SDGs
Impact Management | May 23, 2023
UN metrics measure enterprise impact on the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals
Time is running out to meet the ambitious UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set for 2030. There are real concerns that data related …
Gender Smart | May 22, 2023
Bringing women to the forefront of sustainable development
The following is an excerpt from “Working to restore: Harnessing the power of regenerative business to heal the world,” by Esha Chhabra. In …
Photo credit: U.N. Association
Impact Voices | November 17, 2022
Facing up to shortfalls – and trade-offs – in the Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals need rescuing, a global sustainable investors group warned recently. The SDGs are a collection of 17 interlinked goals ranging …
Photo by AdobeStock.
Oceans | September 12, 2022
Ocean 14 Capital raises €100 million to advance the blue economy
ImpactAlpha, September 12 — Investing in sustainable and regenerative oceans is a multi-trillion-dollar global opportunity that could create 40 million jobs by 2030, …
Photo by MNT.
Climate Finance | July 28, 2022
Circulate Capital secures $53 million to reduce plastic pollution
ImpactAlpha, July 28 — Circulate Capital has been investing in recycling and waste-reduction efforts to keep plastic out of oceans and waterways since …
the Clinicas del Azucar in Guadalupe | Photo credit: IFC
Investing in Health | July 27, 2022
Clinicas de Azucar to expand diabetes clinics with $7.3 million in financing from Blue like an Orange
ImpactAlpha, Jul. 27 – Diabetes has become one of the top three causes of death in Mexico, up from 15th in the 1950s. Clinicas …
Catalytic Capital | July 27, 2022
Impact investors collaborate to amplify the impact of their catalytic capital
Editor’s note: This blog is part of ImpactAlpha’s series, “Seeding Impact,” authored by participants in the Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3) Seeding Learning Labs. …
Impact Voices | July 26, 2022
How NGOs are blending capital to amplify their impact
The typical employee within a non-governmental organization doesn’t talk a lot to commercial banks, pension funds and insurance companies. But like everyone else, …
Conservation | July 18, 2022
Pegasus Capital Advisors raises $170 million for Global Fund for Coral Reefs
ImpactAlpha, July 18 – Impact investor Pegasus is aiming to raise $625 million in blended financing to protect critically-threatened coral reefs and vulnerable coastal …
Photo credit: BRAC
Frontier and Growth Markets | May 12, 2022
BRAC International Microfinance taps capital markets for $40 million for households in poverty
ImpactAlpha, May 12 – BRAC International Microfinance, the non-governmental organization’s international arm, worked with Seattle-based Global Partnerships and Proparco, the French development bank, …
Photo credit: Solar Sister
Frontier and Growth Markets | May 2, 2022
Can off-grid solar keep focus on energy access for the poor as commercial capital arrives?
ImpactAlpha, May 2 – It’s one of the conundrums of the pandemic: commercial capital is pouring into off-grid electricity companies in Africa and …
Photo credit: Sun King
Frontier and Growth Markets | April 28, 2022
Sun King scores $260 million to ramp up off-grid solar access in Africa
ImpactAlpha, April 28 – The off-grid solar sector in Africa is growing up. Sun King, launched (as Greenlight Planet) in Chicago 15 years …
Photo credit: Kinara Capital
Gender Smart | April 19, 2022
Kinara Capital secures $50 million from Nuveen and TripleJump for digital lending in India
ImpactAlpha, April 19 – Kinara Capital provides unsecured, no-collateral loans of up to three million rupees ($40,000) to micro and small businesses in …
Photo credit: Opinio Juris.
SDGs | April 4, 2022
WaterEquity secures $153 million for water and sanitation impact
ImpactAlpha, April 4 — A subsidiary of Matt Damon’s Water.org, WaterEquity backs microfinance institutions along with micro-utilities, toilet manufacturers and water kiosks to …
Photo credit: Brogan Abroad.
Impact Management | March 24, 2022
Tikehau Capital impact debt fund secures $110 million from Dutch pension fund
ImpactAlpha, March 24 — Paris-based Tikehau Capital has received a $110 million allocation from Pensioenfonds Detailhandel, which has a commitment to invest 1% …
Impact Management | February 24, 2022
Memo to the Impact Task Force: Break down silos to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals
“And let it be noted that there is no more delicate matter to take in hand, nor more dangerous to conduct, nor more doubtful in …
Photo by Flickr.
Women Rising | January 31, 2022
Impact Investment Exchange lists $30 million Women’s Livelihood Bond on the Singapore Exchange
ImpactAlpha, January 31 — Singapore-based Impact Investment Exchange has listed WLB4Climate on the Singapore Exchange. Proceeds from the $30 million bond will be …
Photo credit: Summa Equity.
SDGs | January 24, 2022
Summa Equity closes third SDG impact fund at $2.6 billion
ImpactAlpha, January 24 — Summa Equity launched in 2016 to invest in companies working to solve the global challenges identified in the U.N. …
Water | January 20, 2022
How pre-construction financing is building a pipeline of water projects in Kenya
ImpactAlpha, January 20 – Water and sanitation is one of the fastest growing, yet still underinvested sectors of impact investing. An experimental fund …
Catalytic Capital | December 14, 2021
Women’s Livelihood Bond from Impact Investment Exchange closes at $30 million
ImpactAlpha, December 14 — Proceeds from the fourth bond will support social enterprises that can impact 500,000 underserved women and girls in India, …
Photo by Getty Images.
aquaculture | November 16, 2021
Ocean 14 Capital secures €60 million for blue economy impact fund
ImpactAlpha, November 16 — London-based fund manager Ocean 14 Capital is looking to raise €150 million ($170.5 million) for growth-stage investments in technology …
Photo credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images.
Dealflow | November 1, 2021
Citi issues $1 billion social finance bond for emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, November 1 — Citi has issued a $1 billion bond to advance social impact in emerging markets. Proceeds from the bond will …
Catalytic Capital | October 28, 2021
Blended finance struggles for traction in the ‘decade of action’
ImpactAlpha, October 28 – Blended finance that leverages public or philanthropic capital to increase private investment in sustainable development has unlocked about $160 …
Quito, Ecuador
Frontier and Growth Markets | October 13, 2021
AXA takes a minority stake in Blue Like an Orange sustainable investment firm
ImpactAlpha, October 13 – Blue Like an Orange was launched in 2017 by former World Bank officials Bertrand Badré, Amer Baig and Suprotik …
Photo credit: IndustryWired.
SDGs | September 28, 2021
Blue Bear closes $150 million fund for AI-enabled climate infrastructure
ImpactAlpha, September 27 — The Los Angeles-based fund received commitments from Goldman Sachs’ AIMS Imprint, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, ZOMA Capital, McKnight Foundation, and …
Photo credit: Zola Electric
SDGs | September 27, 2021
Zola Electric raises $90 million to expand off-grid energy access
ImpactAlpha, September 27 — Amsterdam-based Zola Electric launched in 2011 as Off Grid Electric to connect millions of energy-poor households to low-cost, renewable …
Freetown, Sierra Leone
Dealflow | September 16, 2021
CrossBoundary Energy and Zoodlabs develop solar-powered internet in Sierra Leone
ImpactAlpha, September 16 – CrossBoundary Energy invests in and develops commercial and industrial solar systems across Africa. Its latest deal is a 1.2-megawatt …
Photo credit: Oye Rickshaw
SDGs | September 9, 2021
Investors rally behind India’s early, active climate tech scene
ImpactAlpha, September 9 – India’s recognition of its vulnerability to climate change has spurred a set of ambitious targets to curb carbon emissions …
Construction Highway Flood Tunnels, Peacevale, South Africa | Chris Van Lennep
Innovative Finance | August 17, 2021
Five critiques of blended finance – and five responses from Convergence
The opportunity to blend private capital with philanthropic and public funding has been heralded by financial heavyweights from Blackrock to the billionaire-backed Breakthrough …
Photo credit: PowerGen
Dealflow | July 26, 2021
CrossBoundary backs PowerGen to develop mini-grids in Nigeria
ImpactAlpha, July 26 – Nairobi-based PowerGen has developed three megawatts of small-scale distributed energy projects serving 20,000 people in Africa. The investment from …
Photo by Delightin Dee on Unsplash
Impact Voices | July 8, 2021
Growth of gender-smart investing in development finance signals opportunity for commercial investors as well
Businesses in emerging markets run by women receive less than half the funding received by those run by men. In 2021, that fact …
Photo credit: Sayna
SDGs | June 28, 2021
Madagascar’s Sayna secures investment to offer digital skills-training in francophone Africa
ImpactAlpha, June 28 – Nearly 95% of Africa’s youth are informally employed. Antananarivo-based Sayna upskills young people to meet the continent’s growing need for …
Photo credit: Ecobodaa
Originals | June 3, 2021
Shift to electric rickshaws and motorcycles is drawing investors to emerging markets’ e-mobility opportunity
ImpactAlpha, June 3 – The streets of Delhi, Kigali, Nairobi and other cities across the developing world are clogged with traffic, including “boda boda” …
Impact Voices | May 27, 2021
How last-mile distributors put capital to work for impact
ImpactAlpha, May 27 – To meet the Sustainable Development Goals, remote and low-income populations need access to beneficial products that address basic needs, such …
SDGs | May 11, 2021
J.P. Morgan’s ‘development financial institution’ amps up transparency in emerging markets dealmaking
ImpactAlpha, May 11 – Development finance institutions are typically quasi-governmental agencies that invest in economic development (and soft power) in emerging and growth markets. …
SDGs | April 28, 2021
Off-Grid Market Development Fund offers results-based financing for solar access in Madagascar
Off-Grid Market Development Fund is providing subsidies to a dozen companies to deliver solar power in Madagascar. Only 14% of Madagascar’s 25.7 million …
Photo credit: Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge
SDGs | April 22, 2021
Fifteen startups with solutions for land restoration in Latin America
ImpactAlpha, April 22 – Latin America a testing ground for innovative environmental financing and business solutions: Lending incentives supporting smallholder farmers; partnerships with Indigenous …
Dealflow | March 22, 2021
J.P. Morgan Private Bank closes $150 million Global Impact Fund
ImpactAlpha, March 22 — J.P. Morgan’s Global Impact Fund aims to build a diversified portfolio of impact investment funds focused on financial inclusion, …
Dealflow | March 10, 2021
Temasek commits $500 million for a stake in LeapFrog Investments
ImpactAlpha, March 10 – Singapore’s state-backed investment arm Temasek will become part-owner in LeapFrog Investments and anchor its future funds. The commitment pushes …
Photo credit: SunFunder
Dealflow | March 8, 2021
SunFunder reaches $70 million close for Solar Energy Transformation Fund
ImpactAlpha, March 8 – SunFunder’s Solar Energy Transformation Fund backs solar companies improving energy access across Africa and Asia. The off-grid solar finance company’s …
2030 Finance | March 1, 2021
Joint SDG Fund allocates $41 million to catalyze strategic financing for the SDGs
ImpactAlpha, March 1 — The United Nations’ Joint SDG Fund is aiming to bring together Wall Street and the growing focus on ESG, …
Photo credit: Amartha
Dealflow | February 25, 2021
Lendable backs Amartha to finance Indonesia’s women-led businesses
ImpactAlpha, February 25 – Jakarta-based lending platform Amartha supports unbanked women micro-entrepreneurs in Indonesia’s rural areas. It secured $10 million in credit from Nairobi-based …
Photo credit: SheEO
Gender Smart | February 23, 2021
Women’s investment community SheEO commits $500,000 to five entrepreneurs
ImpactAlpha, February 23 – Serial entrepreneur Vicki Saunders launched SheEO in 2015 to redesign how women-led businesses are supported. The Toronto-based network of 30,000 …
Photo credit: Maya
Frontier and Growth Markets | February 10, 2021
Maya secures $2.2 million for mobile health consultations in Bangladesh
ImpactAlpha, February 10 – Dhaka-based health messaging app Maya relies on artificial intelligence, healthcare professionals and physicians to connect users to health and mental …
Frontier and Growth Markets | 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 …