Latin America
Photo by The Money Engineer.
Dealflow | September 30, 2022
ImpactAlpha Deal Spotlight: Small business lending in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, September 30 — Small and medium-sized enterprises create seven out of every 10 jobs and contribute up to 40% of annual GDP …
SunColombia
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 …
Image credit: Uellbee
Frontier and Growth Markets | August 16, 2022
Uellbee raises $2.3 million to help Mexican consumers refinance debts
ImpactAlpha, August 16 – Mexico City-based fintech venture Uellbee wants to help consumers pay down debt and improve their savings. The company offers lower-cost …
Seedstars' founders. Photo by House of Switzerland.
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 …
Dealflow | July 11, 2022
Argentinian agtech startup SIMA raises $2 million to help farmers optimize crop yields
ImpactAlpha, July 11 – SIMA’s mobile app is used by farmers to monitor 129 million fields of soy, wheat and other crops across …
Image credit: Mottu
Frontier and Growth Markets | July 6, 2022
Brazil’s Mottu secures $40 million to train, insure and finance motorbikes for gig workers
ImpactAlpha, July 6 – In a country with high youth unemployment, the Sao Paulo-based Mottu rents out motorbikes on a weekly basis to make …
Photo by World Future Council.
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 …
Photo by Calvert Impact Capital.
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 …
Image: Screenshot / RobinFood Instagram
Latin America | June 2, 2022
Bogotá-based RobinFood raises $32 million to expand food access and cut waste
ImpactAlpha, Jun. 2 – Colombian startup RobinFood operates physical and virtual restaurants that make and deliver affordable, homemade food. The company deploys artificial …
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 …
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 …
GSG's Sebastien Welisiejko at FLII
Latin America | April 14, 2022
How impact investors can deliver solutions at scale in Latin America
A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to attend the 12th edition of the Latin American Impact Investment Forum, or FLII – …
Photo credit: Triodos Bank.
Frontier and Growth Markets | April 11, 2022
Blue like an Orange backs Acceso Crediticio for taxi lending in Peru
ImpactAlpha, April 11 — Blue like an Orange Sustainable Capital, the investment firm launched by former World Bank officials to unlock debt financing …
Dealflow | April 6, 2022
Vox Capital backs Octa to recycle cars in Brazil
ImpactAlpha, April 6 – Sao Paulo-based Octa has developed a marketplace to connect vehicle fleet owners with disposal businesses to ensure that old …
Photo credit: Women's World Banking.
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 …
Photo credit: Opinio Juris.
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 …
Merida, Mexico
Frontier and Growth Markets | March 15, 2022
Rodrigo Villar wants impact investors in Latin America ‘to think more radically’
ImpactAlpha, March 15 – The $15 billion flood of venture capital into Latin American startups last year caught even veteran investors by surprise. …
Photo credit: 99minutos.
Dealflow | March 3, 2022
99minutos raises $82 million for electric delivery for online vendors in Latin America
ImpactAlpha, March 3 — Retail e-commerce in Latin America is projected to nearly double to $160 billion in 2025, from $85 billion last …
Photo credit: ColdHubs
Frontier and Growth Markets | March 1, 2022
Catalyst Fund backs fintech startups to boost resilience in climate-vulnerable communities.
ImpactAlpha, March 1 – The new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change makes clear that nature-dependent and low-income communities are being …
Photo credit: Neon
Dealflow | February 16, 2022
Spanish bank BBVA adds $300 million to its stake in Brazilian neobank Neon
ImpactAlpha, February 16 – Neon launched in 2016 to provide credit and other digital financial services to Brazil’s low and middle income individuals, …
Frontier and Growth Markets | February 14, 2022
Brazil’s Velvet raises $200 million to give early emerging market venture investors an exit
ImpactAlpha, February 14 – Exits are a persistent and nagging question in the relatively young field of impact investing. Brazil’s Velvet wants to …
Frontier and Growth Markets | February 14, 2022
Favelas Fundos raises $3.8 million to invest in entrepreneurs in Brazil’s slums
ImpactAlpha, February 14 – Favelas Fundos aims to invest 50 million reais ($9.5 million) to seed tech startups serving the slum economy. The …
Climate Finance | February 2, 2022
Moss.Earth raises $10 million to put carbon credits on blockchain
ImpactAlpha, February 2 – A raft of startups are merging the hot, if volatile, worlds of crypto and climate finance to bring transparency …
Inventa co-founders, from left, Fernando Carrasco, Marcos Salama and Laura Camargo | Inventa.
Dealflow | January 25, 2022
Inventa scores $20 million to connect small Brazilian retailers with global suppliers
ImpactAlpha, January 25 — São Paulo-based Inventa, launched last year, has built a digital marketplace for Brazilian small businesses to purchase inventory. Inventa …
Dealflow | January 18, 2022
Elevar backs Fairplay’s revenue-based financing for online businesses in Mexico
ImpactAlpha, January 18 – Fintech startup Fairplay provides revenue-based working capital loans and inventory financing to Mexico’s small and mid-sized online businesses. The …
Photo credit: Tul
Latin America | January 12, 2022
Tul raises $181 million to digitalize independent hardware stores in Latin America
ImpactAlpha, January 12 – Bogotá-based Tul helps Colombia’s mom-and-pop hardware stores source products from large construction suppliers like ArcelorMittal and Cemex. It launched …
Photo credit: Global Banking Finance.
Dealflow | November 30, 2021
Jefa raises $2 million for fintech services for women in Latin America
ImpactAlpha, November 30 — Women make up more than half of the world’s unbanked population. Jefa, a Mexico City-based neobank, is helping women …
Photo credit: TOM TRAMBOW.
Climate Finance | November 10, 2021
European Investment Bank and Allianz Global target €500 million for climate fund
ImpactAlpha, November 10 — Allianz Global, the €633 billion ($733.9 billion) asset management arm of German financial services company Allianz, teamed up with …
Photo credit: Opportunity International.
Dealflow | November 9, 2021
Oikocredit and Opportunity International commit $100 million to back education lending in low-income countries
ImpactAlpha, November 3 — With its lending partners, Opportunity International, a Chicago-based nonprofit, has mobilized $2.3 billion to support 8,800 schools in 30 …
Illustration by Frost & Sullivan.
Dealflow | November 4, 2021
Brazil’s Memed scores $17.8 million to scale medical e-prescription platform
ImpactAlpha, November 4 — The round was co-led by Singapore’s Temasek, Brazilian financial services company Fit Participacoes and DNA Capital, a Sao Paulo-based …
Sao Paulo | Photo credit: UWA
Dealflow | October 20, 2021
Brazil’s Monashees targets $700 million for early- and growth-stage impact
ImpactAlpha, October 20 — São Paulo Monashees is looking to raise two $350 million funds to invest in Latin American tech companies addressing …
Photo credit: Construction Review.
Dealflow | October 18, 2021
Actis’ sustainable energy infrastructure fund raises $4.7 billion
ImpactAlpha, October 18 — London-based Actis has raised $19 billion since 2004 for private equity, energy and real estate investments. The new fund, …
Quito, Ecuador
Frontier and Growth Markets | October 13, 2021
AXA takes a minority stake in Blue Like an Orange sustainable investment firm
ImpactAlpha, October 13 – Blue Like an Orange was launched in 2017 by former World Bank officials Bertrand Badré, Amer Baig and Suprotik …
Photo credit: Konfio
Dealflow | September 30, 2021
Softbank funding helps make Konfio and Andela emerging market impact unicorns
ImpactAlpha, September 30 – Mexico-based Konfio and New York-based Andela both got their start seven to eight years ago with a message of …
Addi's founders. Photo credit: Addi.
Dealflow | September 9, 2021
Addi rakes in $140 million to scale ‘buy now, pay later’ in Latin America
ImpactAlpha, September 9 — Latin America led the world in e-commerce sales growth last year, attracting investors to platforms like Nuvemshop that are …
Photo credit: Nuvemshop
Dealflow | August 23, 2021
Brazil’s Nuvemshop scores $500 million to support digitization of small businesses
ImpactAlpha, August 23 – The pandemic has drawn investors to e-commerce platforms accelerating the shift to online business. Sao Paulo-based Nuvemshop’s nine-figure funding …
Fishermen in Baja California Sur | Photo credit:Pronatura Noroeste
Creative Economy | August 16, 2021
Fund for artisans backs Ilumexico to expand access to solar power for rural business
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 16 – The RISE Artisan Fund of volunteer-based Realize Impact launched a climate investing strategy to help energy-poor artisans transition to …
Photo credit: National Geographic Society.
2030 Finance | July 27, 2021
Hartree Partners and Wildlife Works tap voluntary carbon markets to finance forest protection
ImpactAlpha, July 27 — The partnership is an example of how rising prices for carbon credits are making more conservation initiatives investable (see, …
Photo credit: uPlanner
Dealflow | July 14, 2021
Acumen’s ALIVE backs Chilean edtech company uPlanner
ImpactAlpha, July 14 – Santiago-based uPlanner built its software to help Latin American universities improve operational efficiency and reduce student attrition. The artificial …
Prince Max von und zu Liechtenstein, the chief executive of LGT Group. Photo: Nora Tam.
Dealflow | July 13, 2021
LGT’s Lightrock closes $900 million fund for tech-driven impact
ImpactAlpha, July 13 — LGT, the $272 billion private banking and asset management firm of the royal family of Liechtenstein, launched Lightrock in …
Photo credit: BBVA.
Dealflow | July 7, 2021
Pomona Impact backs Mexican neobank Vexi
ImpactAlpha, July 7 – Mexico City-based Vexi aims to serve underbanked Mexicans with credit cards and a mobile app for managing transactions and budgeting. …
Jocotenango, Guatemala | Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash
Smallholder Agriculture | July 1, 2021
Impact investors step up to the migration challenge in Central America
ImpactAlpha, July 1 – The confluence in Central America of extreme weather events, gang violence, corruption, and poverty – exacerbated by COVID – is …
Cusco, Peru
Dealflow | June 29, 2021
Land Accelerator gets a worm’s eye view of Peru’s conservation entrepreneurs
ImpactAlpha, June 29 — Blockchain forestry. Water “planting.” New superfoods. Twenty-five entrepreneurs participated in World Resources Institute’s second country-specific Land Accelerator program, called …
Photo credit: El CEO.
Dealflow | June 9, 2021
Brazilian fintech Nubank rakes in $1.2 billion for Latam expansion
ImpactAlpha, June 9 — São Paulo-based Nubank launched in 2014 to provide underserved Brazilians no-fee, low-interest digital credit cards they could manage on …
Santiago, Chile
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 …