Asia
Impact Voices | November 24, 2020
Strengthening impact investing in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia with collaboration, local solutions and scale
For the first time in two decades, global extreme poverty is expected to rise. According to The World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic will …
Uncategorized | November 18, 2020
CDC adds $100 million to boost trade finance for the COVID recovery
ImpactAlpha, November 18 – To help restart cross-border commerce in emerging markets, U.K. development finance institution CDC Group is committing $100 million to …
Agrifood Tech | September 23, 2020
Beneficial Returns backs alt-leather manufacturer Ananas Anam with impact-linked loan
ImpactAlpha, September 23 – Ananas Anam, a woman-led enterprise in the Philippines, buys pineapple leaf waste from farmers and converts it into a …
Agrifood Tech | September 23, 2020
Green Monday raises $70 million to ramp up alt-protein in Asia
ImpactAlpha, September 23 – Hong Kong-based Green Monday is making multiple bets on Asia’s shift to a plant-based diet. The holding company owns …
Africa | September 22, 2020
Greenlight Planet raises $90 million to bring off-grid solar to new energy users
ImpactAlpha, September 22 – Africa and Asia’s off-grid solar sector has been on an upmarket march in recent years, shifting away from individual households …
Africa | September 9, 2020
BIMA raises $30 million to offer low-cost microinsurance
ImpactAlpha, September 9 – Stockholm-based BIMA provides mobile health, life and accident microinsurance to first-time customers. It has issued more than 35 million …
Asia | September 3, 2020
LeapFrog backs $54 million round for affordable insurer PasarPolis
ImpactAlpha, September 3 – Indonesian insurance tech company PasarPolis partners with large insurance firms to develop health, vehicle and life insurance products for …
Chinese mooncakes
Agrifood Tech | August 27, 2020
China’s Starfield Food & Science Technology snags $10 million to expand plant-based meat offerings
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 27 – The alt-meat market is less developed in China, but producers are racing to get a foothold in the world’s …
Asia | August 26, 2020
Japan’s Hulic Co. issues bond that punishes for missed environmental impact targets
ImpactAlpha, August 26 – An increasing number of sustainability-linked loans reward companies with lower interest rates if they meet environmental and social milestones …
Asia | August 12, 2020
Bayer and Temasek launch Unfold to accelerate vertical farming
ImpactAlpha, August 12 – Vertical farming ventures are raising capital on the promise of the technology’s impact on food security. Nascent technology means …
Agrifood Tech | August 11, 2020
AgFunder launches impact fund for agrifood tech startups
ImpactAlpha, August 11 – San Francisco-based venture capital firm AgFunder launched its GROW accelerator in Singapore last year to support Asia’s agrifood tech …
Asia | July 9, 2020
Proximity Finance secures $14 million for loans to Myanmar’s farmers
ImpactAlpha, June 9 – Nearly 40% of Myanmar’s rural population lives in poverty. Proximity Finance, the microfinance arm of agriculture services provider Proximity …
Africa | June 29, 2020
Gates Foundation backs Enko Chem’s eco-pesticides for Africa
ImpactAlpha, June 29 – Massachusetts-based Enko Chem uses technology for pharmaceutical drug discovery to develop new crop treatments. The company, which was incubated …
Asia | June 2, 2020
Plastics for Change backs India’s informal workers to divert plastic waste
ImpactAlpha, June 2 – Recycling company Plastics for Change sources landfill- and ocean-bound plastic waste from informal workers through a tech platform designed …
Asia | June 1, 2020
ANDE’s Advancing Women’s Empowerment Fund awards $1.2 million
ImpactAlpha, June 1 – ANDE’s Advancing Women’s Empowerment Fund, backed by USAID and the Visa Foundation, sought innovative ways to bridge the estimated …