Geographies
Climate Finance | March 18, 2024
HeavyFinance raises €20 million to help farmers regenerate Europe’s agriculture
HeavyFinance offers credit to help farmers and small agri-businesses adopt regenerative practices to improve soil health and sequester carbon. The Lithuania-based crowdfunding platform, …
Deploy! | March 15, 2024
Tribal community gets Energy Department loan guarantee for solar + storage
The future of energy access runs through locally-led and inclusive businesses. Indigenous-owned renewable energy developers in the US are getting their first cut …
Agrifood Tech | March 14, 2024
KAS snags $3 million for low-cost production of aquaculture ingredient
Astaxanthin is used in aquaculture feed to enhance the health and pigmentation of farmed fish and shrimp. Synthetic astaxanthin is cheaper than natural …
Climate Finance | March 14, 2024
Green Climate Fund invests in India’s climate resilience via the Avaana Sustainability Fund
The Small Industries Development Bank of India is the main financing body for tens of millions of India’s small businesses. The bank manages …
Africa | March 13, 2024
IFC extends $20 million to Burundi bank to bolster small business lending
The International Finance Corp. and a group of institutional investors have extended a $20 million loan to Banque de Crédit de Bujumbura to …
Financial Inclusion | March 13, 2024
IFC extends $20 million to Burundian bank to bolster small business lending
The International Finance Corp. and a group of institutional investors have extended a $20 million loan to Banque de Crédit de Bujumbura to …
Latin America | March 12, 2024
Potencia Ventures backs Trampay to bank gig economy workers in Brazil (video)
On-demand delivery of food, packages and other products provides much-need income for millions of workers in Brazil. For such gig workers, schedules and …
Frontier and Growth Markets | March 12, 2024
XSML raises nearly $100 million to invest in African small and mid-sized businesses
Amsterdam-based XSML invests in growing African businesses providing basic consumer goods and services in less-invested markets like Uganda and the Democratic Republic of …
Investing in Health | March 11, 2024
Pharma company Eisai backs South African health tech venture RecoMed
Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai launched subsidiaries in South Africa and Kenya in 2022 to supply drugs for cancer, dementia and other non-communicable diseases. …
Corporate Impact | March 11, 2024
Blue Earth Capital inks sustainability-linked loan for Asia’s garment sector
ImpactAlpha, March 11 – Asia’s garment sector, which feeds global fast-fashion demand, is notorious for human rights and environmental abuses. Q Collection is …
Inclusive Economy | March 11, 2024
Facing raids and trials, Muhammed Yunus struggles to preserve Grameen’s anti-poverty network in Bangladesh
ImpactAlpha, March 11 – The decade-long vendetta against Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus by the prime minister of Bangladesh is escalating toward a …
Latin America | March 8, 2024
Atta impact-first venture fund targets “missing middle” social enterprise in Mesoamerica region
ImpactAlpha, March 8 — New funds are emerging out of Latin America and the Caribbean as the region’s impact ecosystem comes together and …
Climate Finance | March 7, 2024
Gates Foundation seeds Africa Water Facility with $6 million grant for urban sanitation
ImpactAlpha, March 7 — Africa Water Facility, launched by the African Ministers Council on Water and managed by the African Development Bank, aims …
Climate Finance | March 6, 2024
Carbon Equity raises €100 million for a climate tech fund of funds
ImpactAlpha, March 6 — Amsterdam-based Carbon Equity launched in 2021 to provide access to venture capital and private equity impact investment funds for …
Financial Inclusion | March 6, 2024
Wagely inks $23 million to help Asia’s workers with cash stability and financial health
ImpactAlpha, March 6 – Indonesia and Bangladesh have nearly 200 million wage workers. Unexpected expenses force many to resort to expensive payday loans. …
Dealflow | March 5, 2024
Adenia Capital acquires South Africa last-mile delivery platform The Courier Guy
ImpactAlpha, March 5 — E-commerce in South Africa is growing at an annual rate of 15%. The Courier Guy, through its network of …
Latin America | March 4, 2024
FLII feeds investor optimism and urgency about Latin America’s future
Sign up for ImpactAlpha Latin America to follow the people and money powering Latin America and the Caribbean’s impact economy. ImpactAlpha, Mar. 4 – Agents of …
Inclusive Economy | March 4, 2024
Overheard at Sankalp: Public equity for African small businesses, accelerating circular enterprises, financing women-led ventures
ImpactAlpha, March 4 – The theme of the Sankalp Africa Summit in Nairobi was “igniting Africa’s potential for a just transition.” As always, financing …
Climate Finance | February 29, 2024
Can the UK’s market for trading nature credits deliver ‘biodiversity net gain’?
The global economy is built on natural capital. Without an abundance of water, soil, and biological diversity, businesses and societies can’t function, much …
Climate Finance | February 29, 2024
Blue Earth Capital takes stake in Nepra to expand waste recycling in India
ImpactAlpha, February 29 — Gujarat-based Nepra Resource Management deploys nearly 2,000 pickers to deliver dry waste to five waste recycling facilities. “Responsible waste …
Europe | February 27, 2024
Verdane raises €1.1 billion for sustainable European businesses
ImpactAlpha, February 26 — Verdane, a Norwegian private equity investor, targets tech-enabled businesses that can pass its “2040 test” – a screen to …
Impact Investing | February 27, 2024
Risks and opportunities in early-stage climate tech in Africa
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 26 – Climate concerns figured prominently in conversations among investors, development agencies, startups and corporations at this week’s Africa Tech Summit …
Dealflow | February 27, 2024
South Africa’s Hohm Energy nets $8 million to meet demand for solar power
ImpactAlpha, Feb. 27 – South Africans have endured years of rolling blackouts as the country’s aging coal plants falter. The outages have shaved …
Latin America | February 26, 2024
Latin America’s impact ecosystem, built over decades, is primed for takeoff
Sign up for ImpactAlpha Latin America to follow the people and money powering Latin America and the Caribbean’s impact economy. ImpactAlpha, Feb. 26 …
ImpactAlpha Latin America | February 26, 2024
ImpactAlpha Latin America: Growing the impact ecosystem
Saludos, Agents of Impact! 👋 Welcome to ImpactAlpha Latin America, our specialized monthly newsletter bringing you year-round coverage of the news, voices and dealmaking …
Impact Voices | February 26, 2024
How Estímulo is blending finance for Brazil’s small businesses
Estímulo’s story stands as a compelling testament to the transformative power of blended finance in addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing …
Impact Voices | February 26, 2024
Designing catalytic loan products for impact companies in Latin America
When we set off to invest our first fund in 2019, we developed an investment strategy which we believed filled a gap in …
Latin America | February 26, 2024
Blue like an Orange provides $18 million in financing to Mexican lender Fuentebuena
ImpactAlpha, February 26 — Monterrey-based Fuentebuena works with more than 150 municipalities in Mexico to provide payroll loans to unbanked and underbanked city …
Impact Voices | February 26, 2024
Five reasons Latin America and the Caribbean are attracting impact investors
Investing in Latin America and the Caribbean’s impact ecosystem represents an opportunity to generate financial returns and make a meaningful difference by addressing …
Muni Impact | February 24, 2024
Maine rolls out $5 million in green bond series for resilient and sustainable buildings
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 Tech | February 23, 2024
‘Deep tech’ impact investing in India
ImpactAlpha, February 23 – India is emerging as a hub for high-value, deep science tech startups working on breakthrough solutions to climate change, …
Climate and Clean Tech | February 21, 2024
Eli snags $6.8 million to help consumers electrify their homes
ImpactAlpha, February 22 – Sales of heat pumps have outpaced gas furnaces in the US for the second year in a row. But …
Clean Energy | February 20, 2024
D.light closes $7.4 million solar securitization deal in Nigeria
ImpactAlpha, February 21 – Securitized financing enables d.light to move loans to solar customers off of its balance sheet, freeing its capital to …
Gender Smart | February 20, 2024
WIC Capital invests in a local snack food company in Senegal
ImpactAlpha, February 20 – Most African markets are heavily dependent on imported food products, despite the fact that most Africans depend on agriculture …
Climate and Clean Tech | February 15, 2024
Lilac Solutions raises $145 million for green lithium production
ImpactAlpha, February 15 – Lithium prices have fallen steeply as US electric-vehicle adoption has wobbled. But green, efficient and economical lithium extraction to …
Climate and Clean Tech | February 14, 2024
Catalyst Fund seeds nine African climate tech startups
ImpactAlpha, February 14 – The impact tech fund of BFA Global invested $1.8 million in companies that “directly empower farmers, healthcare providers, waste …
Climate and Clean Tech | February 13, 2024
India’s growing appetite for electric vehicles
ImpactAlpha, February 13 – The US is sending mixed signals about consumer EV adoption. In India, where most vehicle sales are two- and …
Financial Inclusion | February 12, 2024
First Circle backs Egypt’s Balad for cross-border payments
ImpactAlpha, February 12 – Egyptians living abroad send more than $30 billion a year to friends and family back home. Most of the …
Frontier and Growth Markets | February 12, 2024
IDB Invest directs $100 million to modernize Jamaica’s electricity grid
ImpactAlpha, February 12 – Jamaica’s energy utility Jamaica Public Service Co. has been working in recent years to improve the reliability of the …
Smallholder Agriculture | February 8, 2024
Eco.business Fund backs Family Bank to finance climate resilience for farmers in Kenya
ImpactAlpha, February 8 – Most commercial banks in Africa have long dismissed smallholder farmers and other agricultural businesses as too risky. Kenya’s Family …
Gender Smart | February 8, 2024
Village Capital partners with Standard Chartered to catalyze capital to African women in tech
ImpactAlpha, February 8 – Female founders receive just 2% of venture capital in Africa (and about the same globally). Standard Chartered bank launched …
Agrifood Tech | February 7, 2024
Spain’s Heura raises €40 million for ‘clean’ plant-based meat
ImpactAlpha, February 7 – It’s been a tough couple years for companies trying to offset global meat consumption with alternatives made from plants. …
Investing in Health | February 7, 2024
India’s Aarogya Tech scores $1.8 million for chronic disease prevention and management
ImpactAlpha, February 7 – Non-communicable diseases like diabetes and cancer are responsible for more than 60% of deaths in India. Without interventions, they …
Inclusive Economy | February 5, 2024
Impaqto Capital backs Sinba’s recycling services in Peru
ImpactAlpha, February 5 – Sinba provides recycling services for 1,500 residential customers and 70 companies, including Starbucks, Nestle and Coca-Cola. Its services help …
Investing in Health | February 5, 2024
Accompany Health scores $56 million to provide health services for low-income patients
ImpactAlpha, February 5 – Physician Rahul Rajkumar started Accompany Health to “place social determinants of health front and center” and to help underserved …