Essential news and insights to keep you ahead of the curve on impact investing and sustainable finance.
January 21, 2021
The Brief
Featured: Impact Voices
Today’s excerpts from "Creativity, Culture & Capital: Impact investing in the global creative economy" explore private and public investment strategies to meet the needs of creative entrepreneurs. The collection of essays was edited by Nesta, Fundación Compromiso and Upstart Co-Lab. Read earlier selections from cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Heva Fund’s George Gachara.
Dealflow: Follow the Money
Two Sigma Impact invests in workforce educator Penn Foster. Hedge fund Two Sigma launched its nine-figure impact investing initiative from its own balance sheet to prove the correlation between good jobs and business value. The firm’s first investment is in Penn Foster, which offers low-cost degrees and certificates in high-demand fields like healthcare, veterinary sciences and early childhood education. “A happy, engaged workforce is good for companies. That statement isn’t debatable,” Two Sigma Impact’s Warren Valdmanis told ImpactAlpha. Together with Boston-based private equity firm BayPine, Two Sigma took a controlling stake in Penn Foster to improve its data science capabilities and “future-proof” the company in the face of technology change and the pandemic, Valdmanis said. The deal is also the first for BayPine, an ESG-based investor focused on “digital transformation.” The two firms' investment gives existing investor Bain Capital Double Impact an exit.
Signals: Ahead of the Curve
And that was just Day One of Biden’s climate agenda. It was the executive order heard ‘round the world. “Welcome back to the Paris Agreement!” tweeted French President Emmanuel Macron, although it will take 30 days for new U.S. President Joe Biden’s move to take effect. On the day of his inauguration, Biden kicked off his ambitious climate and racial justice agenda with a broad executive order directing federal agencies to address the impact of climate change on disadvantaged communities and to roll back harmful policies enacted under former President Donald Trump. Biden also revoked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, despite a last-ditch attempt by Canada’s TC Energy to salvage the project by vowing to invest in renewable energy and hire union workers. “Effective climate laws, as President Biden understands, will drive a host of benefits,” including technology innovation, lower-cost energy, economic competitiveness, and human and environmental health, said As You Sow’s Danielle Fugere.
Agents of Impact: Follow the Talent
The Kresge Foundation taps Tosha Tabron, ex-Invest Detroit, as a social investment officer and promotes Joe Evans to portfolio director and a social investment officer… Arctaris Impact Investors is hiring an associate in Chestnut Hill, MA… The Boston Ujima Project has internships available for investment research and fund management in Boston.
Editor's Picks
Podcasts | January 15, 2021
Impact Briefing: Week of January 15
On this week’s podcast, host Monique Aiken engaged Frontline Solutions’ Jessica Barron and Marion Johnson on the political power of women of color. …
Agents of Impact | January 15, 2021
Agents of Impact: Georgia’s organizers
“Welcome to the New Georgia,” proclaimed Senator-elect Raphael Warnock. “It is more diverse, and it’s more inclusive. And it readily embraces the future.” …
Photo credit: Daystar Power
Africa | January 14, 2021
Daystar Power raises $38 million to expand commercial solar power in West Africa
ImpactAlpha, January 14 – Mauritius-based Daystar Power installs and manages commercial and industrial solar installations in Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire. The …
Latest News
U.S. buyers test sustainability strategies at Peter Pan Seafood
Features | January 21, 2021
Aligned capital for creative entrepreneurs
Creative Economy | January 21, 2021
Two Sigma Impact and BayPine invest in workforce educator Penn Foster
Dealflow | January 21, 2021
The creative industries: Driving economic opportunity in Atlanta
Creative Economy | January 21, 2021
And that was just Day One of Biden’s climate agenda
Climate Finance | January 21, 2021
Local project developers are key to ensuring a just energy transition
Impact Voices | January 20, 2021
Breakthrough Energy Ventures doubles down on cleantech
2030 Finance | January 20, 2021
Investors and corporations bet billions on mobility’s all-electric future
Climate and Clean Tech | January 20, 2021
Safeguarding a creative and cultural moment: The impact of COVID-19 on Africa’s creative sectors
Creative Economy | January 20, 2021
Looking Ahead to 2021
Looking Ahead to 2021 | January 7, 2021
Here are 10 ways investors are riding the sustainability wave into 2021
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 7 – The table was set with last year’s flows of capital into sustainable funds, renewable energy ‘SPACs,’ community development financial …
Call Recording | January 6, 2021
The Call: What Agents of Impact are expecting in 2021 (replay)
ImpactAlpha, January 6 — A few of the keywords thrown around on last month’s Agents of Impact Call No. 26: accountability, electrification, institutional, …
ESG | December 18, 2020
Looking Ahead: Investors, asset managers and, yes, corporations, set their sights on impact outcomes in 2021
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 18 – The COVID-19 pandemic revealed global financial systems as one disruption away from disaster. If the markets’ legacies of shareholder …
Climate and Clean Tech | December 17, 2020
Looking Ahead: With alarm bells ringing, investors step up for dramatic climate action in 2021 – or else
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 17 – The COVID pandemic was just a warm-up for the coming catastrophe: climate change. As wrenching as was this year’s …
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
Looking Ahead to 2021 | December 16, 2020
Looking ahead: Centering Blackness in the U.S. economic recovery and reconstruction in 2021
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 16 – The period after the Civil War was a time of great ferment, division – and systemic change. Today’s confluence …
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: Horn Products Uganda
Frontier & Growth Markets | December 14, 2020
Looking ahead: Helping small businesses in emerging markets survive and thrive in 2021
ImpactAlpha, December 14 – The stabilization and revival of the micro, small and medium-sized businesses sector has been the emerging markets story of …
Climate Finance
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 …
Africa | January 19, 2021
Lion’s Head closes $400 million Facility for Energy Inclusion
ImpactAlpha, January 19 – Lion’s Head’s Facility for Energy Inclusion launched in 2017 to finance off-grid renewable power producers in Africa with projects of …
Room full of flying books
Clean Energy | January 19, 2021
New books on the new rules for a new era of business
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 19 – From the COVID pandemic and climate change to the racial justice uprising and assaults on democracy, the tumultuous events …
Conservation | January 14, 2021
Coral Vita secures $2 million to help corals adapt to climate change
ImpactAlpha, January 14 – Healthy coral reefs foster biodiversity and provide food, income and protection for more than 500 million people. But pollution and …
Photo credit: Daystar Power
Africa | January 14, 2021
Daystar Power raises $38 million to expand commercial solar power in West Africa
ImpactAlpha, January 14 – Mauritius-based Daystar Power installs and manages commercial and industrial solar installations in Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire. The …
Climate Finance | January 13, 2021
Jigar Shah: Deployment, deployment, deployment are keywords for sustainable infrastructure in 2021 (podcast)
ImpactAlpha, Jan 13 – First came solar and wind energy. Then batteries and storage. Now, a raft of better, cheaper and more sustainable …
Clean Energy | January 13, 2021
Electric fleet company Proterra to go public through merger with ArcLight SPAC
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 13 – Burlingame, Calif. electric bus maker Proterra announced a merger with ArcLight Clean Transition Corp., a publicly traded special purpose acquisition …
Climate Finance | January 13, 2021
What the U.S. return to the Paris Agreement means for investors
After years of signaling its intent to withdraw from the Paris Agreement to fight climate change, the United States made the decision official …
Catalytic Capital
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, …
Africa | November 23, 2020
An ‘impact-first’ approach to investing for climate justice in rural communities
If you are an investor interested in learning more about how to invest in climate justice solutions, join us on December 3rd for …
Photo credit: Cergios
Catalytic Capital | November 10, 2020
Gates Foundation’s role in Pfizer’s promising COVID vaccine is part of a strategy, not a conspiracy
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 10 – The Gates Foundation’s $55 million equity investment last fall into a German biotech company could have big payoff: an …
Catalytic Capital | October 29, 2020
How a portfolio of inclusive businesses prioritized the poor through COVID
The spread of COVID-19 and the economic devastation in its wake have shown just how necessary for-profit approaches are to serving the poor …
Agents of Impact
Bold leaders. Taking action. Driving impact.