entrepreneurship topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Consultations (Individuāla konsultācija)
• Expertise in Social Economy (Ekspertīze sociālajā ekonomikā)
• Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship (Iepazīsti sociālo uzņēmējdarbību)
• Social Entrepreneurship Forum
• Social Entrepreneurship Ambassador Network
• Educational Materials for Upper Secondary Schools
• Educational Materials for Basic Schools
• Methodology for Municipal Action Plans (Metodoloģija pašvaldību rīcības plāna izstrādei)
• Curated Online Courses (Online kursi)
• Handbooks and Guides (Rokasgrāmatas)
• Video Lectures on Support Instruments

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 146 member organizations representing the social entrepreneurship ecosystem
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

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

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• British Council LatviacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017Initiated the Social Entrepreneurship Ambassador Network and supports various educational events and resources. Co-organizer of Social Entrepreneurship Forum.
• Fonds atvērtai sabiedrībai DOTScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2015Founding member of LSUA. DOTS is an organization that previously worked extensively in social entrepreneurship research and promotion.
• Sabiedrisko pētījumu centrs PROVIDUScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2015Founding member and think tank providing policy research and analysis on social entrepreneurship issues.
• Latvijas Samariešu apvienībacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2015Founding member organization with extensive experience in social work and social entrepreneurship implementation.
• labdarības veikalu tīkls "Otra elpa"coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2015Founding member - charity shop network that exemplifies social entrepreneurship in action.
• sociālās uzņēmējdarbības akselerators "New Door"coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2015Founding member - social entrepreneurship accelerator providing support to startups.
• Labklājības ministrija (Ministry of Welfare)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry overseeing social enterprise policy. LSUA participates in the Social Enterprise Status Commission and contributed to the Social Enterprise Law.
• DELFIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLatvian news portal providing media partnership for social entrepreneurship awareness.
• Zemgales plānošanas reģionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional planning body collaborating on Interreg project for educational materials and social entrepreneurship development in Zemgale.
• Bērnu sociālās un finanšu izglītības biedrībacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren's Social and Financial Education Association collaborating on educational materials for schools.
• Lietuvas Sociālā biznesa asociācijacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLithuanian Social Business Association - partner in Interreg project Re:Impact for cross-border cooperation.
• Rokišķu rajona pašvaldībacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRokiškis District Municipality - partner in Interreg project for social entrepreneurship ecosystem development.
• Buy Social B2B EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean project promoting social procurement and business-to-business social enterprise connections.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ashoka: Global organization supporting leading social entrepreneurs via fellowships and ecosystem programs. Operates upstream of LSUA by cultivating individual changemakers rather than aggregating enterprises.
• Euclid Network: European membership organization advancing social enterprise and social innovation, including through EU-level advocacy and capacity-building programs — directly comparable to LSUA but at pan-European scale.
• ENSIE (European Network of Social Integration Enterprises): European-level network representing social enterprises and work-integration organizations across the EU. Operates one tier above LSUA as a pan-European umbrella and policy interlocutor.
• Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship: World Economic Forum-affiliated foundation advancing social entrepreneurship globally through advocacy and recognition programs. Comparable in policy influence ambition but at a much higher tier than LSUA.

Direct peers

• Lietuvas Sociālā biznesa asociācija (Lithuanian Social Business Association): The Lithuanian national social business association and a direct partner of LSUA on the Interreg Re:Impact project. Same sector focus (social entrepreneurship advocacy and ecosystem building), similar membership-based model, and explicitly cross-border cooperation with LSUA.
• Social Enterprise UK: The UK's national membership body for social enterprises, providing policy advocacy, member services, and sector representation. Directly analogous role to LSUA but at greater scale in a larger market.

Emerging players

• Impact Hub Network: Global network of impact-focused co-working spaces and entrepreneurship programs, with locations across Europe including the Baltic region. Comparable as an ecosystem builder, though more commercially oriented than LSUA's association model.

Others

• Reach for Change Latvia: Social-enterprise accelerator present in the Baltic region; board members of LSUA include the Reach for Change Latvia Country Manager. Closely connected ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.
• British Council (Social Entrepreneurship programmes): An active partner of LSUA since 2017 — co-organizing the Social Entrepreneurship Forum and supporting the Ambassador Network. Functions as an enabling international development partner rather than a competing association.

Regional players

• SEND (Social Enterprise Network Deutschland): Germany's federal association of social enterprises, providing policy advocacy and member services. Comparable role to LSUA in a national context but with no direct Baltic-market overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzQvw--lN1L3dH
• Facebookfacebook.com/SocialaUznemejdarbibaLV
• Xx.com/Soc_uznemeji
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lsua

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia