Asia
Climate and Clean Tech | April 9, 2024
Vietnam’s Alterno raises $1.5 million to store renewable energy in sand batteries
More than 80% of Vietnam’s power is generated from fossil fuels, mostly coal. The country’s coal dependence will affect Vietnam’s ability to trade …
Emerging and Growth Markets | April 4, 2024
Aavsihakaar backs Midland Bank to boost ESG in Bangladesh’s textile industry
Textiles account for 20% of Bangladesh’s GDP and 80% of its exports. Poor working conditions, human rights abuses, and water and land pollution …
Low-carbon transition | March 29, 2024
Deal spotlight: Trickle of financing to phase out coal
Predictions of peak coal have come and gone as global efforts to phase out the dirty fossil fuel founder in regions reliant on …
Dealflow | March 28, 2024
Capria Ventures backs fintechs in Nigeria and Bangladesh to expand financial services
Capria Ventures, a Seattle-based venture investor in emerging markets, continues to deploy capital from its Global South Fund II, which achieved a first …
Inclusive Economy | March 21, 2024
Beneficial Returns re-ups with Indonesian nut producer Kawanasi
Jakarta-based Kawanasi Sehat Dasacatur buys and processes wild-harvested kenari nuts, a type of tree nut, from the Indigenous Kayoa people in eastern Indonesia. …
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 …
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. …
Green Infrastructure | January 29, 2024
ResponsAbility backs CleanEdge Resources for wastewater treatment in Asia
ImpactAlpha, January 29 – ResponsAbility invested $20 million in Singapore-based CleanEdge to develop wastewater treatment and management facilities for corporate and industrial customers. …
Dealflow | January 25, 2024
Temasek’s ABC Impact rakes in $550 million for its second private equity fund
ImpactAlpha, January 25 — ABC Impact, the independently managed private equity impact investment firm owned by Temasek was launched in 2019 to take …
Climate + Gender | December 13, 2023
IIX scores $100 million for its sixth Women’s Livelihood Bond
ImpactAlpha, December 13 – Since launching the bond series in 2017, the Singapore-based impact investment firm has raised nearly $230 million to support …
Asia | December 5, 2023
British International Investment backs trio of climate tech funds in South Asia
ImpactAlpha, December 5 — British International Investment, the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, has made a $25 million allocation to GEF …
Dealflow | October 10, 2023
LeapFrog’s emerging consumer fund secures $100 million commitment from IFC
ImpactAlpha, October 10 — LeapFrog Investments has secured a $100 million commitment from the International Finance Corp. for its emerging consumer fund, the …
Emerging and Growth Markets | September 25, 2023
LeapFrog joins insurance tech venture Bolttech’s $246 million equity round
ImpactAlpha, September 25 – Singapore-based Bolttech’s insurance exchange connects businesses to more than 6,000 insurance products from 230 companies in North America, Europe …
Catalytic Capital | July 24, 2023
BII anchors SDG Outcomes Fund with $10 million for development impact bonds
ImpactAlpha, July 24 — SDG Outcomes Fund is seeking $100 million to provide upfront capital for approximately 15 to 20 “development impact bonds” …
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 …
Asia | June 9, 2023
Deal spotlight: LeapFrog Investments highlights Asia’s appetite for impact
ImpactAlpha, June 9 – Impact investing strategies in emerging markets are seeing increased interest from global investors on the hunt for yield, impact …
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 …
Climate and Clean Tech | May 10, 2023
UK-based Actis launches $500 million Japan-focused clean energy arm
ImpactAlpha, May 10 – London-based global sustainable infrastructure investor Actis launched a Japan-focused clean energy unit out of its fifth energy infrastructure fund, …
Agrifood Tech | April 20, 2023
Aqua-Spark invests in sustainable aquaculture startups in Vietnam and Finland
ImpactAlpha, April 20 – Aqua-Spark was one of the earliest investors in the “blue economy,” focusing on an agrifood niche at a time …
Water | March 20, 2023
Incofin secures €36 million to invest in access to safe drinking water
ImpactAlpha, March 20 – Belgian impact investment firm Incofin has launched the Water Access Acceleration Fund with €36 million ($38.4 million) from development …
Financial Inclusion | March 16, 2023
Accion Venture Lab bets on ‘embedded finance’ in India, Pakistan and Indonesia
ImpactAlpha, March 16 – Lack of access to finance is a critical barrier to small business growth – and thus, to economic growth …
Dealflow | March 14, 2023
Jordan’s first green bond secures $50 million from IFC
ImpactAlpha, March 14 — Jordan Kuwait Bank issued Jordan’s first green bond to finance clean energy projects, low-carbon transportation, energy efficient real estate …
Financial Inclusion | January 18, 2023
Komunal raises $8.5 million to digitalize financial services in rural Indonesia
ImpactAlpha, January 18 — Surabaya-based fintech startup Komunal has raised $8.5 million from investors including East Ventures Growth Fund, AlphaTrio Sustainable Technology Fund, …
Conservation | January 4, 2023
Conservation fund Terratai launches to invest in biodiversity startups in Indonesia
ImpactAlpha, January 4 – Indonesia is one of the most biodiverse countries on earth. Deforestation, overexploitation of natural resources, climate change and other …
Financial Inclusion | January 4, 2023
MUFG Bank bets $200 million on Indonesia’s Akulaku to gain access to underbanked consumers
ImpactAlpha, January 4 — Tokyo-based MUFG Bank, the megabank created by the 2005 merger of Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group and UFJ Holdings, is …
Dealflow | January 3, 2023
Dolma Impact Fund II raises nearly $72 million for sustainable development in Nepal
ImpactAlpha, January 3 — Dolma Fund Management has raised nearly $72 million for its second Dolma Impact Fund. The private equity fund received …
Gender Smart | December 14, 2022
IIX raises $50 million for fifth Women’s Livelihood Bond
ImpactAlpha, December 14 – Singapore-based IIX has raised $50 million for the fifth bond in its Women’s Livelihood Bond series. The bond will …
Good Jobs | November 30, 2022
Igloo raises $46 million to provide insurance for gig economy workers in Southeast Asia
ImpactAlpha, November 30 — In Southeast Asia, insurance coverage as a benefit for employees is a luxury most small and even medium-sized businesses …
Climate Finance | November 14, 2022
Philanthropic organizations commit $500 million for energy transition in developing countries
ImpactAlpha, November 14 — A three-year commitment by nine philanthropies will support energy transition projects by low- and middle-income countries and their partners …
Climate Finance | September 8, 2022
British International Investment lends $25 million for clean energy in Nepal
ImpactAlpha, September 8 – U.K. development agency British International Investment made a $25 million loan to NMB Bank to boost the bank’s renewable energy …
Impact Voices | August 23, 2022
Sustainable agriculture needs more investment in women at the top—not just bottom—of the pyramid
ImpactAlpha, August 23 – Agriculture is the foundation of daily life in most of the world. The food and agriculture sector provides livelihoods for …
Catalytic Capital | July 25, 2022
Seedstars raises $20 million for early stage impact startups in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, July 25 — Geneva-based Seedstars is targeting a $30 million final close for Seedstars International Ventures to back 100 scalable impact tech …
Emerging and Growth Markets | July 20, 2022
For ‘quick commerce’ startups, the pandemic giveth and taketh away
ImpactAlpha, July 20 – Airlift became a darling of Pakistan’s venture capital scene last year when it raised $85 million in Series B …
Signals | July 14, 2022
Is a green transition the cause – or the solution – in Sri Lanka’s crisis?
ImpactAlpha, July 14 – It was an irresistible meme: A crash transition to organic farming tanked Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector and sent the country …
Clean Energy | June 24, 2022
ImpactAlpha Deal Spotlight: Clean energy in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, June 24 — The Covid pandemic has set back progress in providing access to clean energy in emerging markets. In Africa, 25 …
Clean Energy | June 21, 2022
Mirova acquires SunFunder to expand clean energy and climate investing in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, June 21 — Paris-based Mirova, a $27 billion unit of French global asset management firm Natixis Investment Managers, is acquiring SunFunder to …
Investing in Health | May 25, 2022
SwipeRx raises $27 million to digitalize pharmacies in Southeast Asia
ImpactAlpha, May 25 — Singapore-based SwipeRx (formerly mClinica) has raised $27 million to build digital tools for pharmacies in Southeast Asia. Pharmacies are …
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 …
Emerging 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, …
Climate Finance | April 12, 2022
Nuveen and Shell Foundation to deploy $100 million for climate resilience in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, April 12 — Nuveen, the $1.3 trillion asset-management arm of TIAA, has enlisted Shell Foundation to allocate growth capital to companies helping …
Gender Smart | April 5, 2022
Women’s World Banking raises $103 million to invest in financial inclusion for women
ImpactAlpha, April 5 — New York-based nonprofit Women’s World Banking has raised $103 million for its second fund to invest in providers of …
SDGs | April 4, 2022
WaterEquity secures $153 million for water and sanitation impact
ImpactAlpha, April 4 — A subsidiary of Matt Damon’s Water.org, WaterEquity backs microfinance institutions along with micro-utilities, toilet manufacturers and water kiosks to …
Signals | March 31, 2022
LeapFrog’s ‘launchpad’ helps companies serve low-income consumers in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, March 31 — The challenges of delivering essential products and services to customers in low-income and rural areas has kept many companies …
Emerging and Growth Markets | March 31, 2022
New Energy Nexus makes four investments in Indonesia’s clean energy transition
ImpactAlpha, March 31 – NEX supports clean energy entrepreneurs with funding, acceleration and network building. California-based organization backed energy efficiency startup Synergy Efficiency Solutions, …