Climate Finance
Features
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 …
Impact Investing | January 20, 2022
Energy Impact Partners raises $200 million to target industrial decarbonization
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 20 – The New York-based venture firm has made a name investing in ready-to-deploy technologies that help its energy and industrial …
BlackRock's Larry Fink | Image: Mike Bloomberg/Flickr
Capitalism Reimagined | January 18, 2022
The arc of Larry Fink’s annual letters trace the mainstreaming of sustainable investing
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 18 – You know impact investing has gone mainstream when Larry Fink’s annual letter to CEOs elicits a collective yawn. “This is …
Monolith's clean "black carbon" is used to make tires stronger
Signals | January 12, 2022
Jigar Shah on government’s role as a catalytic climate investor
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 12 – The loan program office of the Energy Department has made its first loan commitment under the Biden administration. Jigar …
Impact Investing | January 4, 2022
Climate Talk: A glossary of terms to guide you through the low-carbon transition
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 4 – If 2021 was the year of net-zero pledges, 2022 could be the year of Scope 3 accounting for companies’ supply …
Climate Finance | December 21, 2021
Climate finance in 2022: Mobilizing capital for exponential progress
‘Tis the season for our lookaheads to 2022 and, thanks to ImpactAlpha subscribers, we are able to make the roundups freely available. So …
Impact Investing | December 15, 2021
Food-waste solutions for climate change are ripe for catalytic capital
It is by now abundantly clear that the climate crisis is no longer a future concern. It’s happening now, and we must act …
Landfill waste disposal. Garbage dump with waste plastic and polyethylene. Garbage truck unloads rubbish in landfill. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and methane emissions. Environmental protection.
Impact Investing | December 15, 2021
Food-waste solutions are a big business – and a big opportunity to stem climate change
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 15 – Commercial and catalytic investors poured $5 billion this year into technology and tools to reduce food waste, and are mobilizing …
Impact Investing | December 13, 2021
Impact brain trust delivers proposals for mobilizing capital for a just transition
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 13 – Mandatory impact accounting. Harmonized sustainability standards. And broadened powers for multilateral development banks and development finance institutions to absorb …
Climate Finance | December 9, 2021
Carbon Collective debuts new index of climate solutions
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 9 – Who says public companies can’t have impact? Roboadvisor Carbon Collective is rolling out a new index of 169 publicly …
Climate Finance | November 24, 2021
Accelerating net-zero transition pushes incumbents to spin off green ‘ReNewCo’s’
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 24 – They were engines of growth for much of the past century. Now, some of the most iconic names of …
Impact Investing | November 23, 2021
A climate investor looks ahead to COP27 in Egypt (podcast)
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 23 – Only two weeks after the COP26 global climate summit, Stephan Nicoleau of climate investment firm Full Cycle is looking …
Generate CEO Scott Jacobs
Signals | November 16, 2021
Sustainable infrastructure company Generate Capital becomes a public benefit corporation
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 16 – Generate Capital is embedding its mission to build a more sustainable world into its charter. The San Francisco-based investor, …
Climate Finance | November 15, 2021
A global carbon market stirs to life, with new rules at COP26
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 15 – With so much on the line at the global climate summit just wrapped in Glasgow, you can forgive people …
Climate Finance | November 10, 2021
Price of carbon rises along with sea levels, as market mechanisms emerge
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 10 – The foreign minister of Tuvalu addressing world leaders while knee deep in coastal waters will be one of the …
Impact Investing | November 4, 2021
Climate crisis is over (if you want it)
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 4 – Global finance leaders tried to evoke something like John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s hopeful paean at “Finance Day” at …
Impact Investing | November 3, 2021
Finance to the fore as catalytic climate capital rallies COP26
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 3 – Pledges and pessimism gave way to concrete commitments of climate capital as world leaders clinched two major agreements before …
Protestors in Milan on October, 1, 2021
Climate Finance | November 1, 2021
Finance takes center stage at global climate summit
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 1 – After a year’s delay, the COP26 kicked off in Glasgow amid protests, stormy weather and diminished expectations. The U.S. …
Catalytic Capital | October 29, 2021
Call No. 33: Using catalytic capital to fill climate finance gaps from the bottom up
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 29 – As the COP26 global climate summit kicks off this weekend, much of the focus will be on the massive …
Photo credit: Southeastern African American Farmers’ Organic Network
Regeneration | October 28, 2021
Embracing regenerative practices to restore climate and community
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 28 – Take a deep breath. We’re 60 years into an 80-year paradigm shift away from economic extraction and towards the regeneration …
Catalytic Capital | October 26, 2021
Offtakes, guarantees and blended finance: A lexicon of catalytic climate capital
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 26 – Investments in climate solutions are crucial. Purchase orders can be transformative. Hertz’s order of 100,000 Model 3s underscored the …
Catalytic Capital | October 21, 2021
$100 billion is just a down payment on financing the climate transition in developing nations
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 21 – For want of a nail…the kingdom was lost, as the old proverb goes. For want of $100 billion, a …
Catalytic Capital | October 20, 2021
Deploying catalytic capital to bridge financing gaps for climate action
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 20 – Climate finance is on a roll. Climate finance is stuck. Both statements are true. Investors have poured record sums …
Personal Finance | October 19, 2021
How to ride the climate transition with more than a dozen exchange-traded funds
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 19 – Clean energy. Batteries. Smart grids. ESG funds and clean energy ETFs tracking elements of the climate transition took off in …
The Reconstruction | October 15, 2021
Call No. 32: Black tech, green solutions for the planet and the people
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 15 – Invest in climate action for the planet – and the people. “Climate change is a public health issue, it’s a …
Climate Finance | October 14, 2021
Yawning ‘ambition gap’ threatens global climate summit
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 14 – The International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook is full of stark warnings just 18 days before a make-or-break global …
Kenyan farmer | Photo credit: Jen Watson
Catalytic Capital | October 13, 2021
Researchers ready a dozen-plus deep dives into the complexities of catalytic capital
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 13 – Aceli Africa provides a first-loss cushion of up to 8% to lenders as a way to spur them to back …
General Motors's Mary Barra addresses investors on Wednesday at the GM Tech Center in Warren, Michigan. (Photo: Steve Fecht for General Motors)
Corporate Impact | October 7, 2021
The EV race is on as GM and Ford move to overtake Tesla
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 7 – GM will double its revenues by 2030 as it rolls out dozens of electric cars, trucks and delivery cars …
Photo credit: Elemental Excelerator
The Reconstruction | September 30, 2021
Elemental Excelerator’s climate-tech unicorns develop locally, deploy solutions globally
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 30 – Dawn Lippert wanted to help flip Hawaii green and wean it from dependence on fossil fuels. But the cleantech solutions …
Signals | September 29, 2021
Investors push companies to set science-based targets and obey the “carbon law”
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 29 – Global financial institutions holding nearly $30 trillion in assets are pushing Boeing, Alaska Air, Fedex, Duke Energy, Tata Steel …
Climate Finance | September 23, 2021
The sky-high value of cutting methane emissions is attracting policymakers – and investors
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 23 – Carbon dioxide has gotten most of the attention in the fight against climate change. But it is another compound, …
Climate Finance | September 22, 2021
China pledges to end (foreign) coal financing
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 22 – With less than six weeks until the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, global leaders are stirring to (modest) action. …
Climate Finance | September 21, 2021
On climate action, private investors urge governments to jump in (the water is warming)
ImpactAlpha. Sept. 21 – Many government leaders are being coy about their climate ambitions. Private funders are stepping up theirs. “My message here …
Photo credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger.
Climate Finance | September 21, 2021
‘Forest resilience bonds’ show an ounce of prevention can slow wildfires – and provide 4% returns
ImpactAlpha, September 21 — In a corner of the Tahoe National Forest in California that has escaped this year’s devastating wildfires, crews have …
An ad for Climate Week NYC in Brooklyn
Climate Finance | September 20, 2021
It’s Climate Week in New York as global leaders convene to bridge ‘the ambition gap.
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 20 – Climate Week NYC kicks off today with hundreds of sessions meant to showcase climate solutions – and spur action …
Conservation | September 14, 2021
Move over SPACs. Here come NACs to turn ecosystem services into tradable assets
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 14 – The New York Stock Exchange is seeking approval for a new kind of publicly traded asset based on the …
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 …
Climate Finance | September 8, 2021
Scaling nature investments to meet investor demand
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 8 – Conservation funds from Apple and L’Oréal launched in the last year will invest hundreds of millions in land and water …
Inclusive Economy | August 26, 2021
UK’s Nick Hurd on the “window of opportunity” for a green and inclusive transition
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 26 – Nick Hurd, the former MP and government minister, is heading the Impact Taskforce, created under the U.K.’s presidency of the …
Climate Finance | August 25, 2021
Is your fund serious about climate? Show me your scientists.
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 25 – Money is pouring into climate tech funds. Separating the serious players from fund managers only toying around the edges …
Five Cardinals Farm in Plainview, Va.
Signals | August 25, 2021
Steward revamps its ‘crowdfarming’ model with short term loans for sustainable farms
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 25 – Sustainable farmers are on the front lines of the fight to mitigate climate change. Yet agriculture funding is geared …
Climate Finance | August 12, 2021
Business leaders rally to U.S. infrastructure bill to mobilize capital for climate solutions
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 13 – Even before it is passed, the U.S. infrastructure bill is mobilizing private sector capital for climate solutions. Bill Gates’ …
Climate and Clean Tech | August 11, 2021
Infrastructure investments promise to move U.S. from climate pledges to progress
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 11 – Finally, it really is Infrastructure Week. The Senate’s passage of the $1 trillion package to shore up the nation’s …
Climate and Clean Tech | August 9, 2021
The climate catastrophe is nigh, and so are eight key climate solutions
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 9 – Southern Europe and the American west are burning. Northern Europe and central China have been ravaged by floods. And …
Signals | July 29, 2021
Green bonds or greenwashing? Growth of aquaculture poses risks for ocean health.
ImpactAlpha, July 29 – Mowi ASA, the Norwegian fish farming giant, raised €200 million from investors last year in what was the seafood industry’s …
Climate Finance | July 21, 2021
Breakthrough Energy planning “blended finance” fund to marshal billions for next-gen climate tech
ImpactAlpha, July 21 – The billionaire-backed Breakthrough Energy is preparing a blended finance fund to catalyze billions of dollars of investment to scale …
Innovative Finance | July 15, 2021
Sustainability-linked debt is giving more companies incentives to do the right things
ImpactAlpha, July 15 – Greece’s largest power utility put itself on the hook to reduce its carbon emissions with its €500 million ($591 million) …
Climate Finance | July 15, 2021
Carbon markets are set to expand in Europe and China
ImpactAlpha, July 15 – Prices on Europe’s carbon trading system jumped almost 5%, to €55, after the European Commission laid out plans to …
Impact Tech | July 14, 2021
Two dozen charts map the trajectory of sustainable finance, food, energy and mobility
ImpactAlpha, July 14 – San Francisco and London-based Generation Investment Management, the $36 billion investment firm founded by Al Gore and David Blood, has for …
photo: G20
Catalytic Capital | July 13, 2021
From COVID to climate, G20 countries look to catalyze capital for urgent action
ImpactAlpha, July 13 – The global effort on COVID vaccines does not bode well for the massive mobilization needed to avert climate catastrophe. …
Climate Finance | July 8, 2021
Bridging the funding gap for climate mitigation and adaptation in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, July 8 – Record-shattering heat and extreme weather are upping the urgency for climate action. On the front lines of climate disruption …
Agrifood Tech | July 7, 2021
Amid record heat, Equilibrium Capital raises $1 billion for second greenhouse fund
ImpactAlpha, July 7, 2021 – The heat wave made the case more starkly than could any investment pitch deck. In their offices in Portland, …
Climate and Clean Tech | July 6, 2021
Long coming but slow to arrive, fusion energy approaches a milestone on path to commercial deployment
In an old brick garage on an industrial street in Cambridge. Mass., a team of physicists and engineers are getting ready this month …
Jocotenango, Guatemala | Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash
Smallholder Agriculture | July 1, 2021
Impact investors step up to the migration challenge in Central America
ImpactAlpha, July 1 – The confluence in Central America of extreme weather events, gang violence, corruption, and poverty – exacerbated by COVID – is …
2030 Finance | June 24, 2021
What we know about Rockefeller Foundation’s grand ambitions for distributed energy
ImpactAlpha, June 24 – The Rockefeller and IKEA Foundations this week jointly announced a commitment of $1 billion for off-grid energy development in …
Stewardship | June 23, 2021
Engine No. 1’s VOTE ETF aims to wield shareholder power for E, S and G
ImpactAlpha, June 23 – Divest or engage? In the running debate over public-equities impact strategies, engagement is gaining ground. In the proxy season …
Signals | June 16, 2021
Wanted: safe, simple, scalable investments to drive capital to climate solutions
ImpactAlpha, June 17 – Fifteen years after An Inconvenient Truth alerted audiences to the climate crisis, the world is even closer to the …
Impact Management | June 8, 2021
Tallying the financial risks of biodiversity loss
ImpactAlpha, June 8 – Mandatory climate reporting is coming, as companies and governments coalesce around the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure. Just …
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” …
Andy Karsner | Photo credit: The Arctic Circle/YouTube
Signals | June 3, 2021
A third insurgent joins Exxon’s board
ImpactAlpha, June 3 – ExxonMobil chairman and CEO Darren Woods will face even more restive directors. The oil company said preliminary results showed Andy …
Stewardship | May 27, 2021
Victory for insurgents stuns Exxon as shareholders vote for a low-carbon future
ImpactAlpha, May 27 – In a single day, separate developments at ExxonMobil, Chevron and Shell sent an unmistakable signal to oil companies and investors: …
Exxon CEO Darren Woods | Photo credit: McDermid/Reuters/Newscom
Stewardship | May 26, 2021
Shareholders notch historic climate wins against Big Oil
ImpactAlpha, May 26 – Big Oil is taking a big climate beating from shareholders and in the courts today. A Dutch court ordered Royal …
Climate Finance | May 26, 2021
Exxon’s shareholder drama is only beginning of the endgame for oil giant
ImpactAlpha, May 26 – It’s showtime. ExxonMobil faces restive investors today in a test for CEO Darren Woods and his strategy for the …
Soil Heroes
Regeneration | May 20, 2021
Five ways family offices can unlock capital for regenerative agriculture
The investment momentum into regenerative agriculture is undeniable. In 2018, there was $49 million of investment capital going to companies in the space. …
Climate Finance | May 19, 2021
The world’s premier energy forecaster gets real
ImpactAlpha, May 19 – Reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 will take nothing short of a “transformation of how energy is produced, transported and …
Stewardship | May 18, 2021
Shareholders flex their muscles as the drama builds toward votes at ExxonMobil
ImpactAlpha, May 18 – Slowly and then all of a sudden, shareholders have management on the run in a series of proxy votes …
Climate Finance | May 18, 2021
Bitcoin’s energy consumption has crypto investors seeking green alternatives
ImpactAlpha, May 18 – Elon Musk sent the cryptocurrency world reeling last week when he backpedaled on Tesla’s offer to accept Bitcoin as payment …
Signals | May 6, 2021
Conservation of mangrove forests could get a boost from carbon credits
ImpactAlpha, May 6 – Farmers in Iowa and Illinois are getting $20 a ton for sequestering soil carbon. Tropical forests can collect $10 a …
Increase in global CO2 emissions
Climate Finance | April 28, 2021
That feeling when investors realize carbon is going to $100 a ton sooner than they expected
ImpactAlpha, April 28 – Carbon hasn’t attracted as much attention as GameStop or Bitcoin, but the price of a ton of CO2 topped …
Climate Finance | April 26, 2021
LEAF Coalition will pay for success in protecting tropical forests
ImpactAlpha, April, 26 – A global coalition of governments and corporations will pool funds to keep tropical forests intact. The Lowering Emissions by …
Image credit: Maurens, Dordogne/France
Clean Energy | April 22, 2021
2030 is the new 2050 as countries and companies compete on climate ambitions
ImpactAlpha, April 22 – Call it The Great Acceleration. Goals for cutting carbon emissions that seemed ambitious when the Paris Agreement was forged …
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 …
Signals | April 19, 2021
Overheard at the Island Finance Forum: Caribbean’s inclusive recovery
ImpactAlpha, April 19 — Volcanic eruptions in the Caribbean that have caused residents of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to flee their homes …
Figs on the tree
Climate Finance | April 16, 2021
Banks up their green finance ambitions
ImpactAlpha, April 16 – JPMorgan Chase and Citi – the biggest bankrollers of fossil fuels – unveiled new trillion-plus targets for sustainable financing …
Solar panels against a blue sky with a picture of the flag of Brazil
Climate Finance | April 12, 2021
Changing the climate for climate investments in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, April 12 – Energy-transition investment surged by 24% in developed nations last year. In emerging markets strained by the COVID pandemic, it …
Climate Finance | April 1, 2021
Stewardship challenge: How to press fundamental change at ExxonMobil?
ImpactAlpha, April 1 – Some climate-focused investors say they have dumped shares of ExxonMobil as they purge fossil fuel companies from their portfolios. …
Edisun Microgrids | Photo: Business Wire
Green Infrastructure | March 31, 2021
Transformation of electricity grids shows this isn’t your grandparents’ infrastructure upgrade
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 31 – The giant infrastructure investment plan to be unveiled by U.S. President Joe Biden today is expected to include as …
Climate Finance | March 25, 2021
With climate goals looming, gap grows between fossil fuel leaders and laggards
ImpactAlpha, March 25 – European oil and gas majors are leaving their North American counterparts behind. Total, Galp Energia, Equinor, BP and Royal …
Photo credit: ACRE Africa
Innovative Finance | March 22, 2021
Alt-credit and mobile-money apps give African fintechs a closeup view of climate risks – and opportunities
ImpactAlpha, March 22 – Financial technology firms have leveraged billions of data points across mobile phones and social media to transform loan underwriting across …
Climate Finance | March 10, 2021
Six financial innovations for a sustainable recovery in Africa, Asia and Latin America
ImpactAlpha, March 10 – Voluntary and mandatory carbon markets are starting to drive sustainable investments around the world. Energy Peace Partners’ Peace Renewable …
Jigar Shah | Photo credit: Miljøstiftelsen ZERO/Flickr
Clean Energy | March 4, 2021
Generate’s Jigar Shah tapped to rev up the Department of Energy’s loan office
ImpactAlpha, March 4 – The lending program, mostly moribund for the past four years, “is back in business,” declared Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. …
Climate Finance | March 4, 2021
Greening sovereign debt to tackle converging crises
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 4 – A majority of low-income countries may need to restructure their loans or seek fresh ones in a brewing sovereign …
Water | March 3, 2021
Net-zero means water, too, for corporations serious about climate risk
ImpactAlpha, March 3 – Investors and customers are pushing food, apparel, energy, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and mining companies to address water security along with …
Photo credit: Kuli Kuli
Call Recording | March 1, 2021
Call No. 27: Opportunities at the intersection of gender and climate
ImpactAlpha, March 1 – Capital is flowing to climate solutions. Climate bonds have topped $1 trillion. SPACs, or special purpose acquisition companies are …
Green Infrastructure | February 24, 2021
Postal Service misses an opportunity to modernize fleet with electric vehicles
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 24 – A contract to upgrade the U.S. postal agency’s 165,000 delivery trucks runs counter to the Biden administration’s effort to …
Climate Finance | February 18, 2021
Building a smart and resilient grid moves up the to-do list after Texas power failures
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 18 – The claim that frozen wind turbines caused Texas’ harrowing power outages turned out to be all hat, no cattle. …
Climate Finance | February 17, 2021
Farmers harvest ‘soil carbon’ to meet rising corporate demand for emission offsets
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 17 – Candidates in last year’s U.S. Senate race in Iowa were asked in a televised debate to cite the clearing …
WIC Capital portfolio company E-Cover, which recycles used tires
Gender Smart | February 9, 2021
Mapping the climate edge for gender investors – and vice versa
ImpactAlpha, February 9 – A women-led, women-backed investment fund in Dakar, Senegal is getting an environmental bonus from the women entrepreneurs it supports. A …
Conservation | February 4, 2021
Biodiversity is the new climate change
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 4 – Nature is an asset – and we are failing as asset managers. That was the stark message of a …
Climework's 'Orca' carbon cature plant in Iceland is expected to begin operating later this year.
Climate Finance | February 2, 2021
Microsoft emerges as a major customer for captured carbon
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 2 – The software giant paid an average of $20 per ton for up 1.3 million metric tons of carbon removal …
Policy Corner | January 28, 2021
Say it again: climate action means job creation
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 28 – President Biden marked his first week in office with 30 executive orders aimed at tackling the climate emergency. “Today …
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 …
Climate Finance | 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 …
Frontier and Growth Markets | 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 …
Oceans | 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 …
Policy Corner | 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 …
Room full of flying books
Corporate Impact | 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 …
Climate Finance | January 5, 2021
What if they threw an Arctic oil auction and no one came?
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 5 – The Trump administration tomorrow will unseal bids for drilling rights on more than a million acres of pristine land …
Climate Finance | January 4, 2021
The surprising climate carveouts in the U.S. spending package
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 4 – President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to ramp up the U.S. response to climate change. The massive spending and stimulus …
Climate Finance | 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 …
Impact Voices
Impact Voices | January 11, 2022
Energy Impact Partners builds a tech portfolio for the low-carbon transition
At EIP, the entire investment focus of our coalition is accelerating the clean energy transition. For our 33 coalition partners, which include utilities, …
Acumen's Jacqueline Novogratz | Photo credit: Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit/AFP
Impact Voices | January 6, 2022
To address climate inequality, we need innovative finance solutions
Developed countries received $60 billion more in clean energy investments last year than developing countries according to a recent BloombergNEF survey. Poorer countries …
Impact Voices | November 22, 2021
The right capital in the right place at the right time can take climate impact beyond ‘net zero’
Since COP26 was gaveled to a close earlier this month, a flurry of hot takes and deeply considered critiques have interrogated Mark Carney’s …
Impact Voices | November 1, 2021
International cooperation and open data are key to a just transition away from fossil fuels
This week, 196 countries are gathering in Glasgow for the long-awaited COP26 climate summit. They will work to deliver on their Paris Agreement …
Photo credit: Getty
Climate Finance | September 9, 2021
Letter from New Orleans: Climate risk is business risk, and opportunity
Consider these statements: “Climate Risk Is Investment Risk.” “The climate crisis poses enormous financial risk to investment managers, asset owners, and businesses. These …
Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash
Climate Finance | August 25, 2021
Investing in climate-smart farms to accelerate the net-zero transition
In case you haven’t seen the headlines – or haven’t experienced the extreme weather events yourself – climate change is here. In the …
Impact Voices | August 18, 2021
Modeling long-term emissions reductions to drive climate tech investments now
The increasing flow of capital into climate solutions offers a chance to avoid the most catastrophic climate scenarios. Increased investor focus on modeling …
Impact Voices | July 26, 2021
The case for a ‘Volcker Shock’ for climate
Contemporary efforts to grapple with the climate crisis almost all come with mid-twentieth century branding: a ‘Green New Deal,’ a ‘climate moonshot,’ a …
10kw wind turbine at Argonne National Laboratory | Photo credit: Science in HD on Unsplash
Impact Voices | June 7, 2021
Yes, impact-first catalytic capital is still needed for early-stage climate solutions
Climate technologies have become better and more affordable. Renewable energy can compete on cost with power from coal and natural-gas plants. The improving …
Image credit: FloodMapp
Impact Voices | June 3, 2021
For climate adaptation solutions, think smaller, local and experimental
This summer, drivers in Virginia’s coastal communities will have a new way to avoid hazardous flood zones generated by climate change. It’s not …
Santiago, Chile
2030 Finance | June 3, 2021
E-buses are accelerating e-mobility in Latin America
ImpactAlpha, June 3 – Fleets of zero-emission electric buses operating in Latin America were once a distant dream, especially for city dwellers commuting to …
Conservation | April 28, 2021
Who’s going to pay? Due diligence in conservation finance starts with the offtake agreement
Venture capitalists in many sectors have developed robust due-diligence practices. The conservation finance community and its catalytic investors are still learning what works. …
Impact Management | March 24, 2021
Despite climate pledges, Goldman Sachs continues fracking finance
Photo by Sobrevolando Patagonia
Photo credit: Farmcrowdy
Africa | March 24, 2021
African agtech is boosting yields, protecting resources and raising incomes
ImpactAlpha, March 24 – Field drones. Harvesting robots. Big Data-driven farm insights. Innovative technological applications in agriculture can have a profound impact on farmers’ …
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 …
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 …
Impact Voices | 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 …
Impact Voices | December 21, 2020
Financing for climate adaptation can drive Africa’s economic development and climate goals
Power is critical to Africa’s development. At least 600 million people across the continent that don’t have access to affordable and reliable power. …
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 …
2030 Finance | July 28, 2020
The world is arriving at where climate investors have long been
ImpactAlpha, July 28 – Much has been written about the link between Covid and the environment, and how Covid will prompt a new …
Catalytic Capital | June 25, 2020
Building a better post-COVID food system with investments in small businesses in developing economies
COVID-19 is – and will continue to have – a huge impact on global food and nutrition security. On the supply side, restrictions …
Asia | May 6, 2020
Helping circular economy startups in emerging markets scale their impact
The COVID-19 crisis has put into stark contrast the need for increased investment in solutions like better resilience, local job creation, affordable healthcare, …
2030 Finance | April 16, 2020
Make new mistakes: Learning from the history of climate change to tackle the COVID challenge
The global experience – and response – to COVID19 is the latest example of history repeating itself. Very rarely have we experienced events …
2030 Finance | March 2, 2020
Catalyzing capital to develop carbontech for gigaton-scale CO2 removal
The pace of international carbon dioxide emissions reduction is insufficient to limit global average temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius. Even with rapid …
2030 Finance | February 18, 2020
Listen to customers, not hypesters, about the impact of energy access
Few would dispute that for many of the 840 million people without access to electricity globally, off-grid solutions will be essential to improving …
Africa | January 23, 2020
Blending philanthropic, public and private capital to finance climate infrastructure in emerging economies
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 23 – The Climate Finance Partnership, announced this week at the World Economic Forum, showcases the catalytic power of philanthropic and public …
Beats | November 19, 2019
“Sandboxes for nature” could speed up environmental innovation
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 19 – Regulatory sandboxes are relatively new tools that provide a special exemption from standard regulation—usually in the fintech and energy …
Catalytic Capital | October 30, 2019
Getting smart about subsidies to bridge the agricultural financing gap
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 30 – The latest data suggests that financial service providers are supplying about $70 billion to rural agricultural households around the …
2030 Finance | October 15, 2019
Climate-smart private equity investors take leadership in Africa
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 15 – Climate change poses an existential threat to our societies. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Africa – the …
Agrifood Tech | October 10, 2019
Investing with a ‘nutrition lens’ to drive progress on the Sustainable Development Goals
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 10 – Poor nutrition is an untrenched global challenge that impacts many of the 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Solving it …
2030 Finance | September 16, 2019
Investments in sustainable aquaculture point to a greener ‘blue economy’
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 16 – Aquaculture has emerged as a vital alternative to wild-caught fish, a major source of the world’s protein, as ocean …
Catalytic Capital | April 10, 2019
Key ingredient in the blended-finance blend: revenues
ImpactAlpha, April 10 – As the term “blended finance” increasingly becomes part of the global development vernacular, the phrase is popping up in …
Catalytic Capital | January 14, 2019
How Ceniarth is seeking higher impact on rural livelihoods – while preserving its own capital
ImpactAlpha, January 14 – Last summer, Diane Isenberg, founder of our family office Ceniarth, went public in ImpactAlpha with our firm’s pledge to …
Catalytic Capital | December 6, 2018
Changing climate means growing demand for ‘adaptation finance’
A mismatch between the growing climate crises and underinvestment in mitigation solutions such as renewable energy means more investment will be needed to …
2030 Finance | August 29, 2018
Foundations collaborate on catalytic financing to accelerate climate action
Climate change entrepreneurs and fund managers are developing innovative solutions to worldwide challenges. But too often, promising efforts languish on the drawing board …
Impact Tech | June 19, 2018
Technology ventures aim to tackle challenges of the world’s small farmers, too
Farmers have not been passively watching the technology revolution for the last 20 years. Yet most technical advances have targeted commercial farmers in …
Photo credit: Johnny Brown
2030 Finance | April 4, 2018
How investors can get the most climate-change impact for their bucks
By Scott P. Burger, Alicia Seiger, and Sarah Kearney ImpactAlpha, Apr. 4, 2018 –– By 2050, experts say, the world economy needs to …
2030 Finance | March 23, 2018
As shareholders get active on climate, the SEC lets companies duck votes
Many impact investors posit that holding positions in public companies leads to positive impact because of the ability to pressure management through shareholder …
Dealflow
Photo courtesy of Prashanth Vishwanathan, Flickr.
Green Infrastructure | January 25, 2022
Green infrastructure fund raises $741 million for renewable energy and efficiency in India
ImpactAlpha, January 25 — The Green Growth Equity Fund will be managed by Mumbai-based EverSource Capital, a joint venture between Indian private equity …
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. …
Photo credit: Krishi Jagran.
Smallholder Agriculture | January 19, 2022
Arya raises $60 million to expand agri-commerce for India’s smallholder farmers
ImpactAlpha, January 19 – Arya helps India’s smallholder farmers transport and store their crops and provides working capital until they sell their crops. …
Photo credit: Gogoro.
Smart Cities | January 19, 2022
Engine No. 1 backs Taiwanese electric scooter maker Gogoro
ImpactAlpha, January 19 – Taipei-based Gogoro builds zero-emission and electric smartscooters with swappable batteries. It recently brought its battery swapping stations to mainland …
Photo credit: Ubiquitous Energy.
Climate Finance | January 18, 2022
Ubiquitous Energy scores $30 million for solar-powered windows
ImpactAlpha, January 18 — Redwood City, Calif.-based Ubiquitous Energy was founded in 2011 by MIT and Michigan State University scientists and engineers looking …
The BlocPower team | Photo credit: BlocPower.
Climate Finance | January 18, 2022
BlocPower secures $30 million from Microsoft to retrofit old city buildings
ImpactAlpha, January 18 — Brooklyn-based BlocPower has worked with utilities, government agencies and property owners to retrofit more than 1,200 buildings for low- …
Community Finance | January 15, 2022
Solar proves a pathway for private capital to flow into low-income communities
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 13 – The race is on to install solar panels, lay in chargers for electric vehicles and retrofit housing for energy …
Photo credit: Prevented Ocean Plastic Southeast Asia.
Climate Finance | January 13, 2022
Circulate Capital aims to build plastic waste recycling infrastructure in underserved Indonesia
ImpactAlpha, January 13 — Indonesia generates around 7.8 million tons of plastic waste annually. 4.9 million tons of plastic waste is mismanaged — uncollected, …
Photo credit: Silicon Ranch.
Dealflow | January 11, 2022
Silicon Ranch secures $775 million for clean energy in rural communities
ImpactAlpha, January 11 — Nashville-based Silicon Ranch provides clean energy, carbon and battery storage for rural communities in the U.S. and Canada, with …
photo: Steppinstars, Pixabay
Dealflow | January 10, 2022
Blackstone injects $3 billion into Invenergy to expand clean energy projects
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 10 – Mega funds are hunting for mega opportunities, we wrote in our lookahead at climate finance in 2022. Now comes Blackstone Infrastructure …
Photo credit: World Orgs.
Climate Finance | January 10, 2022
Roadrunner raises $70 million from General Atlantic to manage waste and recycling
ImpactAlpha, January 10 — Roadrunner Recycling’s technology can predict waste generation and size companies’ storage and recycling needs. The Philadelphia-based company claims to …
Photo credit: mPower Technology.
Climate Finance | January 6, 2022
Cottonwood Technology Fund raises $75 million for deeptech impact
ImpactAlpha, January 6 — Santa Fe, N.M.-based impact venture fund Cottonwood Technology Fund received backing from more than 40 new LPs from the …
Photo credit: LanzaTech.
Climate Finance | January 6, 2022
Carbon recycler LanzaTech is looking to go public
ImpactAlpha, January 6 — LanzaTech captures industrial carbon emissions and converts it into sustainable fuel and chemicals to make materials such as textile, …
Doron Myersdorf | Photo credit: StoreDot.
Impact Investing | January 5, 2022
Israel’s StoreDot secures $60 million for ‘extreme fast charging’ EV batteries
ImpactAlpha, January 5 — Tel Aviv-based StoreDot, launched in 2012, set out to prove its Li-ion battery technology can charge a vehicle in …
Photo credit: Ambercycle.
Impact Investing | January 5, 2022
Ambercycle scores $21.6 million to recycle textile waste
ImpactAlpha, January 5 — More than half of all garments are thrown out within a year. L.A.-based Ambercycle converts end-of-life textile waste into …
Photo credit: TIPA.
Climate Finance | January 4, 2022
Tipa raises $70 million for compostable plastic packaging
ImpactAlpha, January 4 — The global market for waste management could reach more than $700 billion by 2030. Helping get the ball rolling …
Photo credit: Community Energy Solar.
Climate Finance | December 22, 2021
AES Corp. acquires Community Energy Solar
ImpactAlpha, December 22 — The deal provides an exit for SJF Ventures, a Durham, N.C.-based impact manager that invested in Community Energy Solar’s …
Photo credit: AllAfrica.com
Climate Finance | December 21, 2021
Ford Foundation commits $3 million to support natural resource governance in West Africa
ImpactAlpha, December 21 — Extraction of metals, minerals and fossil fuels in West Africa has hurt local economies, exacerbated environmental problems and contributed …
Photo credit: MAX.
Climate Finance | December 21, 2021
Nigeria’s MAX secures $31 million to upgrade ride-hailing drivers in Africa
ImpactAlpha, December 21 — Lagos-based MAX offers drivers subscriptions to packages that include low to zero-emission vehicles, healthcare, insurance, maintenance and e-hailing apps. …
Photo credit: UNOPS.
Climate Finance | December 20, 2021
Ares raises $2.2 billion for climate infrastructure investments
ImpactAlpha, December 24 — Ares Climate Infrastructure Partners Fund secured $1.4 billion in commitments to provide equity, preferred equity and structured debt for …
Photo credit: Global Recycling.
Climate Finance | December 20, 2021
UBQ Materials raises $170 million to produce thermoplastics from waste
ImpactAlpha, December 20 — Nearly three-quarters of the more than 2 billion tons of municipal solid waste produced each year ends up in …
Illustration by Amelia Bates/Grist.
Climate Finance | December 16, 2021
Carbon America scores $30 million to capture and sequester carbon
ImpactAlpha, December 16 — Arvada, Colo.-based Carbon America provides development, financing and management services for carbon capture and sequestration project partners. “Carbon Capture …
Climate and Clean Tech | December 15, 2021
Harley-Davidson rides into electric future with LiveWire spin-off
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 15 – Another icon of the fossil fuel-era is spinning off a “ReNewCo” to reap the rich valuations and easy access …
A renewable natural gas plant | Photo credit: Shutterstock.
Climate Finance | December 15, 2021
Generate backs Amp Americas to convert dairy waste into renewable natural gas
ImpactAlpha, December 15 — Chicago-based Amp Americas builds and manages anaerobic digesters to convert dairy waste into renewable natural gas, while reducing emissions …
Photo credit: Toyota.
Clean Energy | December 15, 2021
An EV laggard, Toyota commits $35 billion to all-electric vehicles by 2030
ImpactAlpha, December 15 — Automakers GM and Ford are embracing the all-electric future. Toyota is raising its game more modestly, announcing it will …
Photo Credit: Tomorrow.io.
Climate Finance | December 14, 2021
Weather forecasting company Tomorrow.io to go public via SPAC
ImpactAlpha, December 14 — Weather disasters in the U.S. caused more than $100 billion in damages last year. Boston-based Tomorrow.io, formerly ClimaCell, uses …
Photo credit: Shutterstock.
Climate Finance | December 9, 2021
‘Community Choice’ raises $2.2 billion with clean energy bonds in California
ImpactAlpha, December 9 — San Francisco Bay Area-based California Community Choice Financing Authority was set up earlier this year to help energy suppliers …
Photo credit: BP.
Climate Finance | December 9, 2021
BP buys Amply to expand EV charging in the U.S.
ImpactAlpha, December 9 — If U.S. oil majors won’t help electrify transportation at home, the Europeans will. BP’s acquisition of Amply Power will …
Photo: courtesy U-Konserve.
Climate Finance | December 8, 2021
Circulate Capital backs three U.S. biotech and recycling startups
ImpactAlpha, December 8 — Singapore-based Circulate Capital’s Disrupt fund made its first investments in Arzeda, a Seattle-based biotech company that develops healthy and …
Conventional and renewable energy generation
Clean Energy | December 7, 2021
Oil and gas investor Lime Rock Partners raises $375 million for clean energy
ImpactAlpha, December 7 – Amid a frenzy of big-ticket climate deals and energy-transition funds, oil and gas investor Lime Rock raised less than …
Photo credit: Seaborg
Climate and Clean Tech | December 7, 2021
Denmark’s Hyme raises $12 million to store energy in ‘molten salt’
ImpactAlpha, December 7 – Copenhagen-based nuclear startup Seaborg Technologies, which is developing molten salt reactors as part of a new wave of nuclear …
Climate Finance | December 2, 2021
Chris Sacca eyes new fusion and carbon capture funds to address “petro-orgy.”
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 2 – Sacca’s Lowercarbon Capital raised $800 million in August for four climate-focused funds. Now the Silicon Valley investor is looking …
photo: Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Climate and Clean Tech | December 1, 2021
Commonwealth Fusion raises $1.8 billion for a clean energy game-changer
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 1 – Fusion satisfies two cravings of climate investors: for a silver bullet to solve the zero-carbon energy challenge and for …
Photo credit: Belmont Metals.
circulareconomy | December 1, 2021
Breakthrough Energy Ventures backs metal recycler Sortera Alloys
ImpactAlpha, December 1 — Aluminum, an essential material for construction and transportation, is responsible for 1.1 billion metric tons of carbon emissions each …
Photo credit: Food52.
Dealflow | November 29, 2021
Impossible Foods raises $500 million for plant-based products and global expansion
ImpactAlpha, November 29 — Redwood City, Calif.-based Impossible Foods is leveraging “the power of the food system to satisfy consumers and fight climate …
Photo credit: Arc.
Clean Energy | November 29, 2021
Arc secures $30 million to electrify boats
ImpactAlpha, November 29 — Watercraft in the U.S. are responsible for over 40 million metric tons of carbon per year. L.A.-based Arc aims …
Photo: David McNew/Getty Images.
Climate Finance | November 24, 2021
Kettle secures $25 million to provide wildfire reinsurance for Californians
ImpactAlpha, November 24 — San Francisco-based Kettle is looking to fill a gap in the $400 billion-a-year reinsurance industry: accurately pinpointing and underwriting …
Photo by Willie Davis/Con Edison.
Climate Finance | November 24, 2021
A $55 million credit facility will help Urban Energy develop community solar in NYC
ImpactAlpha, November 24 — Brooklyn-based solar developer Urban Energy is accelerating clean distributed energy for the city’s buildings, which account for over 70% …
Photo credit: Navajo Power
Catalytic Capital | November 22, 2021
Navajo Power secures $9.5 million to provide clean electricity for Navajo Nation
ImpactAlpha, November 22 — Navajo Nation, which spans more than 27,000 miles in northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Utah, is home …
Photo credit: SmallBizClub
Climate Finance | November 22, 2021
Farmers Business Network rakes in $300 million to scale up agtech platform
ImpactAlpha, November 22 — Farmers Business Network has a network of over 33,000 farmers managing 80 million acres in North America and Australia. …
Photo credit: Oceano Fresco.
aqua-spark | November 18, 2021
Aqua-Spark backs sustainable seafood Portuguese company Oceano Fresco
ImpactAlpha, November 18 — Oceano Fresco’s open-sea aqua farm in Portugal grows clams, particularly those at risk of extinction. Aqua-Spark, a sustainable aquaculture …
Impact Investing | November 18, 2021
Evergrow raises $7 million to provide offtake and funding for carbon reduction projects
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 18 – San Francisco-based Evergrow will act as an intermediary, pooling capital from institutional investors to provide “long term, bankable offtake …
Catalytic Capital | November 17, 2021
Climate Fund Managers raises $675 million for green blended finance fund
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 17 – The Dutch fund manager reached a first close towards a $1 billion target for Climate Investor Two, its second blended …
Spring Lane invested in composting company Atlas Organics
Green Infrastructure | November 17, 2021
Spring Lane Capital reaches $151 million first close for its second sustainable infrastructure fund
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 17 – The Boston and Montreal-based private equity firm is looking to raise $400 million to support food & ag, energy, …
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: Bioenergy Devco.
Clean Energy | November 15, 2021
Bioenergy Devco secures $100 million to reduce organic waste and produce clean energy
ImpactAlpha, November 15 — Annapolis, Md.-based Bioenergy Devco uses anaerobic digestion to produce renewable natural gas and sustainable fertilizer for plants while sequestering …
Illustration by The One Brief.
Corporate Impact | November 15, 2021
Energy Impact Partners raises more than $1 billion for its second fund
ImpactAlpha, November 15 — New York-based Energy Impact Partners scored commitments from Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, media conglomerate Cox Enterprises and utilities Southern …
Photo credit: Revel.
Climate Finance | November 10, 2021
Inspiration secures $200 million from ArcLight to help commercial fleets go electric
ImpactAlpha, November 10 — Washington, D.C.-based Inspiration, launched this year, provides financing, leasing and charging infrastructure services for companies looking to electrify and …
Photo credit: TOM TRAMBOW.
Climate Finance | November 10, 2021
European Investment Bank and Allianz Global target €500 million for climate fund
ImpactAlpha, November 10 — Allianz Global, the €633 billion ($733.9 billion) asset management arm of German financial services company Allianz, teamed up with …
Photo credit: Edgar Su.
Climate Finance | November 9, 2021
Spain’s EDP Renewables acquires majority stake in Sunseap Group
ImpactAlpha, November 9 — EDP Renewables, a Madrid-based global renewable energy producer, acquired an 87.4% stake in the Singapore-based distributed solar company. Sunseap’s …
Photo credit: Helion Energy.
Climate Finance | November 8, 2021
Helion Energy rakes in $500 million to (really) generate fusion energy
ImpactAlpha, November 8 — The half-billion dollar investment, the largest ever investment for a private fusion venture, reflects growing confidence the clean energy …
Dealflow | November 4, 2021
Lightsmith Group and Village Capital seek to accelerate small-business climate-adaptation solutions
ImpactAlpha, November 4 – The Lightsmith Group and Village Capital are partnering on Adaptation SME Accelerator Project, backed by the Global Environment Facility, …
Photo credit: Hannah Pye.
Climate Finance | November 3, 2021
ReGen Ventures raises $20 million for regenerative climate solutions
ImpactAlpha, November 3 — ReGen Ventures, Australian early-stage venture firm launched early last year, is looking for regenerative ventures aiming to reverse the …
Stephan Feilhauer and Francis O’Sullivan. Photo credit: Builders Private Capital.
Climate Finance | November 1, 2021
Builders Private Capital stands up $300 million clean energy fund
ImpactAlpha, November 1 — Chicago-based Builders Private Capital is the direct investment arm of Builders Vision, an impact group founded by Lukas Walton, …
Illustration by Adam Simpson.
Climate Finance | October 28, 2021
Persefoni scores $101 million to expand its carbon management platform
ImpactAlpha, October 28 — Tempe, Ariz.-based Persefoni’s software helps institutional investors and other financial institutions measure, forecast and report on their carbon footprint. …
Dealflow | October 27, 2021
Generation stands up Just Climate for capital-intensive climate solutions
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 28 – Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, Ireland Strategic Investment Fund and Harvard Management Co. are among the founding …
Photo credit: Adobe Stock.
Climate and Clean Tech | October 26, 2021
Investors ramp up climate tech investments ahead of COP26
ImpactAlpha, October 26 — Venture capital investors poured $16 billion into climate tech startups in the first half of 2021. They’re padding the …
Photo credit: Ayana
2030 Finance | October 25, 2021
CDC Group invests $70 million in BP-backed climate fund for India
ImpactAlpha, October 25 – Momentum behind green infrastructure is growing in India, even though the country has yet to update its ‘nationally determined …
Photo credit: H3 Dynamics
Dealflow | October 25, 2021
Singapore’s H3 Dynamics closes $26 million for hydrogen-powered air cargo and logistics
ImpactAlpha, October 25 – H3 Dynamics is the latest hydrogen-fuel startup to secure investor backing in the race to green the aviation industry. …
Photo credit: Offshore Technology.
Climate Finance | October 20, 2021
CarbonCapture secures $35 million to suck carbon from the atmosphere
ImpactAlpha, October 20 — Direct air capture technology that can remove billions of tons of carbon from the atmosphere may be critical in …
Photo credit: Construction Review.
Dealflow | October 18, 2021
Actis’ sustainable energy infrastructure fund raises $4.7 billion
ImpactAlpha, October 18 — London-based Actis has raised $19 billion since 2004 for private equity, energy and real estate investments. The new fund, …
Photo credit: Life & Thyme.
Dealflow | October 18, 2021
Smallhold secures $25 million to grow organic mushrooms in local warehouses
ImpactAlpha, October 18 — Consumers are demanding locally-grown and climate-friendly food options. Brooklyn-based Smallhold is growing organic mushrooms in local warehouses for nearby …
Founders David Snydacker, Nick Goldberg, Tom Wilson. Photo credit: Lilac Solutions.
Climate Finance | October 12, 2021
Lilac Solutions raises $150 million to ramp up low-carbon lithium production
ImpactAlpha, October 12 — Electric vehicle and battery makers are facing a shortage of lithium, an essential element for production. Most of the …
Smallholder Agriculture | October 7, 2021
Tazah raises $2 million to connect Pakistan’s farmers to small food retailers
ImpactAlpha, October 7 – Tazah wants to streamline Pakistan’s $60 billion food supply chain and help farmers secure better prices by cutting out …
Photo credit: DroneSeed.
Climate Finance | October 5, 2021
Reforestation startup DroneSeed raises $36 million for rapid wildfire recovery
ImpactAlpha, October 5 — Seattle-based DroneSeed works on reforestation projects with government agencies, timber companies and nonprofits such as The Nature Conservancy. The …
Photo credit: Fluence.
Climate Finance | October 4, 2021
Fluence Energy seeks to ride the energy storage boom in public offering
ImpactAlpha, October 4 — Storage for wind, solar and other renewable energy sources is critical for a more reliable grid. The market for …
Climate Finance | September 30, 2021
Innovative mechanisms aim to crack the tough nuts of climate finance
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 30 – At this point, solar power, electric vehicles and optimization software are the low-hanging fruits. More difficult: funding sustainable infrastructure …
Photo credit: ColdHubs
Dealflow | September 29, 2021
Africa Eats crowdfunds capital to strengthen Africa’s food supply chains
ImpactAlpha, September 29 – Impact accelerator program Fledge last year launched Africa Eats to back promising startups in Africa that are strengthening the …
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: Lightyear.
Clean Energy | September 28, 2021
Lightyear raises $110 million for solar-powered electric vehicles
ImpactAlpha, September 28 — Electric-vehicle makers are looking for an edge. Lightyear is counting on a built-in solar panel on the roof. Lightyear …
Photo credit: ReelFruit
Dealflow | September 28, 2021
Alitheia backs Nigerian agri-processing venture ReelFruit
ImpactAlpha, September 28 – ReelFruit sources produce from local farmers for dried fruit snacks. The Lagos-based company’s $3 million Series A round will …
PHOTO BY KEVIN FRAYER, GETTY IMAGES.
Dealflow | September 27, 2021
Ara Partners fund secures $1.1 billion to decarbonize the industrial sector
ImpactAlpha, September 27 — Ara Fund II will focus on buyouts and growth investment in companies in industrial and manufacturing, chemicals and materials, …
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 …
Photo credit: gnuGrid
Clean Energy | September 23, 2021
Uganda’s gnuGrid pivots from solar data to financial data
ImpactAlpha, September 23 – Kampala-based gnuGrid launched in 2019 as a data and payments intermediary for home solar providers and microgrid operators and …
Photo credit: The Nature Conservancy.
Conservation | September 21, 2021
Bezos Earth Fund commits $1 billion in grants to nature conservation
ImpactAlpha, September 22 — Bezos Earth Fund will begin deploying the capital this year to conserve and expand high-carbon stocks in Africa’s Congo …
Photo credit: H2Haul.
Corporate Impact | September 21, 2021
Citi Impact Fund adds seven new investments
ImpactAlpha, September 22 — Citi Impact Fund launched last year to invest in companies addressing workforce development, financial inclusion, sustainable energy and water …
Dealflow | September 21, 2021
Steward raises $8.8 million to expand online lending for sustainable farms
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 21 – Steward pools investments from individuals to provide capital to sustainably run farms, fisheries, and food producers. Since it was …
Photo credit: Arcadia
Dealflow | September 20, 2021
Arcadia raises $100 million to spur U.S. demand for community solar
ImpactAlpha, September 20 – Arcadia is on a mission to accelerate community solar in the U.S. The Washington, D.C.-based energy access company matches …
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: FortuneBuilders.
Climate Finance | September 15, 2021
Measurabl raises $50 million to help real estate investors measure for ESG
ImpactAlpha, September 15 — Global real estate investors are increasingly looking to implement environmental, social and governance initiatives in their investments and portfolios. …
Photo credit: Marvelous Foods.
Climate Finance | September 15, 2021
Lever VC secures $80 million alternative protein fund
ImpactAlpha, September 16 — The alternative meat market will grow by 28% a year and reach $85 billion by 2030, UBS forecasts. Plant-based …
Photo credit: Hexagon Geospatial.
Dealflow | September 14, 2021
The Nature Conservancy and Timberland Investment Group team up to scale forest conservation
ImpactAlpha, September 14 — The Nature Conservancy and Timberland Investment Group are seeking to bridge the gap between demand from institutional investors for …
Photo credit: Solarise Africa.
Climate Finance | September 13, 2021
Solarise Africa secures $5.9 million in debt financing from Trine
ImpactAlpha, September 14 — Nairobi-based Solarise provides financing for clean energy partners in Africa to design, build and maintain commercial and industrial solar …
Photo credit: Zero Waste Recycling.
Climate Finance | September 13, 2021
Impact Engine joins Mosaic on Zero Waste Recycling employee-ownership deal
ImpactAlpha, September 13 — Chicago-based Impact Engine is investing in employee-owned firms as a means to bridging wealth gaps (for context, see “These …
Photo credit: Solugen
Climate and Clean Tech | September 12, 2021
Solugen raises $357 million to decarbonize chemicals
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 12 – The chemicals industry – think fertilizers, detergents, water treatments – is the third-largest producer of global carbon emissions. By replacing …
Photo credit: Elemental Excelerator
Climate Finance | September 8, 2021
Elemental Excelerator spins out Earthshot Ventures with $60 million for inclusive climate tech
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 8 – Honolulu-based Elemental has built a track record over the past decade backing entrepreneurs like BlocPower’s Donnel Baird and ChargerHelp’s Kameale …
Oceans | September 8, 2021
Trio of climate funds launch ahead of fall climate summits
ImpactAlpha, September 8 – Climate action is in the air. Three new climate-focused funds debuted this week ahead of this month’s Climate Week …
Photo credit: Agricycle.
Conservation | September 7, 2021
Agricycle raises $2.4 million to repurpose food waste from smallholder farmers in Africa
ImpactAlpha, September 7 — Obstacles to the global market mean many smallholder farmers without adequate storage throw away large portions of their crops. …
Photo credit: VegNews.
Climate Finance | September 2, 2021
Plantible scores $21.5 million for duckweed-based protein
ImpactAlpha, September 2 — The San Diego-based company’s indoor aqua farms grow lemna, more commonly known as duckweed, which it harvests daily to …
Photo credit: Power Technology.
Dealflow | August 31, 2021
Energy Vault secures $100 million for gravity energy storage
ImpactAlpha, August 31 — The California- and Swiss-based developer works with utility and energy companies on energy storage solutions to complement solar and …
Photo credit: JOLT.
Dealflow | August 30, 2021
BlackRock takes a stake in JOLT to accelerate electric vehicle adoption in Australia
ImpactAlpha, August 30 — Australia is way behind in the global electric vehicle race. Sydney-based JOLT believes it can accelerate EV adoption with …
Jacqueline van den Ende. Photo credit: Carbon Equity.
Dealflow | August 30, 2021
Carbon Equity secures €1.2 million to lower minimums for private climate investing
ImpactAlpha, August 30 — “The vast majority of innovation and transformation concerning climate change will happen in private markets,” says Carbon Equity’s Jacqueline …
FlexGen grid energy storage systems
Climate Finance | August 26, 2021
Apollo backs FlexGen with $150 million to expand grid energy storage
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 26 – Energy storage helps address the challenges of intermittency and reliability created by the growth of renewable power generation. The Durham, …
Photo credit: UK Investor Magazine.
2030 Finance | August 26, 2021
Gresham House sustainable forest fund raises $175 million
ImpactAlpha, August 26 — Investors are starting to stockpile carbon as prices per ton curve upward (see, “Forget crypto: Here’s how to play …
Photo credit: TartanSense
Smallholder Agriculture | August 26, 2021
Robotics company TartanSense secures $5 million to help India’s farmers automate field tasks
ImpactAlpha, August 26 – Agriculture suffers from a worldwide labor shortage that has been exacerbated by the global pandemic. Bangalore-based TartanSense is developing …
Green Infrastructure | August 25, 2021
Urbint secures $60 million to prevent critical infrastructure failures
ImpactAlpha, August 25 – Investing in the improvement and climate-resilience of America’s aging infrastructure is the hot private-sector opportunity, particularly in light of …
Photo credit: Great River Energy
Long-termism | August 24, 2021
Form Energy scores backing from TPG’s $5.4 billion climate fund
ImpactAlpha, August 24 – Form Energy recently declared a breakthrough for its iron and air-based battery that will enable renewable energy projects to …
Photo credit: Benzinga.
Climate Finance | August 24, 2021
Regrow secures $17 million to help farmers monetize carbon reductions
ImpactAlpha, August 24 — “Implementing and scaling responsible, sustainable agricultural practices is the most actionable strategy we can take to reverse climate change,” …
Photo credit: Nexamp.
Climate Finance | August 19, 2021
Community solar developer Nexamp secures $680 million in debt and equity financing
ImpactAlpha, August 19 — The Boston, Mass.-based company, led by a pair of U.S. Army veterans, develops and manages solar-energy storage for approximately …
photo: Lowercarbon Capital
Climate Finance | August 16, 2021
Chris Sacca’s Lowercarbon Capital raises $800 million for climate tech
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 16 – It’s the first time Lowercarbon, run by Sacca, his wife Crystal Sacca and Clay Dumas, has taken in outside …
Podcasts
Impact Investing | January 19, 2022
Institutional Shift: ‘Net-zero’ becomes ‘uh-oh’ and other sustainability trends to watch in 2022 (podcast)
Getting to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions is going to mean a deep re-engineering of every industry, every corporation, every community, Equilibrium Capital’s Dave …
Full Cycle's Stephan Nicoleau
The Reconstruction | September 20, 2021
The Reconstruction: Redressing the past with climate-smart infrastructure for a just transition
ImpactAlpha, Sept 20 – Infrastructure is highways and bridges. And hospitals and airports; broadband, clean water, plumbing and electricity. And it all needs …
Climate Finance | August 17, 2021
Forget crypto: Here’s how to play the rising price of carbon
ImpactAlpha, August 17, 2021 – Rising demand. Shrinking supply. Higher prices. Carbon markets in Europe, California and elsewhere are finally starting to work …
Podcasts | January 13, 2021
Generate’s Jigar Shah: What’s next for sustainable infrastructure? Deployment, deployment deployment
ImpactAlpha, Jan 13 – First came solar and wind energy. Then batteries and storage. Now, a raft of better, cheaper and more sustainable …
Podcasts | December 18, 2020
Institutional Shift: The Great Burp Forward and other trends to watch in 2021
ImpactAlpha, December 18, 2020 – As it’s fit and proper to take stock of last year’s predictions before venturing new ones, we looked back …
Podcasts | December 17, 2020
Wildfires bring to the fore financing for forest resilience
Wildfires are natural. Catastrophic firestorms are not. More than 4 million acres of California burned this year, a record that included the first …
2030 Finance | September 23, 2019
Mispriced climate risks signal investment shocks – and opportunities for action
The bigger the protests, the better for investors. In a counter-intuitive shift, the estimated four million global youth climate strikers who took to …
2030 Finance | December 10, 2018
Climate signals blinking red, a test for global leadership at COP24 (updated)
Updates from COP 24 Leaders and laggards. Maersk, the world’s largest container shipper, pledged to be carbon-neutral by 2050, in the latest sign …
Photo credit: Tim Easley
Climate Finance | April 3, 2018
Institutional investors come for the risk reduction, stay for the impact
ImpactAlpha, Apr. 3, 2018 –– The billionaires with their family offices command on outsized share of attention from impact fund managers. The …
Climate Finance | March 23, 2018
Which financial innovations will grow from billions to trillions?
https://medium.com/media/82d73555419e0a8a96448332079b505c/href By finding inventive ways to make social inclusion and environmental regeneration pay, innovative financing models are “internalizing positive externalities.” Too wonky? Just …
2030 Finance | November 22, 2017
Trillion-dollar question: How are the world’s biggest asset owners playing the risks ahead?
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 21 – No sooner had we recorded the latest episode of ImpactAlpha’s Returns on Investment podcast than Norway’s trillion-dollar sovereign wealth …
2030 Finance | September 22, 2017
Hurricanes add urgency to efforts to make climate resilience investable
https://medium.com/media/8c3aacc51fd93d95948bd6c177f57b9d/href We’re only beginning to tally the devastation from hurricanes Harvey, Irma and now Maria — and the wildfires in the Western U.S. and the …
2030 Finance | February 22, 2017
Why is Cleantech Still a Dirty Word for Investors?
Climate Finance https://medium.com/media/ecd55fa1f9cd2c83d228972a14902dad/href Now the 2016 numbers are in, thanks to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. And the worldwide totals are (drumroll) a drop …
2030 Finance | April 22, 2016
Turning Paris Climate Agreements Into Institutional-Ready Investments (Podcast)
https://medium.com/media/697e46c0cbcb9f523233eb5132cc226c/href But it’s going to take more than speeches or even treaties (which won’t go into effect until at least 2018, if not …
Calls
Catalytic Capital | October 29, 2021
Call No. 33: Using catalytic capital to fill climate finance gaps from the bottom up
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 29 – As the COP26 global climate summit kicks off this weekend, much of the focus will be on the massive …
The Reconstruction | October 15, 2021
Call No. 32: Black tech, green solutions for the planet and the people
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 15 – Invest in climate action for the planet – and the people. “Climate change is a public health issue, it’s a …
Photo credit: Kuli Kuli
Call Recording | March 1, 2021
Call No. 27: Opportunities at the intersection of gender and climate
ImpactAlpha, March 1 – Capital is flowing to climate solutions. Climate bonds have topped $1 trillion. SPACs, or special purpose acquisition companies are …
Features | October 19, 2020
Call No. 24: Agents of Impact converge on financing solutions to ‘light every clinic’
The people and principles needed to solve the challenges of financing solar power for frontline health clinics were represented on ImpactAlpha’s Agents of …
Call Recording | July 1, 2020
Call No. 20: Investors share experiences in getting their assets off the sidelines
“It’s a great time for new entrants, but for those of us who’ve been doing this for a while it is equally urgent to raise our game right and to not get complacent,” said Margot Brandenburg of the Ford Foundation.
Features | June 24, 2020
Call No. 19: Green infrastructure is back on the agenda
ImpactAlpha, Jun 24 – The action in climate action is shifting to infrastructure. Driven by falling price curves for renewables, mispriced risk, and …
Agents of Impact
Bold leaders. Taking action. Driving impact.