Officially launched in Berlin at the European Venture Capitalist Association conference on 3 June, the European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA), is the brainchild of founders Michiel de Haan, Luciano Balbo, Stephen Dawson, Serge Raicher and Doug Miller. These private equity practitioners are each involved with a different European venture philanthropy fund, and united in their resolve to promote the application of venture philanthropy methodologies in the charitable and non-profit sectors.

EVPA is a membership association designed to support its members in their philanthropic activities and to promote the expansion of venture philanthropy and social enterprise in Europe while fostering cooperation with the venture philanthropy community in the US. UK charity registration is expected shortly, at which time EVPA will be ready to accept its first membership applications.

Founding sponsorship has been secured from Barclays Private Equity (http://www.barclays-private-equity.co.uk) and 3i (http://www.3i.com), two of the leading pan-European private equity groups. Additional five-year funding commitments are being pursued from other sponsors, which may be private equity groups, banks, foundations or professional services firms.

To raise EVPA’s profile, a group of around 20 individuals will set out to climb Mount Kilimanjaro on 29 January 2005. The purpose of the eight-day expedition is for each trekker to raise a minimum of €5,000 in support of the EVPA and various charities.

For more information on the trek and much else, please visit the EVPA website at http://www.evpa.eu.com or contact Chairman Doug Miller on info@evpa.eu.com

To join the trek or register as a sponsor, please contact Ian Simpson at ians@helix-associates.co.uk