ImpactAlpha, Oct. 29 – Acceso is acquiring Mexico City-based Exensio to boost the information flow to small farmers in Latin America and the Caribbean. Smallholder farmers in Latin America and the Caribbean make up roughly half of the region’s 130 million farmers; most lack access to basic agricultural information to enhance productivity. The combined company

European impact investors launch $40 million emergency fund for smallholder farmers

ImpactAlpha, October 29 – Belgium-based impact investor Incofin estimates that COVID disruptions to the global food supply chain have cost each of the world’s smallholder farmers $500 in income. Incofin is partnering with German development bank KfW and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to provide relief to cooperatives, agri-processors and exporters

Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation launches $80 million fund for early-stage social entrepreneurs

ImpactAlpha, October 29 – California-based Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation has launched an $80 million fund to make flexible equity and debt investments and unrestricted grants to 105 social enterprises. The venture philanthropy organization has invested $110 million in 175 social enterprises since 2002. “We structure our capital to follow the need of the entrepreneur and

New and under-represented fund managers get a $50 million boost from Paypal

ImpactAlpha, Oct. 28 – The online payments company is injecting $50 million into eight early-stage venture funds run by Black and Latino managers to support “investment in Black and Latinx entrepreneurs at the earliest stages,” PayPal’s Dan Schulman said in announcing the news. The funds include Chingona Ventures, Fearless Fund, Harlem Capital, Precursor Ventures, Slauson &

LISC bets on Fearless Fund with $750,000 investment in first-time fund managers

ImpactAlpha, Oct. 27 – One of the best ways to get more capital to entrepreneurs of color is to have more venture funds led by people who look like them and share a similar experience. But first-time fund managers have a hard time attracting investors. That conundrum is behind an effort by the Local Initiatives

Impact America’s $55 million second fund is hunting for unicorns in the disruption of systemic racism

Impact America Fund’s thesis: Solutions to structural racism represent a series of multi-billion dollar investment opportunities.

Dukaan raises $6 million to help India’s small merchants launch mobile shops

ImpactAlpha, October 26 – Tech solutions that help small businesses make the transition to e-commerce and online sales are booming in the COVID disruption. Mumbai-based Dukaan, launched this year, says it has already helped 2.7 million merchants and business owners launch shops through social media channels like Whatsapp and Instagram. “Small businesses are turning to