Fact panel
| Investee: Monde d’Ayden | Investor: Phitrust |
|---|---|
| Sector: Inclusion | Range of Investment ticket: €200k to €2 million |
| Type of organisation: social enterprise, scale up | Sector: Social integration, education, essential good and services as sustainable food, affordable housing, financial inclusion and health support |
| Yearly turn-over: not disclosed | Type of investor: Impact fund - Foundation |
| Type of investee: C | Type of investment: Convertible Loan |
| Country of investee: Belgium | Expected return (of the fund): Below market return |
| Investment strategy: Impact Investment | Specifics: Example of how catalytic capital can be applied |
| Ticket size of the investment: >€1 million (€1,6 million) | Some LPs: Not disclosed |
| Year of investment: 2024 |
The what: Monde d’Ayden, a C-type organisation
Problem addressed
The early childhood care and education sector suffers from a systemic lack of inclusive and specialized services for children with neurodevelopmental disorders and disabilities. Traditional childcare models often fail to accommodate diverse developmental needs, resulting in exclusion, delayed support, and long-term social and educational inequalities. This gap places a heavy burden on families, particularly those with children requiring tailored care. Monde d’Ayden was founded by Lou Garagnani, a parent caregiver to both a child with multiple disabilities and neurotypical children, who personally experienced the isolation, inaccessibility, and lack of inclusive, adapted spaces for all her children. Initially created to meet her own family’s needs, access to suitable activities, peer support, and shared experiences, Monde d’Ayden quickly resonated with many other families facing similar challenges, revealing the deep and widespread need for such inclusive solutions.
Solution provided by Monde d’Ayden
Le Monde d’Ayden is a pioneering Belgian organization that creates inclusive, sensory, and play-educational leisure spaces for children aged 0 to 12, both with and without disabilities. Their mission is to make leisure accessible to all by fostering encounters between typical development and difference, with over 65% of their team members living with disabilities, reflecting their commitment to inclusion. They offer specialized spaces such as multisensory Snoezelen rooms, motor skills play areas, immersive therapeutic rooms, and sensory fine motor activities, alongside inclusive events and holiday workshops. Additionally, their inclusive stroller café, La Cabane d’Ayden, serves as a welcoming community space for families. With centers located in Uccle, Nivelles, and soon Wavre, the organization emphasizes a respectful, supportive environment where every child can thrive at their own pace.
The how: Phitrust, an impact fund
General Presentation of Phitrust
Phitrust is an impact investment company dedicated to supporting social enterprises and projects that generate positive social and environmental outcomes alongside financial returns. By combining rigorous financial analysis with strong ethical commitments, Phitrust aims to foster sustainable development and promote inclusive growth. They invest in diverse sectors such as circular economy, inclusion, sustainable food, housing, and health, focusing on long-term value creation that benefits both society and investors.
Intentionality
The investments of Phitrust are fully dedicated to social entrepreneurship in Europe, with a primary focus on human capital and social inclusion. Targeted financing is provided to support entrepreneurs addressing critical social challenges through two strategic pillars: promoting societal integration via employment, inclusion of people with disabilities, education, and development of local professions; and enhancing access to essential goods and services, including sustainable food, affordable housing, financial inclusion, and health support. This approach aims to accelerate the growth and impact of these enterprises, demonstrating that meaningful social outcomes can be achieved alongside reasonable financial returns.
Impact measurement and management
As investors for impact, Phitrust monitors and values impact in the same way as financial results. Phitrust developed ‘an impact methodology’ that has been developed and tested since 2016. Measuring impact helps to make investment decisions and serves as a monitoring tool for companies. The developed approach makes it possible to assess:
The impact monitoring criteria are designed jointly with the entrepreneurs.
Additionality
The investment approach provides additionality through patient capital and comprehensive support tailored to the unique needs of social enterprises. Financially, the model prioritizes long-term social impact, offering patient investors the flexibility required to deploy meaningful change aligned with the funds’ social objectives. Beyond capital, non-financial additionality is delivered via a robust community of skills and partners, where each entrepreneur benefits from dedicated guidance by experienced managers, former executives, or sector specialists to strengthen governance and scale operations effectively. This ecosystem is further reinforced by a committed Investment Committee composed of investors, industry experts, and former company leaders who actively oversee and support portfolio companies, ensuring continuous alignment with social and environmental impact goals.
More information
- Monde d’Ayden
- Phitrust, Impact Report Phitrust
