Inclusive Economy
Photo credit: NAACP.
Climate and Clean Tech | July 29, 2021
Elevate Future Fund raises more than $60 million for diverse founders of climate startups
ImpactAlpha, July 29 — New York-based Energy Impact Partners is supplementing its strategy of enlisting corporate partners to invest in energy-transition technologies. The …
Squire's co-founders, Songe LaRon and Dave Salvant. Photo credit: Squire.
Dealflow | July 29, 2021
Squire scores $80 million to help barbershops manage their businesses
ImpactAlpha, July 29 — The New York-based company’s software helps over 2,000 barbershop owners in North America and the U.K. with online scheduling …
Yoco's founders | Photo credit: Yoco.
Africa | July 28, 2021
South African fintech Yoco raises $83 million for small-business lending
ImpactAlpha, July 28 — The Cape Town-based platform provides digital payments and other financial services to more than 150,000 small business owners in …
Dealflow | July 22, 2021
Achieve Partners acquires Optimum Healthcare IT to fill healthcare labor gaps
ImpactAlpha, July 22 – Florida-based Optimum Healthcare IT provides staffing and consulting services to 150 hospital systems in the U.S. Achieve Partners acquired …
Photo credit: Sori Lakeside Hospital.
Africa | July 22, 2021
Medical Credit Fund’s digital finance fund secures $8.3 million to support Africa’s health clinics
ImpactAlpha, July 22 — The Nairobi-based nonprofit has provided nearly $130 million in debt financing for equipment and facilities to more than 6,000 …
Photo credit: Change Labs
Capitalism Reimagined | July 21, 2021
Native-led organizations join forces to accelerate entrepreneurship in Indian Country
ImpactAlpha, July 21 – U.S. tribal lands are among the hardest places in the world to do business, with entrepreneurs struggling to access …
Photo credit: Afritech.
Africa | July 21, 2021
Vantage Capital raises $207 million in mezzanine debt for African businesses
ImpactAlpha, July 21 — The Johannesburg-based firm will provide non-dilutive financing for mid-sized African businesses “that would otherwise struggle to access capital through …
Capitalism Reimagined | July 20, 2021
Community Equity Fund readies small checks for Black and Brown proprietors in North Carolina
ImpactAlpha, July 20 – More than 90% of Black-owned businesses in the U.S. are sole proprietorships that lack access to “friends and family” …
iStock/izusek.
affordable-housing | July 15, 2021
Enterprise Community Partners’ racial equity bond raises $30 million
ImpactAlpha, July 15 — Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank purchased the first $10 million for the bond, the first to be issued by a community …
Capitalism Reimagined | July 14, 2021
There’s no building back better without investing in underserved communities
Between record levels of government stimulus, an unprecedented vaccination campaign and a buzzing economy, it’s easy to see reasons for optimism as America …
photo: Matt Rourke, AP
Community Finance | July 14, 2021
Investing in marginalized communities to drive the COVID recovery
ImpactAlpha, July 14 – The two-track recovery threatens to leave distressed communities even further behind. Consider Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood: “A community that was …
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
Dealflow | July 14, 2021
Zeal Capital Partners and Female Founders Fund raise funds to advance inclusion
ImpactAlpha, July 14 — Washington, D.C.-based Zeal Capital raised $62.1 million for its inaugural fund from Truist Ventures, Paypal, Synchrony, Skoll Foundation, Bank …
Return on Inclusion | July 13, 2021
The era of diversity disclosure in asset management has begun. Will actual diversity follow?
ImpactAlpha, June 13 – “The asset management industry has a lot of work to do to increase racial and gender diversity,” says Gary Gensler, …
Photo credit: MarketForce
Africa | July 12, 2021
Kenya’s MarketForce raises $2 million to digitize small businesses and streamline supply chains
ImpactAlpha, July 12 – The pandemic inspired a wave of enterprise technology providers to help businesses go online (see, “Helping small businesses in …
Photo credit: Clearco
Canada | July 12, 2021
Clearco secures $215 million from SoftBank to finance online businesses
ImpactAlpha, July 12 – Andrew D’Souza and Michele Romanow launched Clearco (then Clearbanc) in 2015 to back e-commerce, mobile and software startups. The …