ImpactAlpha’s deal news coverage for the week:
Affordable housing. Lafayette Square, SHIFT Capital, and Aedera Companies launched the LSA Affordable Housing Fund, a new affordable housing real estate fund.
Catalytic capital. Invest Appalachia provided a recoverable grant from its catalytic capital pool in a co-investment with Fibers Fund for Renaissance Fiber.
Clean energy. Finland-based energy investor Taaleri acquired a majority share of Nordic Science Investments, a deep tech VC firm that invests in university spin-outs in the Nordics and Baltics… Global energy and infrastructure investor EIG reached a first close for its EIG Geothermal Catalyst Partners.
Clean mobility. Jeff Bezos-backed electric vehicle startup Slate Auto raised $650 million for a just-the-basics electric pickup… Boston-based sustainable aviation fuel manufacturer Sora Fuel clinched $14.6 million in a round co-led by Spero Ventures and Inspired Capital.
Creative economy. San Francisco-based Bindery Books raised funding from Upstart Co-Lab to bring overlooked authors to bigger audiences.
Early-stage. JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Fairview Capital and Accolade Partners and others backed Collide Capital’s $95 million round to support overlooked founders in fintech, supply chains and the future of work.
Education. Lego Foundation committed $100 million to A-Street, an investment fund focused on pre-K-12 education and learning.
Gender. Calvert Impact invested $20 million in the Global Gender-Smart Fund, which invests in women’s financial inclusion through microfinance and small businesses.
Green manufacturing. Wallenberg Investments, Temasek, IMAS and Just Climate invested €1.4 billion ($1.7 billion) in Sweden-based Stegra for construction of its green steel plant in Boden.
Good AI. FutureFit AI raised funding from New York-based Achieve Partners to help young workers navigate career transitions and the AI economy…. VoLo Earth Ventures backed the US and South Africa-based Refiant AI to cut energy use by AI models.
Healthcare. Flora Fertility snagged $5 million from ManchesterStory, Slauson & Co., TruStage Ventures and BDC Capital to expand access to fertility insurance for women… London-based Eka Ventures raised £80 million ($108 million) for its second fund to back ventures in preventive healthcare, sustainable consumption and better access to essential services.
Impact strategy. Bain Capital’s third Double Impact Fund closed at almost $1.5 billion, with backing from 150 investors
Sustainable food systems. Clean Growth Fund and New Agrarian co-led a £4.5 million ($6.1 million) investment in UK-based biotech Clean Food Group for fermented palm oil… Fondaction Asset Management, the impact investing arm of Montreal-based pension fund Fondaction, and Dutch impact investor Triodos Investment Management launched a €300 million ($354 million) fund to support regenerative agriculture and forestry… Ara Partners invested $500 million in Washington-based Sedron Technologies, which converts dairy farm and municipal waste into fertilizers, and reclaims and purifies water in the process.
Valuing aging. Toronto-based Common Wealth secured $12 million to help small businesses in Canada build retirement savings plans for their employees… Generation Investment Management led a $100 million Series E round for Chapter, to help seniors navigate the US’s fragmented Medicare health system.
