Impact Tech
Illustration by The Nation.
Dealflow | October 21, 2021
SMBX raises $11.5 million to democratize small business lending
ImpactAlpha, October 21 — San Francisco-based SMBX raised $11.5 million to democratize financing for small businesses. Launched in 2016, SMBX lets retail investors …
Illustration by Pacific 8.
Dealflow | October 21, 2021
Republic raises $150 million to ride the growth of equity crowdfunding
ImpactAlpha, October 21 — Roughly 250,000 retail investors are funding startups and small businesses online each month. That trend has spurred fundraising for …
Photo credit: Ejara
Innovative Finance | October 21, 2021
Cameroon’s Ejara raises $2 million for impact-focused crypto
ImpactAlpha, October 21 – Crypto is having a moment in Africa. Dozens of African fintechs promising to democratize access to cryptocurrencies across the …
Catalytic Capital | October 20, 2021
Deploying catalytic capital to bridge financing gaps for climate action
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 20 – Climate finance is on a roll. Climate finance is stuck. Both statements are true. Investors have poured record sums …
Photo credit: Offshore Technology.
Climate Finance | October 20, 2021
CarbonCapture secures $35 million to suck carbon from the atmosphere
ImpactAlpha, October 20 — Direct air capture technology that can remove billions of tons of carbon from the atmosphere may be critical in …
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 …
Personal Finance | October 19, 2021
How to ride the climate transition with more than a dozen exchange-traded funds
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 19 – Clean energy. Batteries. Smart grids. ESG funds and clean energy ETFs tracking elements of the climate transition took off in …
Dealflow | October 19, 2021
Sudan’s first foreign venture capital investment in 30 years: $5 million for Alsoug.com
ImpactAlpha, October 19 — Macroeconomic, political and currency risks can make investors wary of infrastructure and private equity in Africa (for context, see …
Photo credit: Life & Thyme.
Dealflow | October 18, 2021
Smallhold secures $25 million to grow organic mushrooms in local warehouses
ImpactAlpha, October 18 — Consumers are demanding locally-grown and climate-friendly food options. Brooklyn-based Smallhold is growing organic mushrooms in local warehouses for nearby …
Impact Investing | October 14, 2021
TPG’s billion-dollar bet on EVs in India
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 14 – Fresh off an initial $5.4 billion close for its first climate-focused fund, TPG is investing a chunk of those …
Climate Finance | October 14, 2021
Yawning ‘ambition gap’ threatens global climate summit
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 14 – The International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook is full of stark warnings just 18 days before a make-or-break global …
Dealflow | October 14, 2021
LeapFrog leads CarDekho’s $250 million raise for its online car marketplace in India
ImpactAlpha, October 14 — Jaipur-based CarDekho partners with fintech lenders and car insurance companies to provide flexible financing for new and used cars. …
Copenhagen, Denmark
Smart Cities | October 14, 2021
2150 raises nearly €270 million to reimagine cities
ImpactAlpha, October 14 — Europe-based 2150, launched earlier this year by Danish real estate fund manager NREP, is looking for tech companies making …
Kenyan farmer | Photo credit: Jen Watson
Catalytic Capital | October 13, 2021
Researchers ready a dozen-plus deep dives into the complexities of catalytic capital
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 13 – Aceli Africa provides a first-loss cushion of up to 8% to lenders as a way to spur them to back …
Photo credit: TechFinancials.
Catalytic Capital | October 13, 2021
Lendable taps European alternative structure for $100 million emerging markets fund
ImpactAlpha, October 13 — Lendable provides debt financing for fintechs that help mostly low-income and largely women borrowers increase their incomes or reduce …
Founders David Snydacker, Nick Goldberg, Tom Wilson. Photo credit: Lilac Solutions.
Climate Finance | October 12, 2021
Lilac Solutions raises $150 million to ramp up low-carbon lithium production
ImpactAlpha, October 12 — Electric vehicle and battery makers are facing a shortage of lithium, an essential element for production. Most of the …
Five Season's founders | Photo credit: Five Season.
Geographies | October 7, 2021
Five Seasons Ventures raises €180 million for European foodtech
ImpactAlpha, October 7 — Investors deployed €3 billion in European food tech ventures last year. “There are lots of companies that have raised …
Smallholder Agriculture | October 7, 2021
Tazah raises $2 million to connect Pakistan’s farmers to small food retailers
ImpactAlpha, October 7 – Tazah wants to streamline Pakistan’s $60 billion food supply chain and help farmers secure better prices by cutting out …
General Motors's Mary Barra addresses investors on Wednesday at the GM Tech Center in Warren, Michigan. (Photo: Steve Fecht for General Motors)
Corporate Impact | October 7, 2021
The EV race is on as GM and Ford move to overtake Tesla
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 7 – GM will double its revenues by 2030 as it rolls out dozens of electric cars, trucks and delivery cars …
Agrifood Tech | October 5, 2021
Nuveen backs Do Good Foods with $169 million to turn grocery waste into animal feed
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 5 – Roughly 40% of fruit, vegetables and meats sold at grocery stores end up in landfills. The “closed loop” system of …
Troop cofounders Seb Jarquin, Felix Tabary and Zen Yui in Brooklyn
Stewardship | October 5, 2021
Retail investors get new tools to flex their collective power as engaged shareholders
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 5 – When online investors drove up the shares of GameStop in January, stock market watchers were captivated by the drama, …
LOOP's founders | Photo credit: LOOP.
Dealflow | October 5, 2021
LOOP secures $21 million to make car insurance more equitable
ImpactAlpha, October 5 — The average cost of car insurance for a good driver with good credit in the U.S. is $1,592 per …
Photo credit: DroneSeed.
Climate Finance | October 5, 2021
Reforestation startup DroneSeed raises $36 million for rapid wildfire recovery
ImpactAlpha, October 5 — Seattle-based DroneSeed works on reforestation projects with government agencies, timber companies and nonprofits such as The Nature Conservancy. The …
Impact Tech | October 5, 2021
How impact venture capital differs in the U.S. and Europe
A decade ago I experienced what is described as ‘multiple discovery’ – the idea where most discoveries or inventions are made independently and …
Photo credit: Fluence.
Climate Finance | October 4, 2021
Fluence Energy seeks to ride the energy storage boom in public offering
ImpactAlpha, October 4 — Storage for wind, solar and other renewable energy sources is critical for a more reliable grid. The market for …
Vedantu's founders. Photo credit: Vedantu.
Dealflow | October 4, 2021
Vedantu rakes in another $100 million in India’s sizzling edtech market
ImpactAlpha, October 4 — Bengaluru-based Vedantu, whose mission is to make after-school tutoring widely available and affordable through online lessons, will use the …
Agents of Impact | October 1, 2021
Oraan’s Halima Iqbal and Farwah Tapal: Digitizing women’s savings circles in Pakistan
ImpactAlpha, October 1 – Halima Iqbal didn’t plan to start her own fintech company when she returned to Pakistan in 2018, after years …
Climate Finance | September 30, 2021
Innovative mechanisms aim to crack the tough nuts of climate finance
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 30 – At this point, solar power, electric vehicles and optimization software are the low-hanging fruits. More difficult: funding sustainable infrastructure …
Photo credit: Elemental Excelerator
The Reconstruction | September 30, 2021
Elemental Excelerator’s climate-tech unicorns develop locally, deploy solutions globally
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 30 – Dawn Lippert wanted to help flip Hawaii green and wean it from dependence on fossil fuels. But the cleantech solutions …
Photo credit: Deputy.
Dealflow | September 30, 2021
Syndio scores $50 million to help companies address gender and racial pay disparities
ImpactAlpha, September 30 — Building a more inclusive workforce requires more equitable practices in the workplace. Seattle-based Syndio’s software analytics platform is used …
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 …
The Reconstruction | September 29, 2021
How climate-tech investments can create health and wealth in Black and Brown communities
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 29 – Investors able to spot scalable and community-based solutions will have an advantage as climate justice takes center stage in …
Photo credit: ColdHubs
Dealflow | September 29, 2021
Africa Eats crowdfunds capital to strengthen Africa’s food supply chains
ImpactAlpha, September 29 – Impact accelerator program Fledge last year launched Africa Eats to back promising startups in Africa that are strengthening the …
Photo credit: Ananda Impact Ventures.
Dealflow | September 29, 2021
Ananda Impact Ventures raises €65 million for European impact tech
ImpactAlpha, September 29 — Munich, Germany-based Ananda Impact Ventures is raising its fourth fund to invest in European impact tech companies primarily in …
Photo credit: IndustryWired.
SDGs | September 28, 2021
Blue Bear closes $150 million fund for AI-enabled climate infrastructure
ImpactAlpha, September 27 — The Los Angeles-based fund received commitments from Goldman Sachs’ AIMS Imprint, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, ZOMA Capital, McKnight Foundation, and …
Photo credit: Lightyear.
Clean Energy | September 28, 2021
Lightyear raises $110 million for solar-powered electric vehicles
ImpactAlpha, September 28 — Electric-vehicle makers are looking for an edge. Lightyear is counting on a built-in solar panel on the roof. Lightyear …
Photo credit: Zola Electric
SDGs | September 27, 2021
Zola Electric raises $90 million to expand off-grid energy access
ImpactAlpha, September 27 — Amsterdam-based Zola Electric launched in 2011 as Off Grid Electric to connect millions of energy-poor households to low-cost, renewable …
Climate Finance | September 23, 2021
The sky-high value of cutting methane emissions is attracting policymakers – and investors
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 23 – Carbon dioxide has gotten most of the attention in the fight against climate change. But it is another compound, …
Lagos State, Nigeria | Photo by Shyne Bellz
Climate and Clean Tech | September 23, 2021
Africa’s eco start-ups seek to turn the tide on plastic pollution
When a problem is on your doorstep, it’s only natural to be compelled to find a solution. Over the past years, demand for …
Photo credit: Change.org
Dealflow | September 23, 2021
Big-name investors donate their stakes as Change.org converts to nonprofit ownership
ImpactAlpha, September 23 — With its dot-org website and social-activist mission, Change.org was often mistaken for a nonprofit organization. Now it is owned …
Photo credit: gnuGrid
Clean Energy | September 23, 2021
Uganda’s gnuGrid pivots from solar data to financial data
ImpactAlpha, September 23 – Kampala-based gnuGrid launched in 2019 as a data and payments intermediary for home solar providers and microgrid operators and …
Dealflow | September 22, 2021
Blockchain music streaming service Audius raised $5 million from Nas, Katy Perry and other creators
ImpactAlpha, September 22 – Mainstream streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music are notorious for stiffing the musicians who drive the platforms’ popularity. …
Image credit: Dopay
Dealflow | September 22, 2021
Dopay raises $18 million to bank Egypt’s businesses and their workers
ImpactAlpha, September 22 – London and Cairo-based Dopay strategy for financial inclusion: offer financial services to businesses – and then signs up their …
Climate Finance | September 22, 2021
China pledges to end (foreign) coal financing
ImpactAlpha, Sept. 22 – With less than six weeks until the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, global leaders are stirring to (modest) action. …
Climate Finance | September 21, 2021
On climate action, private investors urge governments to jump in (the water is warming)
ImpactAlpha. Sept. 21 – Many government leaders are being coy about their climate ambitions. Private funders are stepping up theirs. “My message here …