We turn ambition into action

Catalytic Impact Partners was created by the FASE founders and two experienced impact investors with a shared vision: unlocking capital for systemic change across Europe. We dedicate ourselves solely to direct investments into impact ventures.

At the same time, Catalytic Impact Partners is part of the larger mission that FASE has set for itself: to mobilize EUR 1 billion for the European impact ecosystem by 2035.

Founding Partner

Zoé Constantin, CFA

Zoé Constantin is a passionate advocate for impact investing and financial sustainability. As a co-founder of ECIIF II, she brings extensive experience in investing in companies dedicated to health and sustainability across France and German-speaking countries. Before founding ECIIF II, she was a partner at Impact Partners, where she played a key role in financing and scaling impact-driven businesses. Zoé is actively engaged in bridging the gap between finance and impact, sharing her expertise through round tables, conferences, and academia. She teaches financial valuation and impact investing at leading institutions, empowering the next generation of finance professionals. With a CFA Charterholder designation since 2004, she leverages her deep financial knowledge and international network to drive long-term impact investing strategies.

Zoé’s vision for ECIIF II is to scale impact ventures through patient capital and strategic financial support, ensuring meaningful social and environmental transformation.

Founding Partner

Dr. Markus Freiburg

Markus Freiburg is a pioneer in European impact finance and a recognized thought leader in social finance and hybrid investment models. As co-founder of FASE, he established it as Europe’s leading impact finance advisory firm, supporting over 100 impact ventures and raising more than €85 million in hybrid growth capital. He was also instrumental in initiating the European Social Innovation and Impact Fund (ESIIF), the first fund in Europe to provide patient capital to impact ventures with EU-backed guarantees. Beyond investment, Markus is an influential voice in social finance, serving as a Board Member at Impact Europe and previously as part of the EU Commission’s Expert Group (GECES). He frequently publishes research and case studies on best practices in impact investing. With a Ph.D. from WHU – Otto Beisheim School and prior experience as a McKinsey & Company consultant, Markus brings a strategic and systemic approach to impact investing.

Markus’ vision for ECIIF II is to build a robust European ecosystem for impact finance, supporting hybrid investment models that blend financial returns with deep, measurable impact.

Founding Partner

Ellinor Schweyer

Ellinor Schweyer discovered her passion for financing sustainable business models in 2012 while working as an investment manager at Bonventure, one of Germany’s first impact funds. She later joined Ashoka Germany to co-found FASE, where she played a pivotal role in expanding impact investor networks and structuring innovative funding solutions for social enterprises. With deep expertise in fundraising, investor relations, and social entrepreneurship, Ellinor brings a unique blend of finance and hands-on entrepreneurial experience to ECIIF II. Through her extensive network of investors, funders, and ecosystem players, she has facilitated the growth of numerous high-impact ventures. Coming from a background in marketing and brand management, having worked with prestigious brands like Dom Pérignon, Dior, and Falke, Ellinor combines strategic thinking with creativity in impact finance. She is a frequent speaker at workshops and conferences across Europe, advocating for scalable and sustainable investment solutions.

Ellinor’s vision for ECIIF II is to leverage investor engagement and networks to expand access to impact capital, ensuring that innovative social enterprises receive the patient funding they need to thrive.

Founding Partner

Pieter-Jan van de Velde

Pieter-Jan Van de Velde

Pieter-Jan Van de Velde is a key figure in Belgium’s impact investing ecosystem, specializing in early-stage financing for social economy enterprises. As Investment and Fund Manager at Trividend, he transformed it into the leading early-stage investor in impact ventures in Flanders, managing over 50 direct investments, including subordinated and convertible loans as well as equity participations. Pieter-Jan is committed to building impact financing ecosystems that offer an adequate financing mix to each impact venture to achieve its full potential. His expertise spans investment strategy, financial structuring, governance models and scaling mission-driven enterprises. He serves frequently on juries and expert panels in the fields of entrepreneurship, youth, education, socio-cultural work and environmental organisations. With degrees in Economics, Sociolgy and Conflict & Development and involvement as (board) member and/or shareholder in over 100 social-profit organisations and impact ventures, Pieter-Jan brings a deep understanding of the dynamics in and needs of social entrepreneurs.

Pieter-Jan’s vision for ECIIF II is to broaden the investment universe to ensure that every high-potential, socially innovative venture receives the right mix of financing, expertise, and long-term partnership.

Investment Manager

Christoph Rohde

Head of Transactions

Christoph joined FASE in February 2021 as a transaction manager and since November 2024, he acts as head of transactions. What drives Christoph is to support impact startups in their funding rounds. Previously, he built an accelerator program for impact startups from emerging and developing countries for the Westerwelle Foundation and founded a fair fashion online store. Christoph studied Economics (BA) at Witten/Herdecke and International Political Economy (MA) at Warwick and also brings with him his experience from management consulting at A.T. Kearney.

Investment Manager

Sonja Leupold

Transaction Manager

Sonja joined FASE in March 2023 as a Transaction Manager. Previously, she was responsible for the finance department of two ventures and acted as an investment manager at DB1 Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Deutsche Börse Group. Therefore, she understands the needs of both early-stage companies and investors and is now excited to leverage this experience in the impact sector. Sonja studied Corporate Finance at Kozminski University in Warsaw (MSc) and International Finance at HfWU Nürtingen and California State University Fullerton (BSc).

Investment Manager

Dr. Alexandra Nitzlader

Regional Manager Austria

Alexandra joined FASE as Regional Manager for Austria in January 2021. She brings more than 25 years of experience in the international corporate finance business with banks, private equity and venture capital companies. In the course of her work, Alexandra has structured and placed a wide variety of financing solutions for customers, from debt to mezzanine to equity instruments. Her passion for impact-oriented startups and social entrepreneurship made her participate in the Ashoka Visionary Program in 2018. Alexandra studied both Law and Business Administration and wrote her thesis in international tax law. She is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Alexandra strives to connect impact investors and social entrepreneurs in a meaningful and highly professional way.

Investment Manager

Zsolt Pethe

Regional Manager CEE

Zsolt joined FASE in September 2018 as a regional manager for CEE. Over the past 20 years, he has accumulated a unique blend of business background and non-profit experience. Zsolt spent six years building a start-up Hungarian NGO focused on youth engagement and experiential education, for which he was elected an Echoing Green global fellow in 2001. Having built a stable organization, he was recruited by GE Capital and spent the following ten years in various leadership positions in banking. Always keen on helping mission-driven organizations develop, he set out to follow his passion and became the Country Representative for Ashoka Hungary in 2015. For FASE, Zsolt focuses on developing a diverse ecosystem around social entrepreneurs across the CEE region.

Investment Manager

Simone Pourier

Regional Manager Benelux

Simone joined again our core team in October 2022 to support our activities in the Benelux region, first as a Senior Adviser, and since January 2024 as Regional Manager. Before, she was leading the Benelux region for four years and then continued to be a pro bono advisor for several months. Simone brings more than 25+ years of experience in business development, obtained through senior management positions in the staffing industry and as a partner in several startups. After fulfilling pro bono advisory roles at startup companies, Simone decided to use her business skills to support social enterprises. Before FASE, she supported Ashoka in the Netherlands during their startup phase and studied business economics (Tilburg University) and business administration (Rotterdam School of Management). Simone is also researching the scalability of social enterprises at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

Impact & ESG

Juliane von Boeselager

Head of Impact & IR

Since early 2022, Juliane has been active for FASE, first as an impact & IR manager for FASE and since November 2024 as the head of impact & IR. The immense potential to deliver positive social and ecological impact convinced Juliane to commit to helping social enterprises attract growth capital. Previously, she worked in auditing, as a consultant for a microfinance NGO in Guatemala as well as a project manager in development cooperation (including in Tajikistan). Most recently, Juliane was a consultant for impact investing and impact measurement. She studied at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management (B.Sc. in Business Administration), ITÁM in Mexico and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark (M.Sc. in Global Development). On top, she completed the postgraduate training programme at the German Development Institute (DIE) in Bonn and Mozambique and established and co-chaired a working group on impact measurement & management under the German Federal Impact Investing Association e.V. (“Bundesinitiative Impact Investing”). As an expert on sustainable development & impact, Juliane has already held various talks and workshops.