Essential news and insights to keep you ahead of the curve on impact investing and sustainable finance.
January 27, 2021
The Brief
Featured: ImpactAlpha Original
Larry Fink’s corporate net-zero mandate pushes carbon markets mainstream. Think all those corporate 2050 net-zero pledges are nothing but hot air? The price of carbon credits in voluntary markets has risen to $15 or even $20 per ton, driven by corporate efforts to meet their net-zero pledges by locking in offsets with forward contracts of a decade or more. BlackRock, the $9 trillion asset manager, is adding, uh, fuel to the fire. “We are asking companies to disclose a plan for how their business model will be compatible with a net-zero economy,” BlackRock’s Larry Fink wrote in his annual letter to corporate CEOs. “We are asking you to disclose how this plan is incorporated into your long-term strategy and reviewed by your board of directors.” The stick: face BlackRock votes against management and, ultimately, divestment. More than 1,500 companies have adopted targets to zero out their emissions by 2050 or sooner. While some companies, such as Walmart, have pledged to do so entirely by cutting emissions and shifting to renewable energy, many others are relying on carbon offsets to fulfill their net-zero pledges.
Dealflow: Follow the Money
MacArthur Foundation backs Ankur Capital fund for impact tech in India. Commercial investors tend to steer clear of businesses targeting low-income customers, leaving billions in India without access to affordable and essential products and services. Mumbai-based Ankur Capital seeks out early and even unproven businesses in agriculture, food, healthcare, financial inclusion and education using technology to drive down the cost of delivery of high-impact products at scale. MacAthur’s investment follows Ankur’s $33 million first close for its second fund last year, which included investments from Dutch Good Growth Fund, CDC Group and the Small Industries Development Bank of India.
Agents of Impact: Follow the Talent
The Global Impact Investing Network is hiring a research associate in New York… The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation seeks an investment analyst in Bethesda, Md… ImpactAssets’ Margret Trilli is moderating “COVID-19: The Long Haul - The Critical Role of Philanthropy Right Now,” with Schmidt Futures’ Tom Kalil, Syra Madad of NYC Health and Hospitals, Johns Hopkins’ Jennifer Nuzzo and Stop the Spread’s Sharon Knight, Friday, Jan. 29.
Editor's Picks
Apr 14th to Apr 15th, 2021
Island Finance Forum
The Island Finance Forum brings together senior financiers, development partners and regulators to share and exchange expertise on sustainable and inclusive financial structures …
Podcasts | January 22, 2021
Impact Briefing: Week of January 22
On this week’s podcast, host Brian Walsh breaks down creative-economy opportunities with Upstart Co-Lab’s Laura Callanan. We also listen, again, to some of …
Agents of Impact | January 22, 2021
Agent of Impact: Amanda Gorman, poet
In a star-studded inauguration featuring Lady Gaga and J-Lo, the 22-year old poet stole the spotlight at president Joe Biden’s inauguration. Accolades poured …
Latest News
Larry Fink’s corporate net-zero mandate pushes carbon markets mainstream
Climate Finance | January 27, 2021
DFC guarantees Cordaid to spur lending in Africa’s Sahel
Africa | January 27, 2021
Upaya Social Ventures supports ‘good jobs’ in India with four investments
Catalytic Capital | January 27, 2021
Solar fintech Sunlight Financial to go public via Apollo-affilated SPAC
Clean Energy | January 27, 2021
MacArthur Foundation backs Ankur Capital fund for tech impact in India
Catalytic Capital | January 27, 2021
Pula raises $6 million to expand farmers’ insurance from Africa to Asia
Africa | January 26, 2021
Obvious’ Andrew Beebe: We have entered the climate decade
Climate and Clean Tech | January 26, 2021
Accelerating climate emergency spurs innovative financing for adaptation
Conservation | January 26, 2021
MPower raises $25 million to help international students pay for a U.S. education
Dealflow | January 26, 2021
Creative Economy
Alexander Kühl and Camille Canon of Purpose Ventures | Photo credits: Purpose Foundation
Creative Economy | January 21, 2021
Aligned capital for creative entrepreneurs
Conventional investment approaches are a poor fit for creative entrepreneurs. A model that leads to steward-ownership is a better solution for enterprises with …
Sheoyki Jones of Invest Atlanta | Photo by Berto Horne
Creative Economy | January 21, 2021
The creative industries: Driving economic opportunity in Atlanta
A city development authority committed to supporting the creative industries found that the key ingredients were a supportive state leadership, transparency and trust. …
Heva Fund's George Gachara | Photo by Noel Kasyoka
Creative Economy | January 20, 2021
Safeguarding a creative and cultural moment: The impact of COVID-19 on Africa’s creative sectors
Africa’s cultural renaissance provides huge economic and social benefits that must not be lost in the pandemic. The region’s first dedicated finance and …
Yo-Yo Ma by Jason Bell
Creative Economy | January 19, 2021
Yo-Yo Ma: Culture connects us
Culture and creativity are already having a positive effect on the serious issues facing our society. But with the right support, they can …
Taylor Guitars employees, now owners, at the El Cajon, CA factory prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Creative Economy | January 14, 2021
Canadian pension fund backs Taylor Guitars’ conversion to employee ownership
ImpactAlpha, January 14 — Cajon, Calif.-based guitar manufacturer Taylor Guitars is now 100% owned by its more than 1,200 employees through an Employee …
Creative Economy | December 10, 2020
Building a personal portfolio of impact investments in the creative economy
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 10 – Artist housing in Michigan and Memphis. Immersive art experiences in New Mexico. And now a film studio in upstate New …
Walters Art Museum | Photo credit: Jill Fannon (pulled from Walters Art Museum's Facebook page)
Creative Economy | December 3, 2020
Cultural institutions start to put their assets to work for mission
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 3 – Universities, private foundations and even large nonprofits have deployed hundreds of billions of dollars into ESG, impact and community-based …
Creative Economy | November 30, 2020
Amicus.io raises $8.7 million to democratize donor-advised funds
ImpactAlpha, November 30 — The Charlotte-based fintech startup is seeking to make it easier for everyday savers to take advantage of the tax …
Creative Economy | November 25, 2020
ZenBusiness raises $55 million to help micro-entrepreneurs grow their businesses
ImpactAlpha, November 25 — The economic shock of the COVID pandemic has devastated small businesses – and driven many others to open one …
Community Finance | November 17, 2020
Micron invests $50 million to reduce U.S. racial wealth gap
ImpactAlpha, November 17 — The Black-white wealth gap today is as wide as it was in the 1960s, published reports show. In fact, …
Creative Economy | November 3, 2020
Equity crowdfunding grows up with new $5 million limit on ‘Reg CF’ offerings
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 3 – Businesses from microbreweries to football clubs to electric vehicle makers and ‘mom & pop’ shops have made use of …
Creative Economy | October 8, 2020
Creative economy fund for underserved communities launches with an investment in Techstars
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 8 – Concord, a music and theatrical publishing and management firm, has created a $10 million impact investment initiative to support …
Climate Finance
Climate Finance | January 27, 2021
Larry Fink’s corporate net-zero mandate pushes carbon markets mainstream
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 27 – Think all those corporate 2050 net-zero pledges are nothing but hot air? The price of carbon credits in voluntary …
Photo credit: Sunlight Financial
Clean Energy | January 27, 2021
Solar fintech Sunlight Financial to go public via Apollo-affilated SPAC
ImpactAlpha, January 27 – Sunlight Financial has enabled more than $3.5 billion in lending for residential solar installations. The New York- and Charlotte-based company …
Photo credit: Pula
Africa | January 26, 2021
Pula raises $6 million to expand farmers’ insurance from Africa to Asia
ImpactAlpha, January 26 – Kenyan insurance tech venture Pula has facilitated crop insurance for more than four million smallholder farmers in 13 African …
Climate and Clean Tech | January 26, 2021
Obvious’ Andrew Beebe: We have entered the climate decade
As we finally put 2020 into hindsight, the road ahead is uncertain. On the one hand, stock markets continue to thrive, and the …
Conservation | January 26, 2021
Accelerating climate emergency spurs innovative financing for adaptation
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 26 – Investments aimed at mitigating greenhouse gas emissions have long overshadowed financing for efforts to help communities adapt to climate …
Impact Voices | January 26, 2021
Retool finance to rebuild soil health
Regenerative agriculture may be in vogue, but in many ways, it’s as old as agriculture itself, as practiced by our ancestors and to …
Agrifood Tech | January 25, 2021
Digitization of smallholder farming draws investors to Indian agtech startups
ImpactAlpha, January 25 – Among the world’s largest producers of food, India stands out for its 130 million independent smallholder farmers who till, on …
Features | January 21, 2021
U.S. buyers test sustainability strategies at Peter Pan Seafood
New buyers aim to turn around an iconic Alaska salmon processor that was a money-loser for its former Japanese owner. Alaska-based McKinley Capital …
Climate Finance | January 21, 2021
And that was just Day One of Biden’s climate agenda
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 21 – It was the executive order heard ‘round the world. “Welcome back to the Paris Agreement!” tweeted French president Emmanuel …
Clean Energy | January 20, 2021
Off Grid Electricity Fund invests Energy Systems Group to bring solar electricity to Haiti
ImpactAlpha, January 20 — More than half of Haiti’s population lack access to reliable electricity. The Haitian government established the Off Grid Electricity …
Photo credit: DeHaat
Agrifood Tech | January 20, 2021
DeHaat raises $30 million to support smallholder farmers in India
ImpactAlpha, January 20 — Agtech venture DeHaat, headquartered in the rural state of Bihar, runs an online marketplace that connects India’s small farmers …
Dealflow | January 19, 2021
Renewable Resources Group and Capricorn Investment Group float a SPAC
ImpactAlpha, January 19 – Investment firms Renewable Resources Group and Capricorn Investment Group have launched Sustainable Development Acquisition I Corp. The special purpose acquisition …
Catalytic Capital
Ankur Capital team | Photo credit: Ankur Capital
Catalytic Capital | January 27, 2021
MacArthur Foundation backs Ankur Capital fund for tech impact in India
ImpactAlpha, Jan 27 – Commercial investors tend to steer clear of businesses targeting low-income customers, leaving billions in India without access to affordable and …
Photo credit: Shoegaro
Catalytic Capital | January 27, 2021
Upaya Social Ventures supports ‘good jobs’ in India with four investments
ImpactAlpha, January 27 – Seattle-based Upaya Social Ventures invests in small and growing businesses creating dignified jobs for underserved Indians. It closed four convertible …
Africa | January 27, 2021
DFC guarantees Cordaid to spur lending in Africa’s Sahel
ImpactAlpha, January 27 – The U.S. International Development Finance Corp. approved a $14.8 million loan portfolio guarantee for Cordaid Investment Management. The commitment is …
Photo credit: Medical Credit Fund
Africa | January 13, 2021
Medical Credit Fund blends $19.2 million to finance Africa’s frontline health clinics
ImpactAlpha, January 13 – Small, privately-run clinics are often the only providers of essential health services in remote and low-income parts of Africa. …
NAHUALA, GUATEMALA | Photo credit: Sarine Arslanian
Catalytic Capital | January 11, 2021
How to invest in an inclusive business recovery in Latin America
Small and growing businesses are significant actors in economic production, employment, and growth in Latin America and the Caribbean. According to the OECD, …
Bill Gates illustration | by Wahyu97
Catalytic Capital | December 23, 2020
Bill Gates says the world (sorta) came together to fight COVID-19. Next up: Climate
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 23 – “This is like a world war, except in this case, we’re all on the same side,” Gates wrote last spring, …
Asia | December 23, 2020
Northern Arc Capital scores debt financing to serve India’s underbanked
ImpactAlpha, December 23 — Northern Arc Capital, an East India-based non-banking finance company that provides access to debt for underbanked individual borrowers and …
Catalytic Capital | December 15, 2020
Looking ahead: Catalytic investors sharpen their tools for deep impact in 2021
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 15 – Catalytic capital is always ‘impact on.’ That intention has rarely been more important than this year, when investors able …
Photo credit: Nacro
Catalytic Capital | December 14, 2020
MacArthur Foundation, Big Society anchor UK’s Women in Safe Homes fund
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 14 – Through a lease-to-own model, Women in Safe Homes fund, a residential property investment fund, will acquire properties and lease them …
Catalytic Capital | December 2, 2020
Texas foundations sets up fund for COVID-impacted health clinics
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 3 – Health facilities in many parts of the U.S., and particularly low-income and rural areas, are buckling under the weight of …
Catalytic Capital | December 1, 2020
Refugee investments provide blueprints for Biden’s reset on immigration
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 1 – As the Trump administration was building walls and new restrictions, impact investors and innovative humanitarians were creating a marketplace of …
Africa | November 24, 2020
CrossBoundary Energy’s fund exit is a proof point for Africa’s commercial solar market – and catalytic capital
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 24 – An African solar energy fund that only five years ago appeared too risky even for impact investors has delivered, …
Agents of Impact
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