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Sharing SOCAP: Why My Favorite Conference Needs to Leave San Francisco – And Other Takeaways from #SOCAP17
SOCAP and San Francisco: They go together like GIIN and Toniic. Bad impact investing jokes aside, NextBillion editor Scott Anderson makes the case that it's time for the much-loved social business conference to "throw off the moorings of the beautiful Marina District and consider other cities where the promise of impact investing is gaining steam." Check out his argument, along with other takeaways from the event, in this roundup.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Investing, NextBillion Originals
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Deciphering Emerson’s Tears – Is it Time for Impact Investing to Lower its Expectations?
At SOCAP17, impact investing pioneer Jed Emerson gave a tearful speech from the main plenary stage, in which he called on the industry to remember the true purpose of capital, and not to let its efforts to build the market distract from its higher goals. We explore some potential implications of this emotional high point of the conference.
- Categories
- Investing
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Beyond Microcredit: Why Tackling Poverty Requires More Than a Loan
It's clear that microcredit is not enough to end poverty, say Gary Carrier and Harrison Pharamond of MCE Social Capital. But this does not stop MCE from investing in microfinance institutions. Instead, they maximize the impact of these investments by supporting MFIs in offering “credit-plus services” - additional services that address poverty holistically.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
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Live from SOCAP17: NextBillion’s Schedule of Facebook Live Interviews with Top Names in Impact Investing
SOCAP is finally here, and as part of our coverage, we'll be interviewing a number of prominent leaders in the impact investing and social business world and broadcasting these interviews via Facebook Live (accessible on NextBillion's Facebook page). This lineup is still evolving, as people's schedules develop – so we may be adding or changing some of these interviews in the coming days. But here's the latest schedule.
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- Investing, NextBillion Originals
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The Other Capital in Impact Investing: Why Human Capital May Matter More than Money, and What Investors Can Do About It
Money is not enough for impact businesses to succeed, according to Paul Breloff of Shortlist; they need an answer to their human capital challenges to unlock their world-changing potential. Here he discusses why human capital matters, why it's being under-supported by impact investors and what it will take for more investors to see it for what it is – an area of great opportunity.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Investing
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How Loan Guarantees Are Unlocking Private Capital for Clean Energy and Sustainable Agriculture
MCE Social Capital, a nonprofit impact investing firm, believes leveraging loan guarantees can unlock private sector capital for the more than 2 billion people who lack access to formal financial services. Over the past couple of years, MCE has expanded its focus to clean energy and sustainable agriculture in an effort to promote macroeconomic stability and a healthy planet.
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- Agriculture, Energy, Environment, Investing
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How impact investing can reach the mainstream
Nearly ten years have passed since a coalition of philanthropists and investors introduced the financial-services industry to impact investing, a practice distinguished by its aim to generate social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
- Region
- North America
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The fresh round of investment by Eight Road Ventures
IFMR Capital, which helps financial institutions serving poor people raise funds, has received $25 million in funding from Eight Roads Ventures, the proprietary investment arm of Fidelity International Ltd. This is Chennai-based IFMR Capital’s second round of institutional funding.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
- Region
- South Asia