-
SOCAP: Designing the Future – New Ways of Thinking to Fix Problems from Old Ways of Thinking
Göran Carstedt, chairman of The Natural Step and former executive at Volvo and Ikea, shared his perspective on how to re-engineer capitalism during the SOCAP: Designing the Future, in Malmö, Sweden earlier this month.
"We need a new way of thinking to solve the problems caused by the old way of thinking." This was the case for many ventures presenting at the European forum.- Categories
- Environment
- Tags
- impact investing
-
Insights on Impact Investing from the US SIF Conference
Just how big is the socially responsible investing industry? One powerful example can be found in the development of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) whose signatories – with assets over $30 trillion – are now estimated to represent 20 percent of the estimated total value of global capital markets. This growing influence of SRI was a major theme at The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Tags
- impact investing
-
Guest Post: Silicon Valley Without Stanford? The Role of Philanthropy in Impact Investing
The focus on the proper mix of philanthropy and investment at the individual deal level can obscure even bigger and, I’d argue, more important issues facing the impact investment industry – lack of good deal flow. Lack of good deal flow will become a bigger problem as more capital is mobilized. Imagine Silicon Valley without Stanford. That is the state of the early-stage impact investing movement today.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
-
Lok Capital and Acumen Fund announce Rs. 7 crore investment in Hippocampus Learning Centres
Bangalore, May 2012: Lok Capital, one of the largest dedicated funds in India for businesses focused on serving the lower income and base of the pyramid (BOP) customer segments and Acumen Fund, a pioneering nonprofit global venture firm addressing poverty in South Asia, East and West Africa, today announce Rs. 7 crore investment in Hippocampus Learning Centres (HLC), a for-profit rural education service provider in India. This is Lok Capital’s and Acumen’s first investment in Education and marks the launch of their respective education portfolios. Based in Karnataka, India, HLC provides affordable, quality education by employing and training local female teachers who coach students between the ages of 3-12 in both pre-school and primary instruction.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
-
Catalyzing Retail Investment to Fund the ‘Missing Part’ of the Missing Middle
Recent developments in crowdfunding legislation in the U.S. and general growing interest in retail investment in Europe and the US are signaling a growth in new capital available for impact investing. But how does the impact sector ensure there are enough investment products to cater to the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of unaccredited investors who are increasingly interested in international investment opportunities that will deliver diverse environmental, social, and financial returns?
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
- Tags
- impact investing
-
The Unitus Seed Fund: Harnessing Small Equity for Scale at the BoP
I recently had the opportunity to interview Dave Richards, managing director of Unitus Seed Fund – a new seed stage venture fund investing in startups with high potential to improve the lives of many BoP families in India. USF is focused on making small equity investments – typically $50,000 to $100,000 – at the seed stage where round sizes are less than $500,000 and usually less than $250,000.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
-
Daniel Izzo on Brazil’s First Impact Investing Venture Capital Firm
Recently, the Opportunities for the Majority (OMJ) Initiative of the Inter-American Development Bank hosted Daniel Izzo, co-founder and partner of Vox Capital, Brazil’s first impact investing venture capital firm, which focuses on high potential businesses that serve the Brazilian low income population through products and services with the potential to improve their lives. In addition, Vox Capital is the first Brazilian fund OMJ is investing in.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
- Tags
- impact investing
-
World Bank unit, MasterCard Foundation boost crucial small loans in Africa
A World Bank partner devoted to developing the private sector and The MasterCard Foundation will spend millions of dollars so more impoverished Africans can get loans and other financial services, officials said.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
Subscribe to Our 'Business in Global Development' Newsletter!
Our new weekly LinkedIn newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with curated news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage of impact-focused business in emerging markets.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.