Geographies
Photo credit: Enko
Agrifood Tech | July 27, 2022
Gates Foundation-backed Enko raises $70 million for sustainable crop treatments
ImpactAlpha, July 27 – Enko uses machine learning and drug discovery to develop non-chemical modes of killing agricultural pests and weeds. The Connecticut-based company …
Climate Finance | July 27, 2022
American Forest Foundation’s $10 million green bond connects forest owners to carbon markets
ImpactAlpha, July 27 – Nearly 40% of forestland in the U.S. is family owned. The American Forest Foundation wants to incentivize such smallholder forest …
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 …
Photo credit: d.light
Clean Energy | July 25, 2022
D.light raises $50 million in debt as investors warm up (again) to off-grid solar
ImpactAlpha, July 25 – D.light, a pioneer in low-cost solar products for off-grid households, secured $50 million in debt financing to extend its product …
Photo by Wingcopter.
Climate and Clean Tech | July 21, 2022
Germany’s Wingcopter raises $42 million for electric delivery drones
ImpactAlpha, July 21 — Wingcopter’s electric drones can take off and land vertically while flying long distances even in extreme weather. The company, …
Image credit: Airlift
Frontier 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 …
Photo by Solarcentury.
Frontier and Growth Markets | July 20, 2022
CrossBoundary Energy raises $40 million to expand clean energy in Africa
ImpactAlpha, July 20 — Nairobi-based CrossBoundary Energy invests in and develops solar systems for commercial and industrial customers in sub-Saharan Africa, where access …
Image credit: Wheelocity
India | July 19, 2022
Wheelocity raises $12 million to cut waste from India’s food supply chain
ImpactAlpha, July 19 – Waste of fresh food is a common problem in emerging markets where many small farmers lack access to cooling technologies, …
Henry Mobility e-bike.
Impact Voices | July 18, 2022
The diverging paths of climate tech in Europe and the U.S.
Talent. Customers. And specialization. Transition-friendly policy and sentiment are helping set the European Union apart as a hub for climate tech. My colleague …
Inclusive Economy | July 18, 2022
Achieve Partners notches exit of tech training venture Genuent
ImpactAlpha, July 18 – Achieve Partners invested in Houston-based Genuent, a tech staffing company, as part of its strategy to accelerate apprenticeship programs in …
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 …
Climate and Clean Tech | July 13, 2022
Persistent raises $10 million to scale its climate venture building model
ImpactAlpha, July 13 – Persistent calls itself “Africa’s Climate Venture Builder.” Founded a decade ago out of the assets of impact pioneer E+Co, …
Dealflow | July 12, 2022
Ankur Capital backs impact tech ventures Vegrow and String Bio
ImpactAlpha, July 12 — Mumbai-based impact fund Ankur Capital seeks out early and even unproven businesses that are using technology to drive down …
Mansoor Hamayun | Photo credit: Bboxx
Frontier and Growth Markets | July 11, 2022
Off-grid solar pioneer Bboxx is following the data to down-market growth
ImpactAlpha, July 11 – Mansoor Hamayun couldn’t have anticipated the data revolution when he launched Bboxx more than a decade ago. Back then, the …
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 credit: Intersect Power
United States | July 5, 2022
TPG Rise Climate backs Intersect Power’s $750 million round to scale up renewable energy infrastructure
ImpactAlpha, July 5 – San Francisco-based Intersect Power has raised $750 million in equity from TPG Rise Climate, TPG’s $7.3 billion climate impact …
Photo by India Today.
Dealflow | July 5, 2022
LeapFrog backs Shubham to deliver housing loans for low-income buyers in India
ImpactAlpha, July 5 — LeapFrog Investments has invested in Gurgaon-based Shubham Housing Development Finance Company, a mortgage lender that launched in 2011 to …
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 Chancen International.
Inclusive Economy | June 23, 2022
Ceniarth backs Future of Work Fund for income share agreement financing in Rwanda
ImpactAlpha, June 23 — Income share agreements, or ISAs, allow students to pay for school with little to no upfront tuition in exchange …
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 …
Frontier and Growth Markets | June 13, 2022
Nyala Venture aims to catalyze local fund managers to unlock capital for small businesses in Africa
ImpactAlpha, June 13 – Who knows best the needs of a community but members of the community itself? First-time fund managers who understand the …
Photo by Bridges Fund Management.
Impact Management | June 13, 2022
Bridges Fund Management closes £350 million property fund
ImpactAlpha, June 13 — U.K.-based impact investor Bridges Fund Management has raised £350 million ($425 million) for its fifth property fund. The fund …
Photo by Allerin.
Frontier and Growth Markets | June 7, 2022
Zimbabwe’s FlexID Technologies secures early funding for blockchain-based digital IDs
ImpactAlpha, June 7 – Many people in Africa lack formal identity papers, particularly in remote areas, making it harder to get agricultural support, financial …
Photo by Afolabi Sotunde.
Frontier and Growth Markets | June 7, 2022
Nigeria’s Indicina raises $3 million to underwrite loans for credit bureaus and banks
ImpactAlpha, June 7 – Lagos-based Indicina uses alternative data to gauge the credit risks of un- and underbanked people and businesses in Nigeria and …
Dealflow | June 6, 2022
Apis & Heritage helps businesses in Denver and El Paso become employee-owned
ImpactAlpha, June 6 – Apis & Heritage last year launched a buyout fund to help small and mid-sized businesses with large Black and Brown …
Impact Voices | June 6, 2022
Africa Eats: Filling the gap in operational capital to grow Africa’s small businesses
Find great companies, add growth capital, and the result are bigger, stronger, more scalable companies. This analysis demonstrates what happens when the “missing …
Call Recording | June 3, 2022
Call No. 43: How responsible fintech in Africa provides resilience in a downturn (video)
ImpactAlpha, June 3 – Just as investment in financial inclusion in Africa was really ramping up, a market downturn threatens to slow progress. Or …
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 …
Image credit: Pivo
Frontier and Growth Markets | June 1, 2022
What’s at stake in African fintech as the venture capital market cools
ImpactAlpha, June 1 – The excitement—and volume of capital—surrounding African venture capital is facing a downturn. One sector sure to feel the investor retreat: …
Tamilnadu, India
India | May 31, 2022
Aavishkaar seeks to raise a $500 million carbon fund for India, South Asia and Southeast Asia
ImpactAlpha, May 31 – India-based Aavishkaar Capital says it’s raising carbon fund of up to $500 million for investments in India, South Asia …
Agents of Impact | May 27, 2022
Olu Oyinsan, Oui Capital: Investing in Africa’s mass market
ImpactAlpha, May 27 – Five years ago, Olu Oyinsan felt an urgent pull back to his native Nigeria while working in the early-stage practice …
Photo credit: SwipeRx.
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 …
Climate Finance | May 25, 2022
a16z leads Flowcarbon’s $70 million round to improve voluntary carbon market transparency
ImpactAlpha, May 25 – Carbon + crypto is a hot combination. Look at the boldface names behind Flowcarbon, a startup that tokenizes certified carbon …
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: 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 …
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 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: 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 …
Catalytic Capital | May 12, 2022
Small ‘non-banks’ get creative to bring financial services to India’s most vulnerable populations
ImpactAlpha, May 12 – Financial inclusion is the hottest sector for venture capital in emerging markets. Businesses in the sector are delivering credit …
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: 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: 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, …
Motorists line up to wait for fuel in Nairobi | Photo credit: Abraham Namiti
Frontier and Growth Markets | May 9, 2022
High fuel prices spur Africa’s transition to electric mobility
ImpactAlpha, May 9 – Long lines at Nairobi’s gas pumps last month put the spotlight on rising prices and fuel shortages caused by …