Dealflow
Photo credit: Aera.
Climate and Clean Tech | May 24, 2022
India’s M Auto raises $20 million for electric mobility-as-a-service in Africa
ImpactAlpha, May 24 — Investing in the low-carbon transition of Africa requires solutions to alleviate poverty and uplift local economies as well. Chennai-based …
Photo credit: IFC.
Dealflow | May 24, 2022
IFC invests $30 million with Partners for Growth to deploy private credit in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, May 24 — San Francisco-based Partners for Growth, which specializes in private lending for growth-stage companies in emerging markets, will invest $30 …
Photo credit: Lightrock.
Impact Tech | May 23, 2022
LGT’s Lightrock secures $300 million for impact tech in Latin America
ImpactAlpha, May 23 — Lightrock has raised $300 million to invest in companies in Latin America with tech solutions for people, the planet …
Illustration by Cayaba Care.
Investing in Health | May 23, 2022
Black-led Cayaba Care raises $12 million to reduce maternal morbidity
ImpactAlpha, May 23 — Maternal morbidity describes short- or long-term health issues during and after pregnancy, labor and delivery. In the U.S., more …
Catalytic Capital | May 19, 2022
British International Investment provides $100 million guarantee for supply-chain financing in Africa
ImpactAlpha, May 2 – A $100 million guarantee from the U.K. ‘s development finance institution (formerly called CDC Group) will enable Citi to boost …
Photo by ANDREAS PEIN/LAIF/REDUX.
2030 Finance | May 19, 2022
Generation Investment Management raises $1.7 billion sustainable solutions fund
ImpactAlpha, May 19 — Generation Investment Management has raised $1.7 billion for its fourth Sustainable Solutions Fund. The private equity fund is Generation’s …
Photo by Infinitum Electric.
Green Infrastructure | May 19, 2022
Infinitum Electric raises $80 million to commercialize electric motors
ImpactAlpha, May 19 — Austin-based Infinitum says its low-carbon air-core motors are more energy efficient and half the weight and size of conventional …
Photo credit: VOS.
Blockchain/AI/IoT | May 18, 2022
Soluna scores $35 million from Spring Lane Capital to use wasted clean energy for crypto mining
ImpactAlpha, May 18 — If crypto doesn’t save the earth, it may destroy it. By some estimates, Bitcoin and other crypto mining consumes …
PHOTO BY ROY ROCHLIN/GETTY IMAGES.
Dealflow | May 18, 2022
Bloomberg Philanthropies commits $242 million for clean energy in developing countries
ImpactAlpha, May 18 — With $164 million in commitments, Michael Bloomberg’s foundation says it has helped close down more than two-thirds of coal …
Photo credit: Sencrop.
Agrifood Tech | May 17, 2022
Sencrop secures $18 million to help farmers manage ‘ultra-local’ weather risks
ImpactAlpha, May 17 — French agtech venture Sencrop provides microclimate information to 20,000 farmers in Europe from its network of ultra-local weather stations. …
Illustration by World Bank Blogs.
Climate Finance | May 17, 2022
Sustain.Life secures $16 million to help small businesses take climate action
ImpactAlpha, May 17 — The combined carbon emissions of the 90% of the world’s businesses that are small and mid-sized exceeds that of …
Illustration by Cornelia Li/The Counter.
Regeneration | May 16, 2022
AXA, Unilever and Tikehau Capital seed regenerative agriculture fund with €300 million
ImpactAlpha, May 16 — Paris-based Tikehau Capital and AXA and U.K.-based Unilever are joining forces to launch a regenerative agriculture fund, which seeks …
Photo credit: Qoala.
Impact Tech | May 16, 2022
Qoala secures $65 million to make insurance affordable and accessible in Southeast Asia
ImpactAlpha, May 16 — Insurance penetration in Southeast Asia lags the global average. Jakarta, Indonesia-based Qoala is looking to make affordable home, vehicle …
Photo credit: BlackRock
Return on Inclusion | May 12, 2022
BlackRock raises an $800 million impact fund to invest in communities of color
ImpactAlpha, May 12 — BlackRock’s $330 billion alternatives investment group aims to raise $1 billion to invest in housing, financial services, education and …
Photo credit: Greenwood.
racial-equity | May 12, 2022
Greenwood acquires The Gathering Spot to build a community for minority professionals
ImpactAlpha, May 12 — Atlanta-based neobank Greenwood has raised $43 million on the promise that it can deliver better banking services for Black …
Photo credit: BRAC
Frontier and Growth Markets | May 12, 2022
BRAC International Microfinance taps capital markets for $40 million for households in poverty
ImpactAlpha, May 12 – BRAC International Microfinance, the non-governmental organization’s international arm, worked with Seattle-based Global Partnerships and Proparco, the French development bank, …
Photo credit: JPMorgan.
Return on Inclusion | May 11, 2022
LISC raises $100 million to expand Entrepreneurs of Color Loan Fund
ImpactAlpha, May 11 — The Entrepreneurs of Color Loan Fund will buy loans off the books of community lenders to free up their …
Photo credit: Equity Group.
Dealflow | May 11, 2022
Equity Group secures $165 million to finance small businesses and climate projects in Africa
ImpactAlpha, May 11 — Through a partnership with IFC, Nairobi-based Equity Group will invest $80 million in equity in climate projects over five …
Photo credit: Manara
Good Jobs | May 10, 2022
Manara scores $3 million to upskill tech workers in North Africa and the Middle East
ImpactAlpha, May 10 — Former engineers Iliana Montauk and Laila Abudahi launched Manara last year to offer coding classes for engineering students from …
Photo credit: Group14 Technologies.
Climate and Clean Tech | May 10, 2022
Group14 Technologies rakes in $400 million to commercialize silicon batteries
ImpactAlpha, May 10 — Battery tech ventures are raising big rounds in the race for better lithium batteries. Seattle-based Group14, which developed a …
Photo credit: Simply Green Home Services.
Catalytic Capital | May 10, 2022
Inclusive Prosperity raises $13 million for energy upgrades for underserved communities
ImpactAlpha, May 10 — Inclusive Prosperity Capital is looking to democratize access to clean energy by providing financing to local energy companies to …
Photo credit: Redcliffe.
Investing in Health | May 9, 2022
LeapFrog leads Redcliffe’s $61 million raise for health diagnostics in India
ImpactAlpha, May 9 — Noida-based Redcliffe has raised $61 million to provide diagnostics for non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes, …
Photo credit: Global Conservation.
Climate and Clean Tech | May 9, 2022
Pachama scores $55 million to verify forest-based carbon credits
ImpactAlpha, May 9 — Pachama, which uses satellite imaging and artificial intelligence to monitor carbon stored in forests, has raised $55 million in …
Photo credit: WTOP.
Return on Inclusion | May 9, 2022
Northwestern Mutual invests $5 million in two Black-led lenders in Milwaukee
ImpactAlpha, May 9 — Northwestern Mutual is investing in Legacy Redevelopment Corp. and Northwest Side Community Development Corp. to provide loans to Black-owned …
Inclusive Economy | May 5, 2022
Common Future and Uncharted merge to expand entrepreneurship and wealth-building in underserved communities
ImpactAlpha, May 5 – Call it the un-M&A deal. Common Future, the Oakland-based nonprofit focused on economic inequality, and Uncharted, the nonprofit social …
Photo credit: Loveyourclothes.com
Dealflow | May 5, 2022
Decarbonization Partners backs alt-leather producer MycoWorks
ImpactAlpha, May 5 — BlackRock and Singapore’s Temasek launched Decarbonization Partners last year with a combined $600 million commitment. Its first investment: MycoWorks, …
Photo credit: BURN Stoves.
Frontier and Growth Markets | May 5, 2022
BUILD fund raises $60 million for small and growing businesses in Africa
ImpactAlpha, May 5 — BUILD, a fund launched by the U.N. Capital Development Fund and Bamboo Capital Partners, will invest in impact-focused projects …
Photo credit: Payments.com
Financial Inclusion | May 4, 2022
Xepelin rakes in $111 million for financial services for small businesses in Latin America
ImpactAlpha, May 4 — Small and mid-sized businesses in Latin America fail more frequently than similar businesses in other regions. Santiago, Chile-based Xepelin …
Photo credit: RideTandem.
Good Jobs | May 4, 2022
RideTandem scores $2.2 million to alleviate ‘transport poverty’ for blue-collar workers
ImpactAlpha, May 4 — Public transportation is increasingly inaccessible for low-income workers in the U.K., particularly in rural areas. “Half of the lowest-earning …
Photo by Joao Marcelo Marques on Unsplash.
Agrifood Tech | May 3, 2022
Lightsmith Group backs Brazil’s Solinftec’s precision agriculture-as-a-service
ImpactAlpha, May 3 — New York-based private equity firm Lightsmith Group raised $186 million to invest in companies with data and technology for …
Photo credit: Sense.
Climate and Clean Tech | May 3, 2022
Sense raises $105 million to help homeowners reduce energy costs
ImpactAlpha, May 3 — Cambridge, Mass.-based Sense helps homeowners reduce their carbon footprint with devices that monitor energy usage in real-time. The company …
Photo credit: Dell Foundation.
Financial Inclusion | May 3, 2022
Open secures $50 million for small business services in India
ImpactAlpha, May 3 — Bengaluru-based Open provides digital banking, payments, invoicing and automated bookkeeping services to more than two million small and mid-sized …
photo: Sealed
Dealflow | May 2, 2022
Sealed snags $30 million to expand energy efficiency offerings for homeowners
ImpactAlpha, May 2 – New York-based Sealed offers homeowners customized energy retrofits including insulation, air sealing, smart thermostats and heat pumps at no …
Dealflow | May 2, 2022
$55 million rains down on Brimstone to decarbonize cement
ImpactAlpha, May 2 – At least 8% of global emissions are generated by concrete, a key building block in everything from buildings to …
Photo credit: Sun King
Frontier and Growth Markets | April 28, 2022
Sun King scores $260 million to ramp up off-grid solar access in Africa
ImpactAlpha, April 28 – The off-grid solar sector in Africa is growing up. Sun King, launched (as Greenlight Planet) in Chicago 15 years …
Electric cars in India | Photo credit: Getty
Climate and Clean Tech | April 27, 2022
TPG seals its Rise Climate Fund at $7.3 billion
ImpactAlpha, Apr. 27 – TPG closed its Rise Climate Fund at $7.3 billion. With the final close, the climate fund on TPG’s Rise platform …
Photo credit: Honeycomb Credit
Creative Economy | April 27, 2022
Foundations join the crowd to invest in creative startups through Honeycomb Credit
ImpactAlpha, Apr. 27 – More than 80% of the businesses that have raised capital through Honeycomb’s loan crowdfunding platform are local creative businesses such …
Photo credit: Farmerline
Smallholder Agriculture | April 27, 2022
Ghanaian agtech venture Farmerline raises $12.9 million to help small farmers improve yields
ImpactAlpha, Apr. 27 – Farmerline’s marketplace helps smallholder farmers build climate resilience with digital tools, logistics, field agents, farm resources and agribusiness partnerships. On …
Dealflow | April 26, 2022
BluePeak backs Africure to bolster pharmaceutical production in Africa
ImpactAlpha, April 26 – The challenges of affordability and authenticity have hampered access to life-saving medicines and vaccines in Africa. Case in point: …
Image credit: Greenly
Climate Finance | April 26, 2022
Greenly secures $23 million to help small businesses cut carbon emissions
ImpactAlpha, April 26 – Small businesses’ small carbon footprints add up. And as suppliers and distributors for larger corporations, measuring and managing their …
Photo credit: Air Company.
Climate and Clean Tech | April 25, 2022
Air Company raises $30 million to turn carbon into vodka and other products
ImpactAlpha, April 25 — New York-based Air Company uses only air, water and sunlight to transform captured carbon into carbon-negative spirits and other …
Photo credit: L'Oreal.
Climate Finance | April 25, 2022
Circular Innovation Fund secures €50 million from L’Oréal
ImpactAlpha, April 25 — Global cosmetics giant L’Oréal has made a €50 million ($53.9 million) allocation to Circular Innovation Fund, a joint venture …
Photo credit: Beta Technologies
Dealflow | April 21, 2022
Beta Technologies raises $375 million for electric aircraft
ImpactAlpha, April 21 – Green aviation startups are raising big rounds from big-name investors. Vermont-based Beta is building electric battery-powered planes that take …
VC Include team
The Reconstruction | April 21, 2022
VC Include backs 10 climate funds led by diverse managers
ImpactAlpha, Apr. 21 – Black and Brown communities disproportionately impacted by climate change are an important source of talent, ideas and solutions. Unlocking those …
Photo by Kaiser Permanente.
Investing in Health | April 20, 2022
Kaiser Permanente allocates another $200 million to affordable housing for health
ImpactAlpha, April 20 — Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente is topping up the $200 million Thriving Communities Fund it launched in 2018 to respond to …