Creative Economy
Photo by Simon Luethi/8SP.
Creative Economy | May 1, 2023
Overheard at Upstart Co-Lab: Cultural institutions are learning how to invest for an inclusive creative economy.
ImpactAlpha, May 1 — An art museum investing in a portfolio designed to prove out the viability – and impact – of investments …
Creative Economy | April 21, 2023
How cultural impact bonds can finance creative sectors to drive economic growth
The cultural and creative sectors are a key driver of global growth and an essential component of smart cities. Culture impact bonds could …
Return on Inclusion | March 10, 2023
ImpactAlpha Deal Spotlight: Representation matters
ImpactAlpha, March 10 — At your Oscar party this weekend, keep an eye, and ear, out for Rihanna. The Agent of Impact received …
Macro's Charles D. King | Credit: Getty
Creative Economy | March 8, 2023
Charles King’s Macro raises $90 million to amplify diverse voices in Hollywood
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 8 – Hollywood super agent turned entrepreneur and investor Charles King created Macro in 2015 to put voices and perspectives of …
Creative Economy | December 7, 2022
Upstart Co-Lab’s pipeline of creative economy deals is now an investable impact strategy
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 7 – The “creative economy” of fashion, food, film, video games and other art and culture industries has emerged as a …
Photo by MDIF.
Democracy and Peace | September 28, 2022
Nearly a dozen independent news organizations in Nigeria get support from Media Development Investment Fund
ImpactAlpha, September 28 — Last year’s youth-led uprising against police brutality spurred Nigeria’s biggest anti-government protests in a generation. MDIF launched a three-year …
Dealflow | August 29, 2022
Carbon Counts raises $7 million to gamify climate change
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 29 – EverForest, the first game from upstart game company Carbon Counts, aims to help plant 100 million real trees on …
Photo by Shutterstock.
Dealflow | July 15, 2022
ImpactAlpha Deal Spotlight: How we live now
ImpactAlpha, July 15 — Climate news got you down? New media outlets are putting a consumer spin on climate action (complementing ImpactAlpha’s solutions-focused …
Museum of Modern Art in New York City
Creative Economy | July 13, 2022
Impact investments are beginning to show up in the endowments of U.S. art museums
ImpactAlpha, Jul. 13 – Changes to museum investment policy favoring sustainability and diversity are recent. Allocations to impact remain small. But slowly and steadily, …
Photo credit: Honeycomb Credit
Creative Economy | April 27, 2022
Foundations join the crowd to invest in creative startups through Honeycomb Credit
ImpactAlpha, Apr. 27 – More than 80% of the businesses that have raised capital through Honeycomb’s loan crowdfunding platform are local creative businesses such …
Actors Asia Kate Dillon (left) and Damian Lewis (right) of TV show Billions | Photo credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Creative Economy | January 10, 2022
We’ll know impact investing has arrived when it snags its own parody series on Netflix
ImpactAlpha, Jan. 10 – Maybe it’s the brash head of the star-studded social impact fund who went to federal prison for his role in …
Paskho Community- MadeTM pod, New York City (Photo: Paskho)
Impact Voices | November 2, 2021
Reimagining fashion production for a regenerative economy
After 25 years using my creativity to solve problems in the fashion industry, I had developed a reputation for turnarounds – in the …
Photo credit: Lionesses of Africa.
Creative Economy | October 27, 2021
New fund aims to support Africa’s creative entrepreneurs
ImpactAlpha, October 27 — A thriving creative industry can power a robust African economy. “The creativity of young African fashion designers has forced …
Screenshot from Blue Bayou | Image courtesy of Entertainment One Ltd.
Creative Economy | October 19, 2021
New narratives for inclusion and investment at SOCAP21
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 19 – The arrival of Gen Z is upending culture and commerce. “They have very strong values around inclusivity,” said Marcy Ventures’ …
Creative Economy | September 22, 2021
Investment opportunities in expanding access and ownership in the creator economy
The creator economy is a burgeoning new segment for all investors – art-lovers or not – who want to drive impact through quality …
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. …
Wynwood Art District, Miami | Photo by Brian Lundquist on Unsplash
Creative Economy | August 24, 2021
Artists are startups and creators CEOs as technology decentralizes the creative economy
ImpactAlpha, Aug. 24 – Musicians, actors, artists and other “creators” are getting creative about reaping the economic gains of their influence and turning their …
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: Elena Seibert
Dealflow | June 15, 2021
MacKenzie Scott backs ‘teams empowering voices the world needs to hear.’
ImpactAlpha, June 16 – Common Future, Social Finance, Kiva and Souls Grown Deep are among the 286 organizations that received a combined $2.7 …
Creative Economy | June 14, 2021
A Latin American ethical bank as the heart of the economy and the creative industries
Banca Ética Latinoamericana is a banking project led by Fundación Dinero y Conciencia, which seeks to understand the structural challenges in Latin America …
Creative Economy | June 14, 2021
Corporate venture capital: A risk and an opportunity for Latin America’s ‘orange economy’
The dynamic cultural and creative sectors of Latin America – recognized as part of the “orange economy” – are an untapped global resource …
Creative Economy | June 14, 2021
A blended finance solution for sustainable fashion and impact businesses in Brazil
Trê – Investing with cause is a young organisation born in Brazil to foster a new economy, contributing to the healthy flow of …
Photo credit: Thrilling
Dealflow | May 16, 2021
Thrilling raises $8.5 million for secondhand fashion marketplace
ImpactAlpha, May 16 – L.A.-based Thrilling has raised $8.5 million to expand its secondhand fashion marketplace. The Black and Asian-owned startup helps small vintage …
The Reconstruction | April 20, 2021
Reviving a Black cultural corridor in West Oakland – as a community-led cooperative
In another era, Esther’s Orbit Room helped make West Oakland the “Harlem of the West,” hosting the likes of B.B. King, James Brown …
Photo credit: Les Ateliers de Corrine
Dealflow | March 29, 2021
Gender-lens fund WIC Capital backs Senegalese bakery
ImpactAlpha, March 29 – Dakar-based WIC Capital invested in Les Ateliers de Corinne, a woman-led bakery in Dakar that hosts cooking workshops. The investment …
Dealflow | March 11, 2021
Souls Grown Deep Foundation backs Paskho to create quality jobs for Gee’s Bend quilters in Alabama
ImpactAlpha, March 11 — The Souls Grown Deep Foundation is providing a $600,000 convertible note to Paskho, a Black-owned eco-friendly apparel company. Souls …
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash
News and Information | March 10, 2021
Reliable digital media is fertile ground for Media Development Investment Fund
ImpactAlpha, Mar. 10 – The push: Government-backed media outlets and oligarch-vested interests are pushing down trust in journalism around the world. The pull: The …
Photo credit: Powered by People
Dealflow | March 3, 2021
Powered by People secures $1.5 million to connect artisans to markets
ImpactAlpha, March 3 – Kenya-based Powered by People is a “distributed manufacturer” that enables artists and designers to become suppliers to large companies like …
Dealflow | January 28, 2021
Bank of America places $150 million with minority-led fund managers
ImpactAlpha, January 28 — Bank of America is backing 40 minority-led fund managers to bridge the funding gap for Black, Latinx, women and …
Dealflow | January 28, 2021
Digital workflow platform ServiceNow launches $100 million racial equity fund
ImpactAlpha, January 28 — ServiceNow has launched a $100 million Racial Equity Fund to invest in “homeownership, entrepreneurship and neighborhood revitalization in Black …
Alexander Kühl and Camille Canon of Purpose Ventures | Photo credits: Purpose Foundation
Creative Economy | January 21, 2021
Aligned capital for creative entrepreneurs
Conventional investment approaches are a poor fit for creative entrepreneurs. A model that leads to steward-ownership is a better solution for enterprises with …
Sheoyki Jones of Invest Atlanta | Photo by Berto Horne
Creative Economy | January 21, 2021
The creative industries: Driving economic opportunity in Atlanta
A city development authority committed to supporting the creative industries found that the key ingredients were a supportive state leadership, transparency and trust. …
Heva Fund's George Gachara | Photo by Noel Kasyoka
Creative Economy | January 20, 2021
Safeguarding a creative and cultural moment: The impact of COVID-19 on Africa’s creative sectors
Africa’s cultural renaissance provides huge economic and social benefits that must not be lost in the pandemic. The region’s first dedicated finance and …
Yo-Yo Ma by Jason Bell
Creative Economy | January 19, 2021
Yo-Yo Ma: Culture connects us
Culture and creativity are already having a positive effect on the serious issues facing our society. But with the right support, they can …
Taylor Guitars employees, now owners, at the El Cajon, CA factory prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dealflow | January 14, 2021
Canadian pension fund backs Taylor Guitars’ conversion to employee ownership
ImpactAlpha, January 14 — Cajon, Calif.-based guitar manufacturer Taylor Guitars is now 100% owned by its more than 1,200 employees through an Employee …
Creative Economy | December 10, 2020
Building a personal portfolio of impact investments in the creative economy
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 10 – Artist housing in Michigan and Memphis. Immersive art experiences in New Mexico. And now a film studio in upstate New …
Walters Art Museum | Photo credit: Jill Fannon (pulled from Walters Art Museum's Facebook page)
Creative Economy | December 3, 2020
Cultural institutions start to put their assets to work for mission
ImpactAlpha, Dec. 3 – Universities, private foundations and even large nonprofits have deployed hundreds of billions of dollars into ESG, impact and community-based …
Creative Economy | November 30, 2020
Amicus.io raises $8.7 million to democratize donor-advised funds
ImpactAlpha, November 30 — The Charlotte-based fintech startup is seeking to make it easier for everyday savers to take advantage of the tax …
Creative Economy | November 25, 2020
ZenBusiness raises $55 million to help micro-entrepreneurs grow their businesses
ImpactAlpha, November 25 — The economic shock of the COVID pandemic has devastated small businesses – and driven many others to open one …
Community Finance | November 17, 2020
Micron invests $50 million to reduce U.S. racial wealth gap
ImpactAlpha, November 17 — The Black-white wealth gap today is as wide as it was in the 1960s, published reports show. In fact, …
Creative Economy | November 3, 2020
Equity crowdfunding grows up with new $5 million limit on ‘Reg CF’ offerings
ImpactAlpha, Nov. 3 – Businesses from microbreweries to football clubs to electric vehicle makers and ‘mom & pop’ shops have made use of …
Creative Economy | October 8, 2020
Creative economy fund for underserved communities launches with an investment in Techstars
ImpactAlpha, Oct. 8 – Concord, a music and theatrical publishing and management firm, has created a $10 million impact investment initiative to support …
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Creative Economy | July 16, 2020
Investing in news and media by and for people of color
ImpactAlpha, July 16 – Blavity’s $1.5 million raise from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (and another $9.5 million from earlier investors) helped demonstrate the …
Creative Economy | June 29, 2020
LeBron James signals opportunity for ‘empowerment’ media with $100 million raise
ImpactAlpha, June 29 – NBA megastar LeBron James and his long-time friend and business partner Maverick Carter raised $100 million for SpringHill Co, …
Creative Economy | June 25, 2020
Upstart Co-Lab investor coalition commits to shift capital to creatives
ImpactAlpha, June 25 – Upstart Co-Lab has been a chief evangelist of the power of art, design, culture, heritage, and creativity to drive …