Adriana Preda, CEO of The Social Incubator, is Alumna of our Social Innocation and Management Programme. Since then, a lot has happened in the impressive life of this passionate changemaker. In this short interview, she took the time to share with us why she thinks that partnerships are everything and her most important tip on scaling impact.
Dear Adriana, while we have the honour of knowing you already: please introduce yourself to our community!
First of all, I’m truly grateful to be featured as a member story. Being part of this incredible community for several years now, I’ve always been inspired by the people here and the stories I’ve read.
My journey is both simple and complex, rooted in a deep belief that every young person deserves a fair chance at success. I come from a small town in Transylvania, Romania, and started my career as a law graduate.
After working in a law firm for a few years, I realized that I couldn’t make my voice heard in the way I had envisioned. This led me to explore television, where I hoped to amplify important social messages. However, it was through direct action that I truly found my purpose.
And that is why, for over a decade, I, together with a dedicated team of changemakers, have worked to change the lives of disadvantaged youth, growing The Social Incubator, a grassroots Romanian NGO, into a platform that empowers young people to reach their full potential. Initially, our focus was on orphaned and abandoned children and youth across the country and over time, we expanded our interventions and services to reach a broader spectrum of vulnerable young people, ensuring they have access to education, mentorship, mental health support and career opportunities.
At my core, I see myself as a connector bridging the worlds of NGOs and businesses, linking young people with untapped potential to real opportunities and turning vision into execution. I have dedicated my work to closing the gap between these different sectors, emphasizing the unique concept of Creating Shared Value (CSV). This approach goes beyond traditional CSR by integrating social impact into business strategies, ensuring that both communities and companies thrive together.
My path has taken me from law and diplomacy to social entrepreneurship, but one belief has guided me throughout: opportunity should not be a privilege, but a given. So my personal and professional life is about learning, growing and collaborating with inspiring people that want to change their harsh realities.
What is your connection with us, the NGO Academy?
The Social Innovation and Management Programme was a turning point for me. It was where I found a community of changemakers, each working towards a better world. More than that, it was where I learned the power of structured impact – how to move from good intentions to sustainable solutions that truly make a difference.
I remember one particular moment during the program that profoundly shifted my perspective. Sitting in a room full of inspiring changemakers from across Europe, I realized that while our challenges were unique, the solutions we sought were deeply interconnected. It reinforced my belief that the work we do is hard and challenging, but at the end of the day, we are united by a shared mission to create lasting social change.
NGO Academy helped me sharpen my strategic lens, blending innovation, leadership and impact measurement into everything we do. It gave me the tools to approach social change systematically and with a scalable mindset. And of course, one of the greatest takeaways was the people – the connections I made, the collaborations that started and the friendships that continue to inspire and push me forward. Being part of this community has been, and continues to be, a privilege and a source of strength. I remain deeply grateful to the NGO Academy community for providing a space where I could refine my vision, challenge assumptions and learn from incredible peers. This experience came at exactly the right moment in my journey, offering not just learning but also the support of a truly inspiring network.
As far as we know, a lot has happened for you since participating in the Social Innovation and Management Programme. Can you take us on a little tour?
A lot has happened indeed! The last two years have been truly transformative, both personally and professionally.
I had the honor and privilege of becoming the first Romanian Obama Scholar, a prestigious program of The Obama Foundation and Columbia World Projects that brings together 12 social entrepreneurs from around the world each year. The program is designed to provide a comprehensive educational and leadership experience at Columbia University in New York City, equipping us with the tools to drive systemic change and scale impact. This experience was profoundly enriching – it deepened my expertise in international development, nonprofit management and systemic change, strengthening my approach to creating sustainable, long-term impact. It also gave me the opportunity to engage with global leaders, scholars and changemakers, broadening my perspective and reinforcing my commitment to social innovation.
Since then, we have taken The Social Incubator to new heights: we expanded operations beyond Romania and are now present in the Republic of Moldova and just two weeks ago, we became fully operational in the U.S., marking a major milestone in our mission to support vulnerable youth at a global scale.
Beyond The Social Incubator, I have also started working with social entrepreneurs and initiatives across Europe and the U.S., focusing on integrating Creating Shared Value (CSV) models into business strategies, ensuring that social good is embedded into their core operations in a scalable and impactful way.
It has been an incredible journey so far and I am excited for what’s next: continuing to build cross-sector collaborations, drive systemic change and create opportunities where they are needed most.
What is your biggest learning out of almost 10 years in the civil society sector?
Impact doesn’t happen in isolation.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that partnerships are everything, but not just any partnerships. The most transformative and sustainable solutions emerge when NGOs, businesses and policymakers align efforts around a shared vision. When resources, expertise and commitment are directed toward the real needs of the communities we serve, systemic change becomes possible. I’ve seen time and again how well-intended initiatives fail to scale because they remain siloed. But when we bring together the right stakeholders, we share expertise and commit to long-term impact, we create models that outlive project cycles and truly shift systems.
One of the most challenging moments in my journey was understanding how to bridge grassroots expertise with systemic change; how to focus not just on the consequences of social issues but on their root causes. This required patience, adaptability and trust-building. The solution? Co-designing solutions with the communities themselves and building strong partnerships with businesses, organizations and authorities. Additionally, innovation must be a central pillar of our work, it’s not just for the private sector. In civil society, we must constantly challenge ourselves to rethink solutions, leverage technology and use data-driven decision-making to maximize our reach and impact. The future of social change is collaborative, innovative and systemic.
Do you have any tips for other NGO Academy members in terms of scaling their impact?
If I could only share one thing, it would be this: scaling impact isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing better and smarter. One of the biggest misconceptions is that growth means expanding programs endlessly. But real, sustainable impact comes from building strong, replicable models that can last beyond a funding cycle. Instead of thinking in terms of individual projects, think about systemic solutions that create long-term change.
Another game-changer is making the private sector your ally. Businesses are moving beyond traditional CSR and embracing Creating Shared Value, where social impact is woven into their core strategies. If we learn to speak their language, align incentives and co-create solutions, we can unlock powerful partnerships that drive real transformation.
Technology is also a critical tool. Digital solutions can exponentially increase access, efficiency and impact measurement, whether in education, employment, or social services. Today, we have AI, mobile platforms, and data-driven strategies that can amplify our work and scale impact faster than ever before.
And finally, invest in people – your team, your partners and even peers working in different social sectors. Some of the most innovative solutions come from cross-sector collaboration, learning from others and staying adaptable. The strongest impact organizations aren’t necessarily the biggest ones, but the ones that are built on resilience combined with continuous learning and a vision for long-term change.
So to those looking to scale their work, my advice is simple: invest in people and partnerships, be fearless in innovation and never lose sight of the long-term vision.
What will 2025 have in store for you?