Entrepreneurship
Signals | December 1, 2021
Can the recovery catalyze a business revival on the Navajo Nation?
ImpactAlpha, December 1 – The Navajo Nation, which includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, is one of the hardest places to …
Photo credit: European Journalism Observatory.
Dealflow | November 30, 2021
Media Development Investment Fund backs Pluralis to invest in independent media in Europe
ImpactAlpha, November 30 — The decline of independent global news outlets has accelerated with rising news censorship and danger for journalists. MDFI’s Emerging …
Photo credit: Paul Langlois-Meurinne.
Dealflow | November 30, 2021
Nigerian B2B marketplace Sabi raises $6 million to support Africa’s informal businesses
ImpactAlpha, November 30 — Lagos-based Sabi is among a wave of enterprise tech ventures applying technology to fix market failures and inefficiencies. Sabi’s …
Photo credit: ZenBusiness.
Dealflow | November 17, 2021
ZenBusiness raises $200 million to scale support for micro-entrepreneurs
ImpactAlpha, November 17 — Austin-based public benefit corporation ZenBusiness, which has helped more than 200,000 U.S. micro-entrepreneurs start their businesses, is bringing on …
Photo credit: Northwestern Mutual.
Dealflow | November 8, 2021
Northwestern Mutual accelerator backs five Black founders
ImpactAlpha, November 8 — The inaugural cohort of the Black Founder Accelerator, launched by the Milwaukee-based financial services giant earlier this year, includes …
The Tendo team. Photo credit: BFA Global.
Dealflow | November 3, 2021
Catalyst Fund backs four Ghanian digital commerce startups
ImpactAlpha, November 3 — Catalyst Fund, the global inclusive tech accelerator managed by BFA Global and Philanthropy Advisors, secured $4.3 million in November …
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: Getty Images.
Catalytic Capital | October 28, 2021
Black Vision fund raises $25 million to support Black-owned small businesses
ImpactAlpha, October 28 — Expanding Black Business Credit, a consortium of Black-led community development financial institutions, or CDFIs launched the fund even before …
Photo credit: GaudiLab
The Reconstruction | October 27, 2021
Patient capital for established BIPOC businesses to close racial wealth gaps
Yes, startups led by Black, Indigenous and people of color-owned need growth capital. But meeting the growth and operating capital needs of established …
Photo by Guilherme Cunha on Unsplash
Capitalism Reimagined | October 26, 2021
Expanding employee ownership to empower workers and strengthen small businesses
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has made the already unpredictable futures of working and middle class Americans even more fragile. Impact investors are turning …
Photo credit: PosiGen
Dealflow | October 26, 2021
Builders Fund clinches $50 million to invest in growth-stage impact companies
ImpactAlpha, October 26 – San Francisco-based Builders Fund reached an intermediate, $50 million close on its targeted $100 million second fund, bringing its …
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 …
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: Talkspace.
Dealflow | October 7, 2021
Hearst’s Level Up Ventures to invest in Black and Latinx tech founders
ImpactAlpha, October 7 — Media conglomerate Hearst launched Level Up Ventures to make cash investments in pre-seed and seed rounds for Black- and …
Photo credit: UNCF.
Dealflow | September 14, 2021
Black Venture Capital Consortium and Ford Foundation closes $7.5 million for student-led fund
ImpactAlpha, September 14 — The Student Venture Fund is part of BVCC’s two-year venture capital training for students from historically Black colleges and …
Photo credit: IFAD.
Dealflow | August 30, 2021
Khatabook and Bazaar raise financing to digitize small businesses in India and Pakistan
ImpactAlpha, August 30 — Investors continue to swarm enterprise technology providers helping small businesses go online. Last week, Nuvemshop raised $500 million to …
Place-Based Investing | August 24, 2021
Building an ecosystem for workforce development and opportunity for all in Alabama
If you are an impact investor seeking ways to make a difference, come to Alabama. A year ago, Gov. Kay Ivey created the …
Photo credit: Apple.
Dealflow | August 18, 2021
Apple’s inaugural Impact Accelerator includes 15 Black and Brown climate startup founders
ImpactAlpha, August 18 — The accelerator is part of Apple’s $100 million Racial Equity Equity Initiative launched in June 2020. The three-month training …
Photo credit: WEPOWER.
Dealflow | August 10, 2021
WEPOWER fund will back diverse founders to build community wealth in St. Louis
ImpactAlpha, August 10 — The Black woman-led Elevate/Elevar Capital fund is nearing its $1.5 million target after a $500,000 commitment from Living Cities (see ImpactAlpha’s series …
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.
Dealflow | 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 …
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.
Dealflow | 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 …
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 …
Photo credit: MarketForce
Dealflow | 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: MaxAB
Dealflow | July 6, 2021
MaxAB raises $40 million to digitize Egypt’s mom-and-pop stores
ImpactAlpha, July 6 – Most of Egypt’s 100 million consumers buy staples from small grocery stores and mom-and-pop retailers. MaxAB launched three years …
Photo credit: PolicyLink
Capitalism Reimagined | June 24, 2021
Turning pledges into policies to invest in Black Americans and multi-racial prosperity
ImpactAlpha, June 24 – Investors and executives can lead in many ways as they seek to fulfill their often heartfelt pledges to do …
Photo credit: Arlan Hamilton.
Dealflow | June 23, 2021
Backstage Capital portfolio companies raise follow-on investments
ImpactAlpha, June 23 — Arlan Hamilton created Backstage Capital in 2015 to back “underestimated” founders and unlock value (see, “Arlan Hamilton, Backstage Capital”). …
Innovative Finance | June 22, 2021
A brief guide to the why, what and how of structured exits
ImpactAlpha, June 22 – Traditional investment structures like debt and equity can present challenges for impact entrepreneurs. Debt is often inaccessible, unaffordable and too …
Hello Alice co-founders Elizabeth Gore and Carolyn Rodz | Photo credit: Pocho Sanchez.
Dealflow | June 15, 2021
Women-led Hello Alice scores $21 million to support small business owners
ImpactAlpha, June 15 — Houston, Texas-based Hello Alice helps 500,000 small business owners around the world access capital and resources. Its COVID-19 Business …
Photo credit: Timothy Jean.
Dealflow | June 10, 2021
Harvard Business School students’ impact fund secures $200,000 to back BIPOC-led small businesses
ImpactAlpha, June 10 — Nearly $70 million, or 10% of assets in 40 student-managed investment funds have a sustainable investing strategy, according to …
Photo credit: Tulsa People.
The Reconstruction | June 2, 2021
One hundred years later, investing in the reconstruction of Black Wall Street
ImpactAlpha, June 2 — President Biden became the first president to commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre that destroyed the thriving Black community …
Circular economy startup Mr. Green Africa received a $50,000 bridge loan from Open Road Impact Fund
Catalytic Capital | May 27, 2021
Tallying the enterprises – and impact – that survived COVID with loans from Open Road Alliance
ImpactAlpha, May 25 – During her fundraising, Maya Winkelstein knew there would be strong demand for Open Road’s emergency bridge loans because, well, …
Climate and Clean Tech | May 20, 2021
Google’s turn to geothermal renews interest in 100-year-old clean tech
ImpactAlpha, May 20 – Geothermal energy taps the heat generated from the earth’s molten core to heat homes and businesses and drive turbines …
Miriam Rivera and Clint Korver, the founding husband and wife duo behind Ulu Ventures. | Photo credit: Ulu Ventures.
Dealflow | May 18, 2021
Ulu Ventures raises $138 million to invest in diverse early-stage founders
ImpactAlpha, May 18 — Palo Alto, Calif.-based Ulu Ventures has raised $138 million for its third fund to invest in startups led by …
Impact Voices | May 13, 2021
How digitalization can enhance, shift and transform the entrepreneurial support ecosystem
All organizations must continually innovate to adapt their practices to the current business environment. Even before the pandemic, entrepreneurial support organizations, which provide …
Photo credit: Bob Owen / San Antonio Express-News.
Dealflow | May 13, 2021
Kroger Innovation Fund and Village Capital to accelerate 10 food-tech startups
ImpactAlpha, May 13 — Halving U.S. food waste is a $14 billion annual investment opportunity. The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation, …
Photo credit: Washingtonian.
Catalytic Capital | May 11, 2021
Capital Impact Partners to manage Nourish DC to fund local food businesses
ImpactAlpha, May 11 — Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is tapping Arlington, Va.-based community development financial institution Capital Impact Partners to receive $1 …
Sixty8's Kelli Jones. Photo credit: Cheddar.
Dealflow | May 11, 2021
Sixty8 Capital raises $20 million to back underrepresented tech founders
ImpactAlpha, May 11 — Indianapolis-based Sixty8 Capital has raised $20 million for a venture fund that aims to invest in more than two …
Dealflow | May 3, 2021
Two Sigma Impact and Avance acquire Wholesale Supplies to supply artisans with quality products
ImpactAlpha, May 3 — Hedge fund Two Sigma in January launched Two Sigma Impact, a nine-figure impact investing business from its own balance …
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 …
Signals | April 19, 2021
Overheard at the Island Finance Forum: Caribbean’s inclusive recovery
ImpactAlpha, April 19 — Volcanic eruptions in the Caribbean that have caused residents of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to flee their homes …
Community Finance | April 13, 2021
Founders First’s Kitty Fund makes micro-investments in “mompreneurs”
ImpactAlpha, Apr. 13 – The pandemic has been challenging for many small business owners, but mothers have faced particular burdens as childcare routines have …
PC: Reinventure Capital.
Dealflow | April 8, 2021
MassMutual backs Reinventure Capital fund for diverse founders
ImpactAlpha, April 8 — A Reinventure Capital impact venture fund, led by Edward Dugger III, received a “catalytic commitment” of $5 million from …