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Unicorns vs. Camels: Three Lessons for Building Resilient Businesses – Despite the COVID-19 Crisis
As COVID-19 continues to transform the global economy, many businesses are shifting towards safety and longer-term thinking. But as Alex Lazarow at Cathay Innovation points out, many social entrepreneurs have been building sustainability and resilience into their business models from day one. He contrasts the approach of these "camels" to the growth-at-all-costs model common among "unicorns."
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Social Enterprise
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Pandemic-Proof Projects? Spring Lane Looks to Sustainable Waste
This impact investor is backing startups that promise to divert organic waste from landfills and turn it into clean energy and compost.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Investing
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Press Release: Blue Planet Raises US$25 million from Nomura
This strategic engagement by Nomura's Loans and Principal Investments Area in Asia ex-Japan will help Blue Planet continue its efforts to develop integrated, inclusive and sustainable waste management solutions around the region.
- Categories
- Environment, Investing
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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The Time is Now for a Renewable Energy Transition in Haiti
Though they have comparable populations and share the same Caribbean island, the energy capacity in the Dominican Republic exceeds that of Haiti by a factor of 10 to one. Carl Black at Deetken Impact explores that discrepancy and argues that, though fossil fuels still represent over 85% of installed capacity in both countries, they also present an enticing opportunity for renewable energy development.
- Categories
- Energy
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A Future Beyond Short-Term Profit: A Movement Builds for Mission-First Business Structures
Business as usual is not working to solve major world problems—in many cases it’s actually causing them, due to flaws built into the foundation of conventional business and investing structures. Jasper van Brakel of RSF Social Finance discusses how this realization is sparking a grassroots global movement behind mission-first business, rooted in stakeholder governance and seeking profit as an engine for creating social, cultural and ecological good.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
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Press Release: Citi Launches $150 Million Impact Investing Fund
This is the largest fund of its kind to be launched by a bank using its own capital. Investments, which could be as high as $10 million, will primarily be made in companies that have demonstrated proof of concept, built an existing customer base, secured prior rounds of funding and exhibited the potential for scale in multiple markets. A portion of the fund is designated for earlier stage seed investments.
- Region
- North America
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Press Release: EcoVadis Secures c. $200M Investment from CVC Growth Partners to Accelerate Adoption of Sustainability Ratings Throughout the Globalised Economy
This transaction represents one of the largest investments in the ESG space to date and reflects a shared long-term vision for the importance of ESG to business success. EcoVadis will leverage the funding to scale globally and ingrain sustainability, fair labour practices and ethics into enterprise supply chains and business commerce.
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Meet the Zayed Sustainability Prize Finalists
This year, finalists include start-ups which have developed technologies to combat plastic waste and the spread of disease, as well as improving access to clean electricity.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Health Care, Technology
- Region
- North Africa & Near East