Climate Finance
Features
Climate Finance | November 28, 2023
From carbon markets to curbing methane, the case for climate optimism at COP28
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 28 – The dueling narratives of climate change will face off at COP28, the two-week global climate gathering that begins Thursday …
Climate + Gender | November 17, 2023
To be effective, climate solutions need a gender lens (video)
ImpactAlpha, November 17 – That women are more adversely affected by climate change is well established (in impact and development circles at any …
India | November 15, 2023
Impact investors brave Delhi’s smog to champion climate finance in India
ImpactAlpha, November 15 – Impact investors in India gathered last week in Delhi’s hazardous smog to strategize ways to raise, and deploy, more …
Climate + Gender | November 14, 2023
These fund managers are putting climate + gender strategies into action
ImpactAlpha, November 14 – It’s early days, but investors are waking up to the outsized impact potential of investing at the intersection of …
Sponsored | November 8, 2023
Women as agents of change: How Heading for Change invests in climate solutions with a gender lens
What does investing at the nexus of climate and gender really look like? This is the question at the heart of Heading for …
Oceans | November 6, 2023
Ocean-based startups ride a wave of funds seeking opportunities in the blue economy
ImpactAlpha, November 6 — Less than a decade ago, the number of ocean-focused impact funds could be counted on one hand. Now, a …
Deploy! | October 31, 2023
DOE awards $1.3 billion to ease transmission bottlenecks
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 31 – Electric vehicles factories and renewable energy plants are rapidly rising across the US, thanks to federal tax incentives. Not …
Climate + Gender | October 30, 2023
Doubling down on guarantees, MCE Social Capital is unlocking capital for climate + gender
ImpactAlpha, October 30 – Impact investors know the challenges that come with building a market. Moving capital to address both climate change and …
Deploy! | October 26, 2023
The US is finally getting a national green bank. Here’s what to expect.
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 26 – Hurry up and wait. Lenders, community groups and consortiums of nonprofits that met this month’s deadline to apply to …
Corporate Impact | October 25, 2023
Investors push corporations to better manage increasingly scarce water resources
ImpactAlpha, October 25 – Corporations are the largest consumers of water globally, which sets them up for conflict and risk as water scarcity …
Gender Smart | October 24, 2023
Gender lens investors at SOCAP23 look beyond the ‘business case’ to move capital to women
Don’t ask permission, ask forgiveness. That adage captured the mood shift among gender lens investors at this week’s SOCAP23 in San Francisco. Investors …
Gender Smart | October 19, 2023
Through a gender lens in Latin America, investors see opportunities for impact and alpha (videos)
Oct. 19, Medellín – The women of Comuna 13, a sprawling neighborhood in the hills above downtown Medellín, turned to graffiti art, hip-hop music …
Water | October 11, 2023
Come hell or high water: Building community resilience to floods, droughts and water contamination
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 11 – Water — too little, too much or too dirty — isn’t simply emerging as a climate consideration. It’s forcing …
Muni Impact | October 11, 2023
Mispriced risks in bond markets mean Black communities pay more for climate resilience
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 11 – A community’s racial makeup, irrespective of economic variables, affects its cost of capital in the $4 trillion US municipal bond …
Plugged In | October 6, 2023
Building equitable food systems with reparative capital and community (video)
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 6 – How we grow our food matters, but for over a century, “who” gets a fair shot at owning and profiting …
Smallholder Agriculture | October 5, 2023
Investors are bullish on digitizing Africa’s agricultural supply chain
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 5 – When Desmond Koney inherited his father’s farm, he discovered firsthand the challenges of smallholder farmers in Ghana and much …
Plugged In | October 4, 2023
Plugged In: Road to justice for Black farmers leads through flexible finance
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 4 – More than 150 years of discriminatory lending and land heists have left a generation of Black farmers with little access …
Frontier and Growth Markets | October 3, 2023
Bboxx snags $17 million World Bank subsidy for clean cookstoves in Rwanda
ImpactAlpha, October 3 — Cooking with firewood or coal is dangerous to human health and the planet. In Rwanda, more households are looking …
Europe | October 3, 2023
Germany’s Traceless Materials raises €36.6 million for a plastic alternative
ImpactAlpha, October 3 — Hamburg-based Traceless Materials has developed a bio-based, low-emission plastic alternative made from agricultural waste, such as rice and wheat …
Deploy! | September 28, 2023
With catalytic climate financing, Energy Department looks to demonstrate, deploy and decarbonize
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 28 – “We’re the government and we’re here to help.” The Department of Energy is trying to turn the old punchline …
Climate Finance | September 21, 2023
In the Climate Week mix: Policy tailwinds, green banks, talent pipeline
ImpactAlpha, September 21 — Hard choices have to be made… about which of the hundreds of Climate Week NYC events to attend. As …
Impact Management | September 20, 2023
The $100 billion opportunity in climate-finance accountability
ImpactAlpha, September 20 – Developed nations have pledged (but not delivered) $100 billion annually to help low and middle-income countries adapt to climate …
Climate Finance | September 20, 2023
Climate Week NYC: Write it down
ImpactAlpha, September 20 – Oil may be nearing $100 a barrel again, but long term prospects for fossil fuels are less rosy. Coal …
Climate Finance | September 18, 2023
From scientific to doomsday, the five climate change narratives shaping discourse and decisions
ImpactAlpha, September 18 — The climate discourse by individuals and groups typically involves five narratives about the import and response to climate change. Some …
Climate Finance | September 14, 2023
Protesters and private investors to pressure global leaders at Climate Week NYC
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 14 – When world leaders jet into New York for the annual UN General Assembly this weekend, it will be hard …
Impact Investing | September 10, 2023
Climate protestors step up their game as climate action falters
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 11 – Tomato soup on Van Gogh’s sunflowers. A blockade of Burning Man. This weekend, climate protestors staged their latest stunt …
Climate Finance | September 7, 2023
Hit hard by climate change, African nations lean into opportunities in the green transition
ImpactAlpha, September 7 – African countries top the list of the world’s most climate-vulnerable places, despite having contributed little to the greenhouse gas …
Climate Finance | August 29, 2023
Letter from Italy: Our seriously sunny summer
Parma, Italy – As I pen these words, Italy is caught in the clutches of the third heatwave of this seemingly unending summer. …
Institutional Impact | August 28, 2023
Wall Street CEOs fiddle while Maui burns (and the world bakes)
Editor’s note: ImpactAlpha contributing editor Imogen Rose-Smith, a longtime senior writer for Institutional Investor, contributes a bi-weekly column on the policies, practices and strategies of …
Water | August 28, 2023
Water security climbs the climate agenda at World Water Week
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 28 – The fire that ravaged western Maui this month exposed simmering tensions over rights to dwindling water supplies. In fast-growing …
Inclusive Economy | August 24, 2023
In Maui, investing in future resilience and community stewardship after the fires
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 24 – From firefighting resources to land use planning to water rights to electric grid maintenance to community finance, this month’s …
Frontier and Growth Markets | August 17, 2023
Small vehicles have investors thinking big about India’s e-mobility transition
ImpactAlpha, August 17 – American electric car makers like Tesla are making headlines over plans to bring their cars to India. But it …
Climate Finance | August 16, 2023
African leaders want a bigger slice of a bigger market for voluntary carbon credits
ImpactAlpha, August 16 – Africa needs $250 billion a year to finance climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives. Yet the vast continent of nearly …
Deploy! | August 15, 2023
Clean energy investors are not waiting for Inflation Reduction Act’s billions to flow
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 15 – For Caelux Corp., investing in building a new solar factory outside Los Angeles was a no-brainer. Tax credits in …
Conservation | August 10, 2023
Revived South American alliance takes steps to protect Amazon forests and communities
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 10 – There was no grand pledge to halt deforestation, as Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had urged. Nor …
Conservation | August 9, 2023
Revival of Pakistan’s mangroves provides a blueprint for global restoration
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 9 – Less than 20 years ago, Keti Bandar, a coastal town in southeastern Pakistan, had barren shores. Today, it’s a …
Green Infrastructure | August 8, 2023
Hybar snags $700 million in debt and equity for recycled steel plant in Arkansas
ImpactAlpha, Aug 8 – Electric vehicle, battery and chip factories are rising in the US south and midwest. Hybar’s planned mill in Osceola, …
Deploy! | July 27, 2023
Catalytic grants aim to ready communities to deploy historic clean energy funding
ImpactAlpha, July 27 – When the Covid pandemic hit, philanthropic organizations mobilized with relative lightning speed to address the crisis and its impact …
Green Infrastructure | July 17, 2023
Managers vie for the mandate to stand up a national “green bank”
ImpactAlpha, July 17 — Green banks, credit unions, community development financial institutions, or CDFIs, and other nonprofit lenders are scrambling for the mandate …
Climate Finance | July 5, 2023
Sequestering carbon in America’s family forests
ImpactAlpha, July 5 – Tim Stout was thrilled when, a few years ago, he inherited 175 acres of northern boreal woodland surrounding his …
Climate Finance | June 26, 2023
New global financial pact advances innovative financial solutions and commitments to system change
ImpactAlpha, June 26 – World leaders took steps to upgrade the global financial architecture that has saddled low- and middle-income countries with debt …
Signals | June 23, 2023
An EV supply chain takes shape
ImpactAlpha, June 23 – A flood of funding and tax incentives championed by the Biden administration is remaking American manufacturing. The latest signal: …
Climate Finance | June 21, 2023
Could a ‘New Global Pact’ wring catalytic capital from the World Bank and development finance institutions?
ImpactAlpha, June 21 – In the year since Barbados’ Mia Mottley floated “The Bridgetown Agenda,” the need for 21st century institutions for financing …
Africa | June 15, 2023
Zola, Sun King and M-KOPA offer three paths to Africa’s off-grid energy future
ImpactAlpha, June 15 – For a decade, access to affordable, reliable and modern energy increased by roughly 100 million people a year – until …
Impact Investing | June 9, 2023
The Week’s Chart: Wildfires drive home costs of climate inaction
ImpactAlpha, June 9 – The past eight years have been the warmest on record, the World Meteorological Organization has declared. It should not …
Institutional Impact | June 5, 2023
Forget ESG. The greening of the global economy is a boon for institutional investors.
Editor’s note: ImpactAlpha contributing editor Imogen Rose-Smith, a longtime senior writer for Institutional Investor, contributes a bi-weekly column on the policies, practices and strategies of …
Climate Finance | May 30, 2023
Packard and Ford foundations back Nusantara Fund to bolster climate resilience for Indonesia’s Indigenous communities
ImpactAlpha, May 30 – Indonesia is among the world’s small number of “mega bio-diverse” countries – and has one of the world’s highest …
Catalytic Capital | May 23, 2023
Appalachia emerges as a climate refuge – and its community infrastructure feels the strain
ImpactAlpha, May 23 — With its mountainous terrain, water resources and ecological diversity, the Central Appalachia region across West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina …
Impact Investing | April 26, 2023
How Biden’s climate policies are driving a clean energy transformation
ImpactAlpha, April 26 – The trio of climate and economic legislation signed into law by Joe Biden in the first two years of …
Climate Finance | April 26, 2023
Despite their climate commitments, the world’s biggest banks are still pouring billions into fossil fuels
In the seven years since the Paris Agreement was signed, companies and governments around the world have pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas …
Climate and Clean Tech | April 20, 2023
Venture capital investors in climate tech are closer to government than they might want to admit
The climate investment ecosystem has been buffeted in recent months by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the decline in climate tech …
Climate Finance | April 12, 2023
India’s urban slums have become a testbed for climate solutions. Investors are welcome to take a look
ImpactAlpha, April 12 – The Sanjaynagar slum in Ahmednagar, about 150 miles from Mumbai, was a desolate piece of marshland about the size …
Climate + Gender | April 11, 2023
With climate + gender fund, Suzanne Biegel is heading for change
If and when we have met the climate challenge, a key success factor will be clear: women. If you share that thesis, you …
Muni Impact | April 6, 2023
Mass migration, stranded communities and ‘chronic’ climate disruptions challenge the muni market
ImpactAlpha, April 6 – The municipal bond market has barely begun to grapple with the risks posed by climate change, despite an escalating …
Climate Finance | April 3, 2023
Move over, BlackRock. Vanguard is the new target for climate activists.
ImpactAlpha, April 3 – Tim Buckley is not a household name like Larry Fink. That may change, as shareholder activists take their climate …
Climate Finance | March 27, 2023
Don’t mess with Texas’s lead in the low-carbon energy transition
Austin, TX – Everything’s bigger in Texas. That goes for the state’s role in the transition to a greener and cleaner economy. Texas already …
Climate Finance | March 27, 2023
Four steps to set foundations on the path to net zero
We are in a race against the clock to combat the impacts of climate change and preserve a livable planet. Philanthropy has a …
Water | March 23, 2023
Putting a ‘price on water’ and other opportunities to address the H2O crisis
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 23 – In financial markets, water is becoming the new carbon. From early stage startups and corporate supply chains to public policy …
Impact Investing | March 20, 2023
Global Innovation Lab develops new financial models to tackle climate challenges in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, March 20 – Global finance is not keeping up with the urgent challenge of decarbonizing the economy and helping communities adapt to …
Climate + Gender | March 8, 2023
Frontline communities hold the keys to inclusive gender and climate finance
Good green jobs. Better climate solutions. Food security. Resilient supply chains. Increased wealth in low-income communities. And increased returns for more stakeholders. Those …
Climate Finance | March 6, 2023
India poised to lead – and test – the just energy transition
ImpactAlpha, March 6 – India is fast becoming the focus of efforts to super-charge climate funding into the Global South. Under Prime Minister …
Frontier and Growth Markets | February 27, 2023
Latin America’s impact entrepreneurs find opportunities in nature-based solutions and smarter services for low-income consumers
ImpactAlpha, February 27 – Street demonstrations, populist leaders and economic strife dominate news headlines about Latin America. Less appreciated are the entrepreneurs who …
Latin America | February 27, 2023
Root Capital and other impact investors emerge as key players in Biden’s Partnership for Central America
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 27 – The U.S.- Mexico border gets the attention. But in addressing the root causes of migration, it is long-term investments in …
Impact Investing | February 16, 2023
TPG touts strong fundraising – and results – for its climate and impact strategies
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 16 – The $135 billion investment firm, based in San Francisco and Ft. Worth, is the latest publicly listed private-equity giant …
Climate Finance | February 14, 2023
Private equity giants double down on the low-carbon transition and impact investing
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 14 – Brookfield Asset Management made waves last June when it closed fundraising for its $15 billion energy transition fund, the …
Signals | February 1, 2023
S-curves and tipping points are accelerating the low-carbon future
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 1 – The future of energy is S-shaped. Adoption of technological innovations is typically slow until they hit a tipping point, …
Climate Finance | January 26, 2023
Voluntary carbon markets face a reckoning over credit quality and environmental impact
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 25 – Are carbon markets a key pillar of climate finance, or an empty exercise in double-counting and greenwashing? After soaring …
Impact Management | January 25, 2023
To catalyze climate capital, development finance institutions are pressed to ‘publish what you fund’
ImpactAlpha, January 25 – Six trillion dollars. That’s roughly how much is needed annually to fight climate change and meet the U.N.’s Sustainable …
Climate Finance | January 10, 2023
Matching local projects with climate capital to deploy community infrastructure
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 10 – The Great Deployment is on. The capital is teed up. The technology is ready. The Inflation Reduction Act and …
Climate and Clean Tech | January 5, 2023
Electrifying ‘dollar vans’ to boost livelihoods and cut carbon in New York’s transit deserts
ImpactAlpha, January 5 — Along Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn, several informal “dollar vans” pass by for every city bus. The rides are more …
Climate Finance | January 4, 2023
Last year’s policy progress sets this year up for climate action
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 4 – The Inflation Reduction Act is the climate investment gift that promises to keep on giving. The law represents perhaps …
Climate Finance | December 19, 2022
Deadline 2030: Midway to climate marker, time to take deployment exponential
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 19 – Halfway there. When the ball drops in Times Square this year, it will ring in the critical midpoint in the …
Corporate Impact | December 14, 2022
Are Elon Musk’s Twitter escapades putting Tesla’s climate impact at risk?
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 14 – Some Tesla shareholders are frustrated that CEO Elon Musk is hurting the electric vehicle maker’s share price with his acquisition …
Climate Finance | December 8, 2022
Move over climate, here come biodiversity disclosures
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 8 – Even as a mandatory climate disclosure rule proposed by U.S. regulators hits speed bumps, efforts are underway to require …
Catalytic Capital | December 7, 2022
Circulate Capital eyes opportunities to tackle plastic waste in Latin America
ImpactAlpha, December 7 — Singapore-based investment fund Circulate Capital has spent the past two years backing projects in South and Southeast Asia focused on …
Sponsored | November 28, 2022
How the MacArthur Foundation is leveraging the ‘full continuum’ of capital to address the climate crisis
This interview is part of a partnership between ImpactAlpha and Mission Investors Exchange to present new ideas and perspectives in impact investing. Join …
Climate Finance | November 20, 2022
On deadline, COP27 wrangles with loss, damages and fossil fuels
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 21 – Exhausted negotiators from nearly 200 countries clinched a climate agreement in the wee hours Sunday as the two-week global …
Climate Finance | November 17, 2022
From carbon counting to carbon accounting: The case for Emissions Liability Management
“There does not yet exist the capacity,” Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith warned at last month’s Breakthrough Energy Summit in Seattle, for almost any …
Climate Finance | November 16, 2022
Indonesia aims to cut emissions with $300 million coal-plant deal
The Asian Development Bank is teaming up with an Indonesian fossil fuel-based power producer to decommission a 660 megawatt coal-fired power station and …
Climate Finance | November 16, 2022
Turning gaps into opportunities with the Climate Finance Tracker
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 16 – Billions of dollars in venture capital are pouring into climate tech. And hundreds of organizations, initiatives, coalitions and conferences are …
Climate Finance | November 15, 2022
New narrative of climate action: Unstoppable progress and immense opportunity
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 15 – It has become fashionable to dismiss global climate confabs like COP27 as so much “blah blah blah.” But for …
Signals | November 15, 2022
Women-led agribusinesses notch greater profits, faster growth and less risk
ImpactAlpha, November 15 – Financing smallholder farmers is difficult work. New data from Root Capital suggests that investing in women delivers the trifecta investors …
Climate Finance | November 10, 2022
At COP27, ‘loss and damages’ inches from discussion to action
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 10 – Scotland kicked off the race with $7 million. Then came $13.5 million from Denmark, $10 million from Ireland, $50 …
Climate Finance | November 10, 2022
The Rockefeller Foundation, Bezos Earth Fund, and U.S. tap private sector for energy transition funds
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 10 – Climate envoy John Kerry and the two foundations laid out plans for an Energy Transition Accelerator to generate funding …
Signals | November 9, 2022
It’s Finance Day at COP27: Here’s what’s on tap
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 9 – Developed nations are under pressure to provide more capital to low- and middle-income countries to help them grow sustainably …
Climate Finance | November 7, 2022
With progress on ‘loss and damages,’ COP27 may exceed low expectations
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 7 – No one has been expecting much from this year’s COP27 climate summit. Not the island nations and African countries …
Impact Investing | November 3, 2022
A new kind of carbon credit incentivizes fossil fuel producers to ‘keep it in the ground’
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 3 – ‘Keep it in the ground’ has long been a rallying cry for climate activists. A new company is creating …
Impact Investing | November 2, 2022
What’s at stake for climate, ESG and impact investors in the U.S. midterm elections
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 2 – The annual global climate summit known as COP27, this year in Egypt, will coincide with next week’s midterm elections …
Catalytic Capital | October 26, 2022
Creative finance is needed to plug gaps in global climate funding – and to rescue COP27
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 26 – Climate action is facing mighty headwinds just two weeks before the COP27 global climate summit kicks off in Sharm …
Agrifood Tech | October 25, 2022
Misfits Market finds an (im)perfect solution to the problems of food waste and surplus produce
The imperfect produce channels space took a major step forward last month, toward mainstreaming and potential adoption with the announced acquisition of Imperfect Foods by market leader Misfits …
Climate + Gender | October 24, 2022
Gender lens + climate finance = broader reach
ImpactAlpha, October 24 – Gender-lens investing’s next big thing: integrating gender considerations across climate action and other investment themes. Investors channeled more than $600 …
Impact Investing | October 20, 2022
Development finance institutions face calls for reform in the face of cascading climate and energy crises
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 21 – Embattled World Bank chief David Malpass made an about-face last week, copping to manmade global warming and the need …
Climate Finance | October 18, 2022
Rockefeller Foundation’s new climate strategy: A Q&A with Thomas Belazis
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 18 – In late July, The Rockefeller Foundation announced a major shift: it would make climate central to everything it does. …
Climate and Clean Tech | October 13, 2022
Raise Green snags $1.2 million to expand access to climate deals for retail investors
ImpactAlpha, October 13 — Somerville, Mass.-based Raise Green manages an online marketplace that helps small-scale solar developers and green ventures get financing for …
Blockchain/AI/IoT | October 6, 2022
Building and musing about blockchain-based regenerative finance in Medellin
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 6 – Blockchain eco-warriors descended on Medellin, Colombia last week to stake a claim for the role the technology can play in …
Corporate Impact | October 5, 2022
How corporations can reduce greenhouse emissions – of their retirement plans and cash deposits
Corporations have embraced net-zero. Some 322 companies have signed The Climate Pledge and even more have made public commitments to address climate change. …
Impact Investing | October 3, 2022
Seven innovative finance tools to unlock funding for climate challenges
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 3 – Climate finance is flowing, but persistent gaps remain, especially in developing nations. Creative solutions are needed to unlock private …
Impact Management | September 29, 2022
To understand the impact of electrifying schools in Colombia, ALIVE Ventures listens to parents and teachers
At Acumen Latam Impact Ventures (or ALIVE Ventures), one of our solar energy investments has reached over 100,000 beneficiaries with their solar installations …
Impact Investing | September 27, 2022
A dozen charts that map the uneven but hopeful path to a carbon-free economy
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 27 – Transitions are rarely a straight line. That is especially true of the massive global shift underway to a low-carbon economy. …
Impact Investing | September 25, 2022
Barbados debt-for-nature swap unlocks $50 million for marine conservation and ‘blue economy’
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 25 – Barbados is the latest nation to restructure its high-priced debt to free up funds for conservation. The Caribbean island …
Impact Voices
Climate Finance | November 15, 2023
Climate tech experts identify the biggest opportunities, and challenges, in the low-carbon transition
Climate tech investment is booming. Since 2013, there have been more than 6,000 investors (private, public and philanthropic) in climate tech startups, and …
Climate Finance | September 19, 2023
Nature-based solutions may be the key to meeting Paris climate goals
As world leaders gather in New York City this week for the UN General Assembly and New York Climate Week, investors and funders …
Africa | September 13, 2023
How Africa’s pension funds are financing the continent’s infrastructure gap
African countries have huge infrastructure needs, and governments need private investment to help meet them, particularly considering increasing climate impacts and green development …
Green Infrastructure | September 13, 2023
Financing power transmission—not just generation—to meet Africa’s climate goals
Renewable energy generation and storage opportunities were a key focus at last week’s Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, culminating in $26 billion in new …
Agrifood Tech | July 20, 2023
A bigger helping of catalytic grant capital can fuel new solutions to food waste
Over the last few years, the main story around U.S. food waste funding has been that private capital has started to pay attention and invest …
Impact Investing | July 6, 2023
Passive investing is making it harder to accurately price climate risk
The single most important question in investing is: “When?” When do you expect you will need this money? In a year? In 30 years? …
Climate Finance | June 27, 2023
Smallholder farmers need holistic climate solutions, not quick fixes
Staple crops like corn, wheat and plantains are being impacted by climate change. So is the coffee we drink; farmers are being forced …
Impact Voices | May 10, 2023
How carbon credits are driving down the costs of climate-friendly goods in Africa
Despite the valid criticisms that have surfaced about the voluntary carbon market, carbon finance is playing a critical role in catalyzing a just …
Climate Finance | April 20, 2023
Catalyzing private capital for solutions to the plastic pollution crisis
In the small town of Tangerang, just outside Jakarta, two women saw an opportunity to turn the local waste management problem into a …
Climate Finance | April 13, 2023
Four ways new AI tools can boost climate finance in emerging markets
We are entering a new era of artificial intelligence-led innovation. In emerging markets, one of the potential benefits of AI is that it …
Deploy! | April 3, 2023
Skill sets for The Great Deployment: Zoning, permitting and project finance
A surge of funding and favorable economics have primed climate tech startups for growth. To meet the urgency of the climate crisis, everything …
Conservation | March 21, 2023
Privately owned working forests are a climate asset
When Fred van Eck, a New York investment manager, purchased 9,400 acres of Northern California and Oregon forest for timber production in the …
Impact Voices | March 21, 2023
Tree planting has gotten a bad name. Here’s how to restore its effectiveness as a climate solution.
What’s not to love about planting trees? Once considered a tried and true solution to the climate crisis, tree-growing has lately been given …
Sustaining Impact | March 9, 2023
Leveraging catalytic capital to transform economic systems in Africa
Editor’s note: This blog is part of ImpactAlpha’s series, “Sustaining Impact,” authored by participants in the Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3) Sustaining Learning Labs. Key insights …
Climate and Clean Tech | February 13, 2023
EV supply chains are riddled with human rights abuses. Tech can help eliminate them.
More electric vehicles (EVs) were sold each week of 2022 than in all of 2011. Analysts expect this explosive growth to remain unabated …
Climate Finance | January 23, 2023
Variations on a theme: Securitizing fees and taxes to finance climate adaptation
Ghana securitized an education tax to improve access to education and a petrol tax to pay off legacy debts in the banking sector. …
Climate Finance | January 4, 2023
Investing in climate entrepreneurs who think like project developers
Progress is as much about implementation as it is about invention. I wish I could lay claim to these profound words. They were …
Climate Finance | December 15, 2022
Just Energy Transition Partnerships and other ways to shift climate finance toward low-income countries
Important progress is underway on climate finance to developing countries, although you may have missed it in COP27 read-outs. The legacy of the …
Impact Voices | November 10, 2022
A future-focused agenda for COP27
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP27) that began a few days ago will allow the world to …
Deploy! | November 2, 2022
Pursuing environmental justice through the Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act is a historic investment in marginalized communities on the frontlines of climate change. However, the bill also links renewable …
Impact Voices | September 28, 2022
Move over New York: Clean energy action shifts to industrial Pittsburgh
The spotlight may have been on Climate Week NYC last week, but 370 miles away, Pittsburgh was the site of additional high-level climate …
Climate Finance | September 19, 2022
Speeding the energy transition: A seven-point action plan
ImpactAlpha, September 19 – Clean-tech research firm Clean Edge has been tracking the investment, policy, and technology trends of the modern energy transition for …
Climate Finance | September 12, 2022
God save the King – and planet
In 1952, the 25-year-old Princess Elizabeth of York stepped down from her treetop camp in Kenya’s Aberdare National Park and became Queen Elizabeth II. On …
Impact Voices | September 7, 2022
Three shifts needed to build resilient water systems in Jackson, Miss. and other U.S. cities
The (shocking but unsurprising) sad news is that 173,000 residents of Jackson, Miss. will be out of water indefinitely. This water issue is …
Agrifood Tech | September 5, 2022
Silver linings in an uncertain fundraising market for food waste innovation
We have entered a strange and challenging funding environment brought about by inflation and economic uncertainty – the two, of course, are inevitably …
Climate + Gender | August 23, 2022
Don’t panic. Include more women as decision-makers
Recession? Inflation? War? Climate change? The world is entering increasingly turbulent and unpredictable territory. Stock market gyrations suggest investors are torn on the …
Impact Voices | August 22, 2022
Wastewater startups are helping companies reduce costs – and carbon footprints
From record-setting heatwaves and wildfires to sustainability investments and decarbonization goals, carbon emissions are getting the attention they deserve. At the same time, …
Impact Investing | August 9, 2022
How four institutional investors use climate action plans to map their paths to net zero
New York State’s $279 billion pension fund understands the importance of planning. When the New York State Common Retirement Fund announced in 2020 …
Impact Voices | July 28, 2022
Energy efficiency is critical for climate goals and global security
Europe must wean itself off of Russian oil and gas. Energy efficiency can go a long way towards alleviating the pain. Energy efficiency …
Agrifood Tech | July 27, 2022
Food banks and food donors get a tech makeover to reduce hunger – and food waste
We are living in the technological age, and a trend ReFED has been watching closely is how this is affecting food rescue, which …
Smallholder Agriculture | June 16, 2022
Investing to transform food systems in the face of a global crisis
The growing food crisis has become a global catastrophe. The combined impact of the invasion of Ukraine, climate-related disasters like droughts, and other …
Impact Voices | June 6, 2022
Africa Eats: Filling the gap in operational capital to grow Africa’s small businesses
Find great companies, add growth capital, and the result are bigger, stronger, more scalable companies. This analysis demonstrates what happens when the “missing …
Impact Voices | May 23, 2022
Invest in agriculture for its critical role in food security and climate change
More than two billion photos were taken of dinner plates in 2020, at the advent of a global pandemic. Americans have always turned …
The Reconstruction | May 11, 2022
Seven or more ways to lead with justice in climate investing
Black and Indigenous communities live on the front lines of the climate crisis – where negative health, quality of life, and economic outcomes of …
Impact Management | May 4, 2022
How CDFIs can adopt carbon accounting to lead on climate disclosure
Know what you own. A group of community development financiers is taking the lead on climate disclosure to clean up their loan portfolios. …
Impact Voices | April 21, 2022
Investing in the planet by investing in the people who know it best
ImpactAlpha, April 21 – The theme of this year’s Earth Day is “Invest in our planet.” We’ve all heard the argument: governments, NGOs, …
Regeneration | April 21, 2022
On this Earth Day, three ways to care for the earth beneath our feet
Many of the pressing issues we face today have their roots in how we treat our land and grow and eat our food. …
The Reconstruction | April 19, 2022
Black Farmer Fund is reimagining U.S. agricultural finance, on farmers’ terms
A century ago, Black farmers represented 14% of all farmers in the U.S. Now? Just 1.4%. Barriers to affordable financing have cost farmers …
Impact Voices | March 31, 2022
Tipping points of volatility: The case for climate-Sharpe ratios
Investors today are grossly overlooking one critical category of volatility: climate change. When investors seek targeted risk budgets and returns by diversifying portfolios …
Impact Voices | March 28, 2022
A human-centered approach for impact investing in climate action
Climate finance is booming, now reaching over $600 billion in 2020. Yet, as the newest IPCC report makes clear, unequal climate impacts are …
Capitalism Reimagined | March 22, 2022
How the SEC’s rules will – and won’t – solve climate change
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed landmark climate-related disclosure requirements for public companies to inform investors about the risks a changing …
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, …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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. …
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’ …
Impact Management | March 24, 2021
Despite climate pledges, Goldman Sachs continues fracking finance
Photo by Sobrevolando Patagonia
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 …
Features | 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 …
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
Agrifood Tech | November 27, 2023
Investors commit $1.7 million to Aquarech to support fish farmers in Kenya
ImpactAlpha, November 28 – Africa’s fast-growing population is driving increased demand for protein, including fish. With local production dwindling, Kenya is meeting demand …
Low-carbon transition | November 27, 2023
Advanced Electric Machines scores £23 million to minimize extractive minerals in electric vehicles
ImpactAlpha, November 27 – The green transition has so far depended on intense mineral extraction. Each standard electric vehicle requires nearly 4.5 pounds …
Dealflow | November 17, 2023
Organizations emerge to help communities access federal funds
ImpactAlpha, November 17 — An unparalleled wave of federal funding has sparked a cottage industry of organizations helping entrepreneurs, project developers and municipal …
Africa | November 15, 2023
Easy Solar scores $7 million for energy access in Sierra Leone and Liberia
ImpactAlpha, November 15 – Until the early 2000s, both Sierra Leone and Liberia were rocked by civil war. One of the many longstanding …
Climate Finance | November 14, 2023
Manulife raises $225 million to generate carbon credits from sustainably-managed forests
ImpactAlpha, November 14 — Manulife Investment Management, part of Canadian insurance giant Manulife, is raising a $500 million fund to invest in timberlands …
Dealflow | November 13, 2023
Pioneer snags $2.9 million to connect climate tech founders with government funding
ImpactAlpha, November 13 — Navigating the labyrinth of government funding has been a challenge for founders of cleantech ventures looking to tap the …
Climate Finance | November 10, 2023
Deal spotlight: Progress and gaps in global climate finance
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 10 – Global climate finance flows reached an annual average of $1.3 trillion in 2021 and 2022. That’s double the amount …
Muni Impact | November 9, 2023
Southern California utility issues $162 million green bond to finance renewable power
Editor’s note: ImpactAlpha has partnered with HIP Investor to highlight upcoming bond issues with social and/or environmental significance. Disclaimer: Nothing in this post or on …
Impact Investing | November 9, 2023
Rockefeller Foundation awards first batch of grants from $1 billion climate commitment
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 9 – Two months after announcing a $1 billion climate commitment, the Rockefeller Foundation has awarded its first batch of climate …
Dealflow | November 8, 2023
Candide’s Afterglow Climate Justice Fund secures $36 million to lend in frontline communities
ImpactAlpha, November 8 — Low-income communities that often bear the brunt of climate change also hold the key to many climate solutions. Candide …
Impact Tech | November 8, 2023
Private equity firms see robust demand for impact funds, despite headwinds
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 8 – Private equity firms may be battling a high interest rate environment and sluggish IPO market. But they’re still raising …
Clean Energy | November 2, 2023
EAIF commits $48 million to ‘social bonds’ for rural electrification in Côte d’Ivoire
ImpactAlpha, November 2 – Nearly half of Côte d’Ivoire’s 28 million people live in rural areas; less than 40% of them have access …
Smallholder Agriculture | November 1, 2023
Verqor scores $7.5 million to provide digital credit to Mexico’s farmers
ImpactAlpha, November 1 – More than three-quarters of Mexico’s five million farmers do not earn sufficient income to live. Mexico City-based Verqor provides …
Green Infrastructure | October 31, 2023
Indian electric two-wheeler manufacturer Ola Electric rakes in $384 million
ImpactAlpha, October 31 — Bangalore-based Ola Electric, launched by the ride-hailing company Ola, has raised nearly $1.6 billion since 2019 to manufacture electric …
Clean Energy | October 31, 2023
Burn Manufacturing issues $10 million green bond for clean cooking in Africa
ImpactAlpha, October 31 – More than two billion people still use kerosene, wood, charcoal and other rudimentary, dirty fuels for most of their …
Corporate Impact | October 30, 2023
TELUS’ Pollinator Fund for Good backs three impact tech ventures
ImpactAlpha, October 30 — TELUS’ Pollinator Fund for Good has backed three new impact startups. Among the additions to the Vancouver-based corporate social …
Climate Finance | October 27, 2023
Deal Spotlight: Equipping frontline communities for the climate transition
ImpactAlpha, October 27 — Low-income and communities of color bear the brunt of climate change. They also hold the key to many climate …
Dealflow | October 24, 2023
Spearmint Energy secures $92 million in tax equity financing Texas battery storage
ImpactAlpha, October 24 – Miami-based Spearmint Energy has secured a $92 million tax equity investment for Revolution, a 300 megawatt-hour battery storage project in …
Climate and Clean Tech | October 23, 2023
Shell’s Studio X launches cohort of early stage energy and climate tech ventures
ImpactAlpha, October 23 — Shell and other oil majors are increasing oil and gas production to cash in on rising prices. But they …
Low-carbon transition | October 19, 2023
Skoon Energy raises $5.6 million for clean generators in Europe
ImpactAlpha, October 19 – Film sets, festivals, construction sites and other temporary setups depend on reliable energy access—mostly from fossil fuel-guzzling generators. Netherlands-based …
Climate + Gender | October 18, 2023
MCE Social Capital notches $41.6 million for its sustainable agriculture fund
ImpactAlpha, October 18 – The MCE Empowering Sustainable Agriculture fund, or MESA, builds on MCE Capital’s 17 years of support for small agribusinesses …
Clean Energy | October 18, 2023
Proparco extends loan to Ziz Energie for solar ‘metro-grids’ in Chad
ImpactAlpha, October 18 – The Central African country of Chad is one of the poorest in the world. Chad’s poverty extends to energy: …
Deploy! | October 17, 2023
Elemental Excelerator invests $12.5 million into 15 climate tech startups
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 17 – Elemental Excelerator, a Hawaii-based nonprofit climate tech investor, is known for spotting and nurturing climate tech talent working on …
Muni Impact | October 16, 2023
Texas issues $169 million water bond to future-proof the state against drought
Editor’s note: ImpactAlpha has partnered with HIP Investor to highlight upcoming bond issues with social and/or environmental significance. Disclaimer: Nothing in this post or on …
Frontier and Growth Markets | October 16, 2023
Incofin backs Rite Water to promote drinking water access in rural India
ImpactAlpha, October 16 – Rite Water makes and installs water purification systems in parts of rural and urban India that lack access to …
Dealflow | October 13, 2023
ImpactAlpha Deal Spotlight: Geothermal heat pumps
ImpactAlpha, October 13 — The Inflation Reduction Act offers HVAC owners tax credits up to half the cost to install geothermal heat pumps, …
Clean Energy | October 11, 2023
Adenia takes a majority stake in South African solar provider Enfin
ImpactAlpha, October 11 – By the end of this year, South Africans will have faced 250 days of rolling blackouts in 2023. The …
Low-carbon transition | October 11, 2023
VARM raises early funding to make German homes more energy efficient
ImpactAlpha, October 11 – Two-thirds of Europe’s homes and buildings are deemed energy inefficient. VARM tackles a simple improvement – better insulation – …
Dealflow | October 10, 2023
Vibrant Planet scores $15 million for wildfire-risk mitigation and forest resilience
ImpactAlpha, October 10 — Vibrant Planet launched in 2020 in response to California’s escalating wildfire seasons. This year’s wildfire season broke records for …
Deploy! | October 6, 2023
With incentives and investment, ‘green’ hydrogen gains momentum
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 6 – When Electric Hydrogen raised $380 million this week, headlines heralded the green hydrogen market’s first unicorn. The Natick, Mass. …
Clean Energy | October 5, 2023
CrossBoundary Access backs UK-based Mobile Power for battery swapping hubs in Nigeria
ImpactAlpha, October 5 — CrossBoundary Access has raised $35 million from the African Development Bank, Microsoft, Bank of America and other investors to …
Climate and Clean Tech | October 4, 2023
At One Ventures closes $375 million “deeptech” climate fund
ImpactAlpha, October 4 — At One Ventures has backed 27 early-stage startups developing disruptive hardware and physical products from its inaugural $150 million …
Green Infrastructure | September 28, 2023
Infravision scores $23 million for drone-enabled grid upgrades
ImpactAlpha, September 28 — Australia-based Infravision has raised $23 million for its AI-powered drones designed to install and upgrade transmission lines. Infravision says its …
Dealflow | September 26, 2023
Environment Bank offers biodiversity credits to catalyze corporate investment in nature restoration
ImpactAlpha, September 26 — Global conservationists and policymakers are working to develop an economically-viable market for biodiversity credits, also known as biocredits, to …
Smallholder Agriculture | September 25, 2023
Complete Farmer nets $10 million to connect Ghana’s farmers
ImpactAlpha, September 25 – Complete Farmer started as a “crowdfarming” platform to connect Ghana’s smallholder farmers to funders. It has grown into an …
Catalytic Capital | September 22, 2023
Rockefeller’s Zero Gap Fund is fully deployed, yet gaps remain
ImpactAlpha, September 22 – The Rockefeller Foundation launched the $30 million Zero Gap Fund with the MacArthur Foundation four years ago to supply …
Climate and Clean Tech | September 19, 2023
Chris Sacca’s Lowercarbon Capital raises $550 million for two climate tech funds
ImpactAlpha, September 19 — Lowercarbon Capital has raised a combined $550 million for a pair of climate funds. One fund will focus on …
Climate + Gender | September 18, 2023
Galvanize Climate Solutions closes Innovation+Expansion fund with more than $1 billion
ImpactAlpha, September 18 — Galvanize Climate Solutions has raised over $1 billion for its inaugural Innovation+Expansion Fund. The San Francisco-based growth equity fund, …
Clean Energy | September 12, 2023
Canada’s Heliene raises $170 million in equity and debt for US solar plants
ImpactAlpha, September 12 — Demand is surging for solar cells that are manufactured closer to home to reduce shipping costs, speed delivery, and …
Europe | September 12, 2023
World Fund adds €50 million to European climate tech venture fund
ImpactAlpha, September 12 – World Fund secured €50 million from KfW Capital, the German development bank’s venture arm, and Lithuanian utility Ignitis Group. …
Inclusive Economy | September 12, 2023
Florrent raises $2.1 million to engage farmers of color in energy storage
ImpactAlpha, September 12 – How can farmers help “electrify everything”? By growing more hemp. Massachusetts-based Florrent is developing ultracapacitors, a form of large-volume …
Impact Investing | September 8, 2023
H2’s $1.6 billion raise signals growing investor and customer demand for green steel
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 8 – In one of the largest climate tech deals of the year, Sweden’s H2 Green Steel pulled in €1.5 billion …
Conservation | September 7, 2023
Bezos Earth Fund deploys $22.8 million for locally-led landscape restoration in Africa
ImpactAlpha, September 7 — Bezos Earth Fund will deploy $22.8 million to fund the restoration of roughly 1.5 million acres of degraded land …
Climate and Clean Tech | September 6, 2023
Lydian secures $15 million to produce zero-carbon aviation fuel
ImpactAlpha, September 6 — Cambridge, Mass.-based Lydian runs captured carbon dioxide and water through a high-temperature electric reactor. The process produces cheaper and …
Climate Finance | September 6, 2023
Catalyst Fund raises $8.6 million for climate adaptation in Africa
ImpactAlpha, September 6 — Nairobi-based Catalyst Fund has raised $8.6 million towards a target $40 million fund to back high-impact tech startups working …
Climate Finance | September 5, 2023
CH4 Global raises $29 million to reduce livestock methane emissions
ImpactAlpha, September 5 — The roughly 1.5 billion cows on the planet burp and fart more than 150 million tons of methane per …
Dealflow | September 5, 2023
Finland’s Paptic scores €23 million for sustainable packaging materials
ImpactAlpha, September 5 — European Circular Bioeconomy Fund, a German venture capital impact fund, and global sustainability investor Ecolab are joining the $25 …
Dealflow | September 1, 2023
Deal spotlight: Catalytic lending from the US Department of Energy
ImpactAlpha, September 1 – To grab the lead in climate innovation – and regain control of key technology supply chains – the Biden …
Climate and Clean Tech | August 30, 2023
Elemental and Schmidt Family Foundation back Allume Energy’s rooftop solar for renters
ImpactAlpha, August 30 — Australia-headquartered Allume Energy is aiming to expand low-cost clean energy access to low-income renters in the southeastern US. “We’re …
Climate and Clean Tech | August 29, 2023
Redwood Materials raises $1 billion to recycle lithium-ion batteries at scale
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 29 – Nevada-based battery recycler Redwood Materials has emerged as a key player in the U.S. supply chain for lithium-ion batteries. …
Climate and Clean Tech | August 29, 2023
Electric Era raises $11.5 million for high-speed EV charging at convenience stores
ImpactAlpha, August 29 — The shortage of conveniently located and reliable public charging stations is limiting the adoption of electric vehicles in the …
Dealflow | August 28, 2023
ResponsAbility provides $20 million to CME Solar for rooftop solar in Vietnam
ImpactAlpha, August 28 — CME Solar Investments, a Vietnamese investor and developer of rooftop solar, has secured a long-term senior loan from ResponsAbility …
Africa | August 28, 2023
Kentegra Biotechnology in Kenya scores $15 million for organic crop treatments
ImpactAlpha, August 28 – Imported crop treatments are expensive for smallholder farmers in Africa. Kentegra Biotechnology is helping farmers substitute affordable bio-pesticides for …
Regeneration | August 25, 2023
Deal spotlight: Reforesting the Amazon
ImpactAlpha, August 25 — Nature-based solutions “could help reduce one-third of the necessary global emissions by the end of the decade, but remain …
Regeneration | August 17, 2023
Farmland LP’s third fund raises $33 million for organic and sustainable farmland
ImpactAlpha, August 17 — San Francisco-based fund manager Farmland LP has acquired over 16,000 acres of conventional commercial farmland in Washington, Oregon and …
Impact Muni Bonds | August 16, 2023
Long Island’s $400 million green bond to finance climate-resilient upgrades to the grid
Editor’s note: ImpactAlpha has partnered with HIP Investor to highlight upcoming bond issues with social and/or environmental significance. Disclaimer: Nothing in this post …
Clean Energy | August 16, 2023
TechMet rakes in $200 million to meet global demand for critical minerals
ImpactAlpha, August 16 — The energy transition will require ever-more lithium, nickel and cobalt for electric vehicles, batteries, solar panels and wind turbines. …
Oceans | August 16, 2023
Gabon raises a $500 million blue bond to swap debt for nature
ImpactAlpha, August 16 – Investing in ocean health represents one of the best opportunities for slowing climate change, protecting billions of livelihoods, and …
Green Infrastructure | August 15, 2023
IFC provides $236 million to Absa to finance green real estate in South Africa
ImpactAlpha, August 15 – By 2050, seven in 10 people will live in urban centers around the world; Asia and Africa are urbanizing …
Clean Energy | August 14, 2023
Big Solar: D.light securitizes customer loans as incumbents consolidate off-grid energy market
ImpactAlpha, August 14 – Africa’s solar standouts are enjoying a moment of sun in an otherwise frosty investment climate. Led by the industry’s …
Dealflow | August 11, 2023
Deal spotlight: Private credit for climate infrastructure
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 11 – Private credit, global infrastructure and the energy transition are among the most compelling investment opportunities of the horizon, says …
Impact Muni Bonds | August 10, 2023
$57 million green bond in San Francisco to fund water sustainability
Editor’s note: ImpactAlpha has partnered with HIP Investor to highlight upcoming bond issues with social and/or environmental significance. Disclaimer: Nothing in this post …
Climate and Clean Tech | August 8, 2023
Electric bus maker Proterra files for bankruptcy
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 8 – A darling of sustainability investors in private markets has gone bankrupt just two years after going public. Proterra, a U.S.-based …
Frontier and Growth Markets | August 8, 2023
Acre Impact Capital secures €40 million to spur green infrastructure development in Africa
ImpactAlpha, August 8 – Africa faces an annual infrastructure financing gap of at least $100 billion. “Only 6% of all infrastructure financing comes …
Dealflow | July 28, 2023
ImpactAlpha Deal Spotlight: Global corporations push for recycled plastic
ImpactAlpha, July 28 — Half of the more than 300 tons of plastic produced globally each year goes to single-use purposes. More than 500 companies, …
Smallholder Agriculture | July 27, 2023
Culttivo raises $14.5 million to extend credit to Brazil’s small-scale coffee producers
ImpactAlpha, July 27 – Brazil is the world’s largest producer of coffee. Most beans are grown and harvested by small producers, whose livelihoods …
Low-carbon transition | July 20, 2023
Private equity giants rally behind O9 Solutions’ sustainable supply chain software
ImpactAlpha, July 20 – Sustainability wasn’t top of mind for Dallas-based O9 Solutions in 2009, when it launched its software to help large …
Low-carbon transition | July 18, 2023
Isometric secures $25 million to register and verify carbon-removal offsets
ImpactAlpha, July 18 — Capturing carbon directly from the atmosphere will be necessary to reverse greenhouse gas emissions, the International Panel on Climate …
Climate and Clean Tech | July 17, 2023
T-Mobile backs Pano AI to detect wildfires using its 5G network
ImpactAlpha, July 7 — T-Mobile, through its sustainability-focused venture capital arm T-Mobile Ventures, has backed San Francisco-based Pano AI, which has built a …
Caribbean / Island Nations | July 17, 2023
Caribbean Investor Capital eyes $4.5 million stake in Solengy for solar in Haiti
ImpactAlpha, July 17 – Poor grid infrastructure and fuel shortages are driving demand for off-grid solar in Haiti, where less than half the …
Catalytic Capital | July 13, 2023
Prime Coalition’s Azolla Ventures raises $239 million to catalyze climate capital
ImpactAlpha, July 13 – Prime Coalition launched independently run Azolla in 2021 as a successor to its $50 million Prime Impact Fund. Azolla’s …
Dealflow | July 12, 2023
CarbonCure scores $80 million to commercialize lower-carbon concrete
ImpactAlpha, July 12 – The race is on to decarbonize heavy industrial materials like concrete, cement and steel. CarbonCure injects CO2 into concrete, …
Climate Finance | July 11, 2023
Amid venture malaise, climate investors spot opportunities in emerging solutions and overlooked markets
ImpactAlpha, July 11 — Climate inventors may be writing smaller checks, but they are still finding opportunities to invest in companies accelerating a …
Dealflow | July 11, 2023
LeapFrog pledges $500 million for climate solutions in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, July 11 – LeapFrog Investments pledged to invest $500 million in startups developing low-carbon solutions for Asia and Africa’s emerging consumer classes. …
Dealflow | July 10, 2023
eFishery rakes in $200 million for sustainable seafood in Indonesia
ImpactAlpha, July 10 — Indonesian aquaculture tech venture eFishery has raised $200 million from ResponsAbility, Malaysian public pension fund Kumpulan Wang Persaraan, Abu …
Low-carbon transition | July 7, 2023
Deal spotlight: Avaada’s big push to green India’s ammonia and hydrogen production
ImpactAlpha, July 7 – Green ammonia and green hydrogen are among the highest impact opportunities for the net-zero transition. The fuels are key …
Clean Energy | July 6, 2023
Nuru secures over $40 million for clean energy access in Democratic Republic of the Congo
ImpactAlpha, July 6 — Nuru (Swahili for “light”) has secured over $40 million to break ground on three projects in the DRC’s eastern …
Dealflow | July 5, 2023
BlueOrchard secures $50 million for climate adaptation in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, July 5 – The Schroders impact investing group is among the few investors directing capital to climate adaptation in vulnerable countries. BlueOrchard …
Dealflow | June 30, 2023
ImpactAlpha Deal Spotlight: Ready or not, here comes lab-grown meat
ImpactAlpha, June 30 — Last week’s approval by the US Department of Agriculture for chicken products Upside Foods and Good Meat sounded the …
Frontier and Growth Markets | June 29, 2023
Omnivore raises $150 million for its third India agrifood tech fund
ImpactAlpha, June 29 – Omnivore secured $150 million in a first close of its third agrifood impact tech fund. The Mumbai-based impact investor …
Impact Tech | June 28, 2023
DePoly secures $13.8 million to recycle old plastic and cut fossil fuels in new products
ImpactAlpha, June 28 – Plastic use is still on pace to triple in the next 40 years. Less than 10% gets recycled (in …
Dealflow | June 27, 2023
Illumen Capital and MassMutual back Supply Change Capital to invest in the future of food
ImpactAlpha, June 27 — LA- and Chicago-based venture fund Supply Change Capital is gearing up for the final close of its planned $40 …
Impact Muni Bonds | June 27, 2023
$1 billion in green bonds to reduce the cost of clean energy in Southern California
Editor’s note: ImpactAlpha has partnered with HIP Investor to highlight upcoming bond issues with social and/or environmental significance. Disclaimer: Nothing in this post …
Low-carbon transition | June 26, 2023
Kubik scores $3.3 million to upcycle plastic waste into low-carbon building materials
ImpactAlpha, June 26 — Buildings account for 40% of total global carbon emissions, because of how building materials are produced, what materials are …
India | June 22, 2023
India’s Avaana Capital raises $70 million for climate and sustainability fund
ImpactAlpha, June 22 — Mumbai-based, women-led venture capital investor Avaana Capital is looking to raise a total of $120 million for its first …
Clean Energy | June 21, 2023
Yellow raises $14 million for solar energy and smartphones financing in sub-Saharan Africa
ImpactAlpha, June 21 — Maya Stewart and Michael Heyink launched Yellow in 2017 to provide flexible financing for home solar systems to off-grid …
Dealflow | June 15, 2023
Generate ties up with McKinstry to offer ‘energy as a service’ to schools, hospitals and public entities
ImpactAlpha, June 15 — Cities are under pressure to decarbonize their buildings. The Viridis Initiative, a joint venture between Generate Capital and McKinstry, …
Clean Energy | June 14, 2023
Tem. raises £2.5 million to streamline renewable energy transactions for smaller buyers
ImpactAlpha, June 14 — The end of the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused energy costs to spike in the UK. Dozens …
Dealflow | June 13, 2023
Ecovative secures $30 million to produce fungi-based sustainable materials
ImpactAlpha, June 13 — The strength and durability of mycelia, the threadlike root structure of mushrooms, have made mushrooms a favorite for alternative …
Dealflow | June 12, 2023
Generation clinches $1.5 billion for climate fund with impact incentives
ImpactAlpha, June 12 – Just Climate, the climate-dedicated asset manager launched a year and a half ago by Al Gore’s Generation Investment Management, …
Agrifood Tech | June 8, 2023
Source.ag bags $27 million to give greenhouses an AI boost
ImpactAlpha, June 8 – Greenhouses provide climate-stable environments for growing food, while reducing water use and inputs needed on traditional outdoor farms. “The …
Climate Finance | June 8, 2023
The Russell Family Foundation launches Food for Climate Solutions grant program
ImpactAlpha, June 8 – The Russell Family Foundation has launched a grant program to fund organizations in western Washington state that are supporting …
Climate and Clean Tech | June 7, 2023
UK-based OXCCU secures $22.7 million to commercialize sustainable aviation fuel
ImpactAlpha, June 7 — Climate-friendly policy, advance purchase agreements and capital for climate technologies are accelerating demand for sustainable aviation fuel. Many of …
Climate Finance | June 7, 2023
Charm Industrial secures $100 million after inking corporate carbon purchase agreements
ImpactAlpha, June 7 – San Francisco-based Charm Industrial prevents the release of carbon dioxide by converting agricultural and agroforestry waste into bio-oil and …
Dealflow | June 6, 2023
Brookfield Renewable takes $360 million stake in Mumbai- based CleanMax
ImpactAlpha, June 6 — Mumbai-based CleanMax is a leading supplier of renewable energy to corporate consumers in India, managing 1.6 gigawatts of wind …
Dealflow | June 2, 2023
Fusion is heating up
ImpactAlpha, June 3 – Some $5 billion has been invested by the private sector in fusion energy startups. Last month, Microsoft inked the …
Impact Muni Bonds | June 1, 2023
Los Angeles’s $484 million bond to improve water sustainability
Editor’s note: ImpactAlpha has partnered with HIP Investor to highlight upcoming bond issues with social and/or environmental significance. Disclaimer: Nothing in this post …
Dealflow | June 1, 2023
Boeing inks deal to buy green hydrogen from Equatic
ImpactAlpha, June 1 – Los Angeles-based Equatic’s novel technology packs a one-two punch. It produces hydrogen from seawater via renewable-powered electrolysis. At the …
Clean Energy | May 31, 2023
Sun King raises $130 million through securitization of off-grid solar payments
ImpactAlpha, May 31 – Public agencies and private companies from California to Cote d’Ivoire are leveraging cash flows to finance climate adaptation and …
United States | May 31, 2023
Opportunity Zone investors bet $5 million on a Pennsylvania factory supporting the green building transition
ImpactAlpha, May 31 – In a previous career, John Wolfington redeveloped defunct factories and brownfield sites for residential and commercial use. Now, he’s …
Podcasts
Podcasts | July 28, 2023
Cash flows to ensure the water flows in Latin America
Quito, Ecuador, is more than 9,000 feet above sea level. But even higher than the city are Andean wetlands that filter, store and …
Podcasts | July 21, 2023
Acre Africa: Insuring farmers against crop failures and climate change
David Bank chats with Acre Africa’s Niza Banda in the next conversation from the recent “Connecting capital to communities” gathering at the Salzburg …
Agrifood Tech | July 1, 2023
Connecting Indian farmers to global markets
David Bank chats with FarMart’s Samridhi Singh in the next conversation in our series from the recent Salzburg Global Seminar on “Connecting Capital …
Deploy! | December 13, 2022
Jigar Shah on building a $140 billion ‘bridge to bankability’ for the energy transition (podcast)
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 13 – Talk about catalytic capital. With a fresh $100 billion in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act boosting its financing capacity …
Podcasts | May 27, 2022
Live-ish from Davos: Taking on the world with BlocPower and friends
ImpactAlpha, May 26 — Donnell Baird arrived at Davos this week with his partners from Brooklyn and Ithaca, where BlocPower is greening thousands …
Climate Finance | May 3, 2022
Jonathan Rose on building green, affordable communities of opportunity (podcast)
ImpactAlpha, May 3 – The Pasatiempo apartments on the edge of Silicon Valley near downtown Fremont, Calif., are a mix of market-rate and …
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 …
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 | February 12, 2021
Impact Briefing: Week of February 12
Host Monique Aiken checks in with Suzanne Biegel in London to debrief this week’s GenderSmart Investing Summit.
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 …
Features | 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 …
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
Climate + Gender | November 17, 2023
To be effective, climate solutions need a gender lens (video)
ImpactAlpha, November 17 – That women are more adversely affected by climate change is well established (in impact and development circles at any …
Climate Finance | September 19, 2022
New momentum and stubborn challenges as Climate Week kicks off (Call No. 44)
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 19 – Investors, entrepreneurs, corporate executives and world leaders have descended on New York for Climate Week, the annual gathering alongside the …
Inclusive Economy | April 22, 2022
Call No 41: How investors are catalyzing climate capital for adaptation and equity (video)
ImpactAlpha, April 22 – The Ukraine crisis risks tipping up to 1.7 billion people — over one-fifth of humanity — into poverty, destitution …
Call Recording | February 11, 2022
Call No. 37: Ramping up the supply of carbon reduction to meet the urgent demand (video)
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 11 – ”$100 a ton?” exclaimed CDP’s Paula DiPerna on ImpactAlpha’s Agents of Impact Call this week. “I should be popping champagne.” …
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 …
Climate + Gender | 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.