-
Looking for Funds in All the Wrong Places: The Single Biggest Thing Social Entrepreneurs Misunderstand About Investors
Social entrepreneurs often feel like they have to compromise or downplay their missions in order to appeal to profit-hungry investors. But that's not the case, says investment consultant Jenny Kassan, as investors don't always fit the stereotype of a "middle-aged white man in a suit" seeking a fast, lucrative exit. She explores a vast, under-recognized source of investment capital that entrepreneurs can tap – one that actually prefers businesses with a social focus.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
- Tags
- impact investing
-
Press release: State of Blended Finance report 2018 reveals growth of blended finance market
“In two years since Convergence has launched, we have seen blended finance enter the mainstream, leaving a mark on not just major meetings and conferences around the world but in international development policy and strategies,” says Joan Larrea, CEO at Convergence. “This report breaks through the noise to give practitioners a clear sense of the current trends and best practices, so they can steer the right blend of capital into transactions that address the SDGs.”
- Categories
- Investing
-
OPIC commits $25 million through Sunfunder to expand access to off-grid power in Africa and Asia
The OPIC commitment consists of both a senior and a subordinated tranche, which will help catalyze other impact-focused investors to achieve a target fund size of $85 million. SunFunder projects that the Solar Energy Transformation Fund will make individual loans to more than 50 off-grid solar companies, which in turn will enable more than three million people to gain access to clean, affordable energy and lighting.
-
From Talk to Action: The Pressing Need for a Guiding Framework in Impact Investing
As the impact sector grows, a clear need has emerged for a common set of principles that help define what impact investing is – and what it isn’t – as well as how social impact should be measured. At the recent Alpbach Forum, a forum of 40 thought leaders explored these questions, charting a path forward for investors, particularly in emerging markets. Julians Amboko and Julio De Souza of StratLink Africa break down the top takeaways from the forum.
- Categories
- Investing
-
Press release: Jed Emerson releases his new book, “The Purpose of Capital”
Emerson’s analysis challenges investors to expand their understanding of the purpose of capital and fuel a broader, deeper impact investing movement that shifts finance from harming to healing.
- Categories
- Investing
-
‘Green’ investments are not just about saving the planet – they’re about making more money, bank studies show
“Globally, investors do not associate sustainable investing with a trade off of financial returns. Fifty per cent of the investors surveyed expect sustainable investing to outperform financial investment,” said Amy Lo, chairman and head of Greater China at UBS Wealth Management.
- Categories
- Investing
- Tags
- impact investing
-
Press release: WHO launches first investment case to save up to 30 million lives
“As it embarks on its eighth decade, the World Health Organization is as essential and central as ever,” said Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda. “It has a unique role in developing new norms and standards, and sharing life-saving tools and technologies.”
- Categories
- Health Care, Investing
-
Impact Investing Impasse: The Case for 4-Hour Due Diligence
Impact investors are often guilty of stringing along social entrepreneurs with needlessly long due diligence processes, "abusing their power and privilege," says Andy Lower at investing firm A Different Approach to Poverty. Weeks can easily turn to months – a delay that's unfair to entrepreneurs, and unacceptable in other industries. In response, his firm has devised a four-hour due diligence process, which has sparked interest – and a fair amount of push-back – in the sector. Lower discusses the approach in this provocative Q&A.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
- Tags
- impact investing
Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter, "NextBillion Notes"
Published each Wednesday, our e-newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with a selection of news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage — and regular conference ticket giveaways.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.