Greetings, Agents of Impact! Welcome to the latest ImpactAlpha Open. I hope you’re enjoying our free weekly newsletter. Subscribe today to join our upcoming call on a trillion dollar+ impact investment opportunity (see below) – use this link to take 25% off – that’s $100 in savings.
👋 The Call: A guide to investing in livelihoods and access for emerging market households. Emerging market households, especially those in lower or middle-income bands, collectively spend trillions of dollars each year on daily necessities, improving their livelihoods and securing their families’ futures. Elevar Equity’s Amie Patel, Citi Social Finance’s Borja Garcia Fernandez, IFC’s Wagner Albuquerque de Almeida, BII’s Martina Castro, and FMO’s Juan Jose Dada will share growth stories of companies creating value by expanding access to essential goods and services for emerging consumers, Wednesday, May 22 at 8am PT / 11am ET / 4pm London. Subscribe to join (and take 25% off).
In this week’s Open:
- Valuing the ‘invisible’ work of women
- Investing in climate ‘challenger technologies’
- Growing an investment ecosystem around coral reefs
- Third Sphere’s Stonly Blue talks climate hardware with Sherrell Dorsey
Ok, let’s jump in. – Dennis Price
Must-reads on ImpactAlpha
- $4 trillion opportunity in feminist finance. Accounting for women’s disproportionate contributions to childcare, home healthcare, domestic work and livelihood businesses is essential to leveling the playing field for women and girls in society. From the Feminist Finance Forum in Bangkok, Jessica Pothering highlights the opportunities in accounting for and valuing care work to finance women’s resilience in the face of climate change. See how.
- The case for the “big tent” economy. In the face of the attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, Operation Hope’s John Hope Bryant argues that diversity drives US economic growth. In a closed door meeting at the Milken Institute global conference, Bryant pushed back on Wall Street’s DEI detractors and presented his six-point memo that argues for investments in the “big tent” economy. Read more.
- Climate ‘challenger technologies.’ As global trade skirmishes heat up, climate investors can back back homegrown climate tech not as reliant on global supply chains – and not yet dominated by incumbent global producers, write Anil Achyuta and Tina Tosukhowong in a guest post. Hear them out.
- Banking on climate change. ImpactAlpha contributor Lynnley Browning unpacks the more than $700 billion in financing that global banks provided for fossil fuels last year “amid the broader retreat on climate pledges.” Dig in.
- An investment ecosystem for the blue economy. Coral reefs are key to the health of the oceans, and the planet – and at risk of disappearing. The Global Fund for Coral Reefs is looking for opportunities to finance the regeneration of these precious ecosystems. Roodgally Senatus interviewed Dale Galvin of the Global Fund for Coral Reefs. Read more.
Agents of Impact
🏃 On the move
- Impact Engine’s Priya Parrish publishes, “The Little Book of Impact Investing” (listen to the podcast, “Scaling purpose built impact with Priya Parrish”).
- IMPACT Community Capital appointed Luke Rottmann, formerly with White Oak Partners, as managing director of investor relations and capital markets.
- Publicis Groupe named Nannette Lafond-Dufour, previously with McCann Worldgroup, as chief impact officer
The Week’s Podcasts
Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Biden’s new Chinese tariffs and how they impact global supply chains critical for the green transition; the Global Fund for Coral Reefs’ efforts to invest in the blue economy; and the value of the “invisible” work women do to build resilient economies and fight climate change.
- Listen to the new episode of This Week in Impact. Get the podcast in your feed by subscribing on Apple or Spotify.
- Plugged In. Stonly Blue of the climate-focused VC firm Third Sphere joined ImpactAlpha contributing editor Sherrell Dorsey LinkedIn Live to talk deal pipeline, hardware valuations, and the outlook for climate tech investing. Watch now.
Short Signals: What We’re Reading
💧 Hydrological impact. The US bipartisan infrastructure law earmarked a much-needed $55 billion for water quality and access projects. Continued investment at those levels could shrink the water funding gap – projected to swell to $2 trillion by 2043 – by $125 billion in the next two decades. (US Water Alliance)
🛢️ Oil and gas bond risk. Global oil majors have been lengthening the terms of their bonds, in some cases to 30 years or more, well past the point when experts project oil and gas demand will plummet. The longer bond maturities are “extending investors’ exposure to these businesses at a time when their long-term viability is most in question.” (Anthropocene Institute)
😧 Climate finance slowdown. Climate funds are taking 19 months or longer to close, four out of 10 climate fund managers report. A third are closing at less than 75% of their targets. Nearly 40% expect to mark their portfolios down this year, according to a survey by CREO. (CREO)
🇨🇦 Scaling Canadian impact. A group of impact investors have made 18 recommendations for mobilizing impact capital in Canada. They call for investors to increase and diversify the opportunities for impact, foster collaboration between stakeholders, and engage in policy advocacy. (Newswire.ca)
Get in the Game
💼 Step up
- Accion is looking for a chief financial officer in Washington, DC. The global nonprofit is hiring for a number of other junior positions as well.
- Kataly Foundation is searching for an integrated capital officer for their restorative economies fund, based in San Francisco.
- Acumen is hiring an impact manager in London.
Visit ImpactAlpha’s Career Hub for more impact investing jobs. Contact us for job posting rates.
🤝 Meet up
Don’t miss these ImpactAlpha partner events:
- May 29-31: Katapult Future Fest 2024 (Oslo)
- June 4-5: Pro Mujer’s Gender Lens Investment Forum Latam (Buenos Aires)
- June 11-13: ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit (Baltimore)
Subscribe (with 25% off) to access substantial discounts on partner events.
Partner with us, including by sponsoring this newsletter. Get in touch.
Get ImpactAlpha for Teams. Save with substantial group discounts. Start here.
