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Most impact funds operate at the margins of traditional finance. The Citi Impact Fund operates from inside one of the largest banks in the world. That's a different kind of leverage.

Meredith Shields manages a $500 million carve-out from Citi's balance sheet, deployed exclusively into double bottom line companies.

In this episode, she covers how the fund defines impact, why it moved to Series B investing, and what she's watching in sectors like care, education, and financial resilience. She also names names, rolling through more portfolio companies than most guests manage in an hour.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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For decades, lupus has remained one of the most complex challenges in modern medicine. Its extreme heterogeneity, where symptoms and triggers can vary widely from one patient to the next, has made the disease difficult to study, diagnose, and treat.

As a result, lupus has often been passed over by traditional venture capital in favor of conditions with more predictable development paths.

That dynamic is now beginning to change.

A growing wave of scientific advances, regulatory progress, and an increasingly active clinical pipeline is signaling a turning point for millions of patients worldwide.

At the center of this shift is Lupus Ventures, a mission driven investment fund launched by the Lupus Research Alliance.

The fund combines the discipline of life sciences venture capital with a clear focus on return on mission, aiming to close the funding gap that has long stalled promising breakthroughs in autoimmune disease research.

In this spotlight, we speak with Nishant Rastogi, Managing Director of Lupus Ventures.

Drawing on more than a decade of experience in biotech private equity and venture capital, Nishant explains why he chose to lead a mission driven fund, why early diagnostics are critical to improving patient outcomes, and how Lupus Ventures is helping reshape how cures are funded for historically underserved diseases.

Full interview

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode 93 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I sit down with Nick Dilks, Co Founder and Managing Partner of Ecosystem Investment Partners (EIP), a firm that has quietly become one of the most important players in large scale ecological restoration in the United States.

Nick grew up splitting time between Philadelphia and a family farm on the Chesapeake Bay. That early exposure to land and water shaped a life long focus on conservation. After a decade at The Conservation Fund structuring complex land deals, he co founded EIP in 2006 to answer a simple but difficult question.

Can you use private capital, at scale, to restore degraded ecosystems while still meeting the financial expectations of institutional investors

Over almost twenty years, EIP has shown that the answer is yes.

The firm acquires degraded land, restores wetlands, streams, and habitats, then sells mitigation credits to public and private developers that are required by law to offset their environmental impacts. It is a space where environmental protection, infrastructure, housing, and finance all intersect.

In this conversation, Nick explains how mitigation banking actually works, why these markets are fully regulated and compulsory, how a new 400 million dollar fund will expand EIP’s work, and why he believes more young people should bring serious financial skills into the environmental sector.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Welcome to episode 92 of the Investing in Impact podcast. Today you will hear from Rehana Nathoo, the Founder and CEO of Spectrum Impact. Rehana has worked across the UN, Rockefeller Foundation, Bank of New York Mellon, and the Case Foundation, giving her a rare view into how capital systems evolve and where they fall short.

Her experience covers development finance, field building, and the realities of pushing impact work into traditional financial institutions. In this episode she breaks down her journey, the lessons she has carried into Spectrum Impact, and the honest truth about what it takes to design impact strategies that actually work.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Carbon Direct has acquired Pachama to bolster precision, transparency, and scientific rigor in carbon accounting and verification for the voluntary carbon market. Pachama, recognized for its digital platform focused on monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of forest carbon projects, will integrate its technology with Carbon Direct's science-driven carbon management expertise.​

Strategic Impact of the Acquisition

• The combined platform aims to deliver higher-quality carbon credits using improved environmental data tracking, advanced digital MRV tools, and AI-powered insights.​

• The acquisition strengthens Carbon Direct’s capacity to offer comprehensive, data-driven project evaluation and transparency for both buyers and project developers.​

• Pachama’s co-founder and CEO, Diego Saez Gil, and key team members will join Carbon Direct, helping guide strategic engagement around scaling nature-based, verifiable climate solutions.

Learn more →

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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The All Aboard Coalition is a collaborative investment fund created by a group of established venture capital and private equity firms. It aims to raise $300 million by October and begin investing before the end of the year.

Unlike early-stage seed funds, this one focuses on companies that already have validated technology and are now ready to expand into full-scale production.

It will make equity or convertible equity investments between $100 million and $200 million per company.

In simple terms, the All Aboard Coalition is positioning itself to fill the funding gap between early venture capital and large infrastructure financing, helping climate companies move from concept to commercial scale.

Read full breakdown.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In this episode of the Investing in Impact podcast, I sit down with Yigal Kerszenbaum, Managing Partner at JFFVentures, to explore how a mission driven investment fund partners with a national nonprofit to expand access, skills, and quality jobs for working adults.

Yigal shares his immigrant journey and why it fuels his commitment to opportunity creation.

The conversation covers the structure that aligns JFF’s nonprofit mission with a return driven venture fund, the rise of AI in the workforce, and concrete portfolio examples that move people from learning to earning.

Jobs for the Future is a forty year old national nonprofit focused at the intersection of education and work. Its North Star is to help tens of millions of adults transition into quality jobs. The organization has deep on the ground expertise, with hundreds of practitioners working across all fifty states and strong relationships with community colleges, employers, and public agencies.

JFFVentures is the investment arm aligned to that mission. It operates as a traditional venture capital fund with an impact thesis, backing founders who build products that increase economic mobility for adults earning less than fifty thousand dollars per year. The fund invests in pre seed and seed rounds, typically with an initial check near five hundred thousand dollars and reserves for follow on.

Key takeaways

• JFF is a forty year old nonprofit with deep networks in education and workforce, JFFVentures is its aligned venture fund
• The fund backs products that move adults from learning to earning, with a focus on those earning under fifty thousand dollars per year
• Portfolio companies like Pace AI, Manifest, and Major League Hacking show the thesis in action
• AI can both disrupt and enable, the opportunity is to use it to widen access, lower training costs, and improve job performance
• The structure shares financial upside with the nonprofit, reinforcing the mission as companies scale

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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The climate challenge has become the defining issue's of our era, unlocking trillions of dollars in climate finance and creating an unprecedented opportunity for bold ideas. But how capital is deployed and the types of founders it backs will determine whether we see systemic change or just incremental improvements.

That’s where Cerulean Ventures comes in.

Co-founded by Matthew Stotts, Cerulean is a pre-seed venture capital firm investing in founders applying AI and advanced technologies to build exponential solutions for nature.

Rather than chasing status-quo climate investments or one-off moonshots, Cerulean seeks leverage points where software, data, and fintech can radically transform entrenched systems.

I recently sat down with Matthew to dive into his journey, Cerulean’s unique investment lens, and the transformative startups reshaping everything from agriculture to renewable energy.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Hey friends,

Welcome back to Funding Rounds, where we break down the week’s most impactful startup and venture funding announcements—highlighting the mission, the money, and the impact behind it all.

This week, over $1 billion was invested across public safety tech, clean energy, autism care, robotics, carbon removal, and more. Let’s get into it.

First Due Secures $355 Million to Scale Public Safety Software

Funding: $355 Million
Goal: Expand public safety and emergency response software solutions
Impact: Empowering first responders with technology to improve community safety

🔗 Read more

Heron Power Lands $38M Series A to Fast-Track All-Electric Future

Funding: $38 million
Goal: Accelerate transition to an all-electric future
Impact: Advancing clean energy adoption across industries

🔗 Learn more

beatBread Raises $124M to Empower Independent Musicians

Funding: $124 million
Goal: Offer flexible financing to independent musicians
Impact: Expanding access to capital for artists without sacrificing ownership

🔗 Learn more

Equatic Secures $11.6M Series A to Scale Carbon Removal and Green Hydrogen

Funding: $11.6 million
Goal: Advance permanent carbon removal and green hydrogen production
Impact: Scaling technologies to address climate change at the source

🔗 Read more

Vulcan Elements Closes $65M Series A to Boost U.S. Rare Earth Magnet Production

Funding: $65 million
Goal: Produce high-performance rare earth magnets in the U.S.
Impact: Strengthening domestic supply chains for critical clean energy materials

🔗 Read more

Positive Development Secures $51.5M Series C to Advance AI-Powered Autism Therapy

Funding: $51.5 million
Goal: Expand access to play-based developmental therapy and enhance its AI model for personalized autism care
Impact: Supporting children with autism and their families through at-home, relationship-focused, and development-driven programs

🔗 Learn more

Better Nature Lands $1.5M to Expand Clean-Label Tempeh in UK and Abroad

Funding: $1.5M
Goal: Grow alternative protein product lines globally
Impact: Driving plant-based innovation in the protein market

🔗 Read more

FORT Robotics Secures $18.9M Series B Expansion

Funding: $18.9 million
Goal: Advance safety and security solutions for robotics and physical AI systems
Impact: Enabling safe, secure, and dynamic control for autonomous machines across industries including agriculture, construction, defense, and factory automation

🔗 Learn more

Aira Lands €150M to Accelerate Europe’s Shift to Electric Residential Heating

Funding: €150 million
Goal: Accelerate clean home energy adoption across Europe
Impact: Driving decarbonization of residential heating

🔗 Read more

Circulate Capital Closes $75.8M Latin America & Caribbean Environmental Fund to Tackle Plastic Waste

Funding: $75.8 million
Goal: Combat plastic pollution and scale recycling infrastructure in Latin America & the Caribbean
Impact: Reducing ocean plastic, creating jobs, and building resilient recycling supply chains

🔗 Read more

📢 Final Thoughts

That wraps up this week’s Funding Rounds. Over $1 billion invested into systems that touch nearly every part of our lives—from how we heat our homes and power our cities, to how we create music, deliver therapy, and protect our communities.

If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe, leave a quick review, and check out all the stories mentioned today at causeartist.com.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Varda Raises $187M Series C to Manufacture Medicine in Space 🚀

Funding: $187 million
Goal: Bring zero-gravity biomanufacturing to commercial scale
Impact: Creating life-saving therapies that can only be made in orbit
🔗 Learn more

AWAKE Chocolate Lands $8M CAD to Fuel Functional Chocolate Growth 🍫

Funding: $8 million CAD
Goal: Expand caffeinated chocolate snacks as an alternative to energy drinks
Impact: Blending deliciousness and wellness in every bite
🔗 Learn more

SHIFT Invest Hits €92M First Close for Impact Fund 🌏

Funding: €92 million
Goal: Back circular economy, food, and climate startups
Impact: Driving sustainability-focused VC across Europe
🔗 Read more

GeologicAI Raises $44M for AI-Driven Mining Innovation ⛏️

Funding: $44 million
Goal: Digitize geological exploration with AI and automation
Impact: Making mining cleaner, faster, and more efficient
🔗 Read more

Hadrian Raises $260M to Build Automated Space Factories 🛰️

Funding: $260 million
Goal: Modernize precision manufacturing for aerospace
Impact: Accelerating innovation in national and planetary security
🔗 Read more

Fortuna Health Raises $18M to Modernize Medicaid Access 📲

Funding: $18 million Series A
Goal: Rebuild Medicaid infrastructure with user-friendly tech
Impact: Empowering millions to access benefits more easily
🔗 Learn more

Provectus Algae Raises $12.6M for Bio-Based Climate Solutions ♺

Funding: $12.6 million Series A
Goal: Scale precision fermentation using algae for sustainable ingredients
Impact: Creating new climate-positive materials through biology
🔗 Learn more

BetterComp Raises $33M to Advance AI in Compensation Strategy 📊

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Carbon to Sea Initiative Commits $4M to Ocean Carbon Removal R&D

Funding: $4 million joint investment with MEOPAR
Goal: Advance research on ocean-based carbon dioxide removal in Canada
Impact: Unlocking ocean tech as a scalable solution for climate mitigation
🔗 Read more

Trusty Raises $1M to Redefine Estate Planning with AI

Funding: $1 million pre-seed round
Goal: Build modern, AI-powered Letters of Wishes for families and advisors
Impact: Making legacy planning more accessible, personalized, and human
🔗 Read more

Bilt Raises $250M to Accelerate Community-Centric Housing

Funding: $250 million at a $10.75B valuation
Goal: Expand its housing and neighborhood commerce platform
Impact: Reinventing the renter experience while building stronger local economies
🔗 Read more

Open Philanthropy Launches $120M Fund for Innovation and Growth

Funding: $120 million fund
Goal: Support ambitious nonprofits and research orgs with breakout potential
Impact: Accelerating high-leverage projects in global health, AI safety, and more
🔗 Read more

Open Philanthropy Launches $120M Fund for Innovation and Growth

Open Philanthropy has launched a $120 million Abundance and Growth Fund to accelerate scientific innovation, improve housing and regulatory policies, and reduce the cost of living.
🔗 Read more

LGND Raises $9M to Make Earth Data Actionable

Funding: $9 million
Goal: Democratize environmental intelligence for climate action
Impact: Helping organizations translate raw geospatial data into meaningful impact
🔗 Read more

Foundation EGI Raises $23M to Rethink Global Infrastructure

Funding: $23 million
Goal: Develop innovative platforms for sustainable infrastructure
Impact: Empowering regions to build smarter, more resilient communities
🔗 Read more

Lorient Capital Closes $500M Fund III for Healthcare Founders

Funding: $500 million Fund III
Goal: Back founder-led healthcare companies at the intersection of care and technology
Impact: Fueling innovation in patient-centric, value-based care
🔗 Read more

OpenEvidence Raises $210M to Reinvent Medical AI

Funding: $210 million at $3.5B valuation
Goal: Build the fastest-growing clinical AI app for physicians
Impact: Streamlining real-time decision-making at the point of care
🔗 Read more

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Hey friends,

After 10 incredible years of building Causeartist solo, I’m excited to share something personal with you.

Last year, some amazing partners who believe deeply in the mission and future of Causeartist reached out. I knew from the initial conversation it was the right fit.

The Pay It Forward Company (PIF) has officially acquired Causeartist, and I couldn’t be more energized about what this means for the next decade.

What’s changing?
Nothing about the core mission or voice will change. I’m still the founder of Causeartist and will continue to lead our daily content, podcasts, and community—just with more support, more resources, and a bigger vision.

What’s new?
In addition to running Causeartist, I’ve also joined the PIF Venture Team as a partner. This means I’ll be working more closely with early-stage impact startups and the people building infrastructure for a better world. More on that soon.

Joining PIF feels like the perfect move at the right time.

Their values align perfectly with everything Causeartist stands for: purpose-driven ventures, impactful innovation, and paying it forward.

You can learn more about the venture side of the firm here and the advisory side here.

To everyone who’s subscribed, shared a post, tuned into the podcast, or built something impactful—you’ve helped Causeartist grow into what it is today. And now, we get to grow even further, together.

We have some exciting things happening in the future.

Here’s to the next decade. 😄

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Welcome back to Investing in Impact, the podcast where we dive deep into the minds of visionary leaders building a more sustainable and equitable future.

Today, I’m joined by Josh Kaufman, CEO and Co-Founder of Khasma Capital. Khasma is on a mission to empower development teams by providing the critical early-stage capital and support needed to accelerate the construction of low-carbon infrastructure.

In a world where many promising climate technologies struggle to move from pilot to scale, Khasma stands out. Their unique investment model combines flexible financing with strategic and operational expertise—bridging a crucial gap that traditional capital often overlooks.

In this conversation, Josh shares his journey of launching and rebranding the firm, what it takes to commercialize climate infrastructure, and why Khasma is doubling down on sectors like waste upcycling, textile recycling, alternative fuels, and long-duration energy storage.

Takeaways

• Josh Kaufman's journey into climate finance began with a passion for renewable energy.
• Kazma Capital focuses on empowering development teams rather than taking control of projects.
• Investment in climate solutions requires a clear project definition and risk assessment.
• Innovative projects include solar panel recycling and renewable heating oil from biomass.
• The learning curve in the climate sector involves understanding various energy technologies.
• The renewable energy sector has seen significant growth and cost reductions over the past decade.
• Challenges in reconfiguring the energy grid are influenced by regulatory bodies and utilities.
• Competition in the energy market is essential for innovation and efficiency.
• Solar energy continues to grow, but faces challenges in maintaining growth rates.
• Kazma Capital's revenue model includes both development risk and equity stakes in projects.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Fiber Global Raises $20M to Scale Circular Building Materials

Funding: $20 million Series A
Goal: Expand production of sustainable materials that reduce construction waste
Impact: Tackling industrial emissions and advancing the circular economy

Read more →

Lumion Secures $10M to Power the Future of Trade Schools

Funding: $10 million seed round
Goal: Build an operating system to modernize vocational education
Impact: Addressing the skilled labor gap through better tech and infrastructure

Read more →

Swen Capital Raises $183M for Ocean Impact Ventures

Funding: €183 million
Goal: Invest in early-stage startups protecting marine ecosystems
Impact: Scaling technologies for ocean conservation and sustainability

Read more →

Mealogic Raises $16M to Advance Food-as-Medicine Innovation

Funding: $16 million
Goal: Integrate personalized nutrition and clinical outcomes through tech
Impact: Helping prevent chronic illness and improve health through better food systems

Learn more →

Accessibility Startup Sociability Raises $3.5M

Funding: $3.5 million seed round
Goal: Build accessible tech solutions for people with disabilities
Impact: Empowering inclusive innovation with support from global backers

Learn more about Sociability →

SparkCharge Secures $30.5M to Expand Mobile EV Charging

Funding: $30.5 million
Goal: Scale its mobile charging network across the U.S.
Impact: Making EV adoption more convenient and equitable through on-demand service

Read more →

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder & CEO of Acumen on her global journey that led her from the world of international banking to the heart of social entrepreneurship—beginning in Rwanda, and now reaching 650+ million lives through Acumen’s work around the world.

From Chase Bank to Kigali: A Journey Rooted in Empathy

Jacqueline’s journey began not with a grand strategy, but with a moment of clarity while working in Rwanda in the late 1980s, where she helped launch one of the country’s first microfinance institutions.

There, she witnessed how markets could be harnessed to empower individuals—especially women—but also saw how fragmented and fragile traditional aid systems were.

That idea would eventually become Acumen.

The Founding of Acumen: Bridging Markets and Philanthropy

Founded in 2001, Acumen was created to tackle what Jacqueline calls "the blue flame" space—the gap between pure philanthropy and market-driven capitalism. Acumen uses “patient capital” to invest in entrepreneurs solving problems in energy, agriculture, healthcare, education, and workforce development.

Acumen has since invested over $150 million into companies that have impacted millions of people in low-income communities across Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and the U.S. But the goal isn’t just scale—it’s systemic change.

What It Takes to Build Markets That Work for the Poor

Jacqueline explains that creating sustainable impact requires far more than capital—it demands a deep understanding of local contexts, cultural norms, and the lived experiences of the communities being served.

She emphasizes that real progress depends on:

• Entrepreneurial courage
• Long-term thinking
• Collaboration with governments and civil society

Acumen works to build "markets with moral imagination", where value creation doesn’t come at the cost of human dignity or environmental degradation.

Education, Circular Impact, and the Future of Social Entrepreneurship

Another major focus of Acumen is education. Through the Acumen Academy, they’ve trained over 1,800 social enterprise leaders, equipping them with tools in moral leadership, storytelling, and systems thinking.

Jacqueline envisions a circular economy of impact investing, where capital flows to and from communities, creating sustainable, inclusive systems over time.

She sees the future of impact rooted in innovative partnerships—between private and public sectors, startups and institutions, and across geographies.

A Legacy of Courage and Compassion

As Jacqueline looks ahead, her message is clear: we need a new moral framework for capitalism—one that measures success not just in returns, but in human dignity and long-term value for society.

Her story is a reminder that systems can change, markets can heal, and entrepreneurs—when supported with the right kind of capital and community—can solve the world’s most pressing problems.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Welcome to Episode 88 of the Investing in Impact podcast. Today, I’m joined by Medea Nocentini, Senior Partner at Global Ventures and Founder of C3 – Companies Creating Change, about scaling impact across the Middle East and Africa.

Medea brings a unique blend of corporate strategy, venture capital, and impact entrepreneurship. At Global Ventures, she invests in growth-stage startups transforming emerging markets through technology.

As founder of C3, a B Corp-certified social enterprise, she has supported over 300 impact-driven startups across 27 countries, helping them raise more than $550 million to date.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The evolution of impact investing in the Middle East and Africa
• Key challenges and opportunities for startups in frontier markets
• How C3 builds scalable programs to support founders
• The role of partnerships and ecosystem-building in driving long-term impact

Let’s dive in.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Welcome to Episode 87 of the Investing in Impact podcast. Today, I’m joined by Dr. Andy Kuper, Founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments, a pioneering firm that has reshaped how global capital can drive profit with purpose.

Dr. Andy Kuper, founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments, has redefined how private capital can create meaningful change. Since launching the firm in 2007, Kuper has led with a bold vision: to deliver "Profit with Purpose" by investing in businesses that generate strong returns while solving real-world challenges across Asia and Africa.

📈 Impact at Scale: 537 Million Lives Reached

Today, LeapFrog’s portfolio companies serve over 537 million people, providing access to essential services like healthcare, financial tools, and climate solutions. Of those reached, 359 million are emerging consumers, many of whom are gaining access to formal financial and health services for the first time.

Beyond reach, LeapFrog’s investments have supported over 241,000 jobs and livelihoods in more than 37 countries, contributing to inclusive economic development at scale.

💸 Billions Raised, Sustainable Growth Delivered

LeapFrog has secured nearly $3 billion in capital commitments from some of the world’s leading financial institutions. The firm typically invests $20–75 million in high-growth companies led by exceptional teams, targeting influential minority or majority stakes.

These portfolio companies have achieved an average annual growth rate of 23% since investment—proving that social impact and financial success are not mutually exclusive.

🏆 Global Recognition for Global Impact

LeapFrog has received international acclaim for its transformative approach. Fortune named it one of the Top 5 Companies to Change the World, alongside Apple and Novartis—making it the first private investment firm to earn that recognition.

Dr. Kuper has been honored worldwide, including being appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2022 for distinguished service to impact investing and financial inclusion. He’s also been recognized by the World Economic Forum, EY, YPO, and the Economist Group for his global leadership.

🎓 Scholar, Author, and Advocate

Originally from South Africa and now an Australian citizen, Andy Kuper holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge and has held academic roles at Harvard, Cambridge, and Columbia. He’s the author of two books on globalization and governance and has co-authored publications with Nobel laureates and international leaders.

📊 Leading the Way in Impact Measurement

LeapFrog is not only a pioneer in impact investing but also a leader in measuring and reporting impact. The firm is a signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, earning their highest A+ rating. It also plays a leading role in advancing industry standards as a founding Investors Council Member of the GIIN and a contributor to the Impact Management Project.

🚀 Aiming to Impact One Billion Lives

With a mission to reach one billion people through the power of capital markets, LeapFrog Investments continues to raise the bar for what’s possible in private equity and impact investing.

By combining rigorous financial discipline with a deep commitment to social good, LeapFrog proves that capital can be a catalyst for lasting, systemic change—especially in the places that need it most.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Welcome to Episode 86 of the Investing in Impact podcast. Today, I'm joined by Howard Fischer, Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist of Gratitude Railroad, to discuss his journey from Wall Street to impact investing and how Gratitude Railroad is building a community-driven approach to fund entrepreneurs creating lasting social and environmental change.

Prior to his work in impact investing, Howard spent over 30 years in traditional finance as the Founder and CEO of Basso Capital Management, a hedge fund specializing in convertible securities.

He previously held senior trading roles at Smith Barney, Drexel Burnham Lambert, and Cohen Feit & Company, and began his career as a Certified Public Accountant in both public and private sectors.

Howard currently serves on the boards of 1% for the Planet, The Carbon Underground, and the Garrison Institute’s Compassionate Leaders in Finance program.

He also advises BrightEdge, the investment fund of the American Cancer Society, and has held board positions with DoneGood, Builders Fund, Atlas Impact Partners, and Blackdirt Capital.

He holds a B.S.E. in Accounting and Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and was a Fellow in Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Initiative in 2013 and 2014.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Welcome to Episode 85 of the Investing in Impact podcast. Today, I'm joined by Matt Eldridge, Executive Director of Realize Impact, on using Donor Advised Funds to innovate impact investing.

Impact investing is often perceived as complex, requiring a balance between financial returns and social good.

Realize Impact eliminates these barriers, providing a streamlined process that enables individuals, foundations, and donor-advised funds (DAFs) to invest in high-impact ventures while maintaining financial sustainability.

How It Works

Impact investing through Realize Impact is facilitated via the Philanthropic Investment Grant (PHIG)—a simple and effective way to direct capital toward high-impact ventures.

By recommending an investment and providing matching capital, donors can amplify their contributions while supporting meaningful change.

Realize Impact simplifies impact investing into three steps:

1. Grant Recommendation – Investors recommend an impact investment through a grant from a DAF, foundation, or personal funds.
2. Due Diligence & Investment – Realize Impact conducts research, reviews terms, and executes the investment in debt, equity, or revenue-based funding.
3. Returns & Reinvestment – 99% of the investment returns are donated back to the investor’s recommended DAF, foundation, or nonprofit for reinvestment.

This model allows investors to support impactful projects without the complexities of direct investment management.

What is a Donor Advised Fund?

A Donor Advised Fund is a philanthropic giving vehicle that allows donors to contribute funds, receive immediate tax benefits, and then recommend grants to eligible charities over time.

Think of it as a charitable savings account, where individuals or families set aside funds dedicated to philanthropic purposes.

These funds are managed by sponsoring organizations, such as community foundations, universities, or specialized charitable organizations, which administer the DAF on behalf of the donor.

Unlocking Capital for Global Solutions

Significant capital remains idle in donor-advised funds and foundations. Realize Impact mobilizes these funds into ventures addressing key global challenges such as:

• Climate change – Investing in renewable energy and sustainable business models.
• Economic empowerment – Supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs with access to capital.
• Social equity – Financing housing, education, and healthcare initiatives.

By actively deploying philanthropic capital, Realize Impact maximizes both financial and social returns.

Transparent Fee Structure

Realize Impact offers a straightforward, affordable pricing model:

• $500 flat fee for investments of $10,000 or more.
• No fee for investments under $10,000 (though returns are not re-donated).

This ensures accessibility while maintaining financial sustainability.

Redefining Impact Investing

Contrary to the belief that impact investing sacrifices returns, Realize Impact proves that financial and social benefits can align.

By reinvesting returns into donor-advised funds and nonprofits, the organization amplifies the impact of every dollar.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Welcome to Episode 84 of the Investing in Impact podcast. Today, I'm joined by Daryn Dodson, Founder and Managing Director of Illumen Capital, an impact fund of funds committed to advancing gender and racial equity in financial markets.

Illumen Capital invests in leading growth, private equity, and venture impact funds, providing fund managers with targeted coaching and tools to reduce implicit biases in decision-making.

Previously, Daryn consulted for the Board of Calvert Funds, a $15 billion impact investing pioneer, managing a global portfolio of over 40 funds across five continents, encompassing more than 350 companies.

He also served as Director of University and Corporate Partnerships at The Idea Village, where he secured over 100,000 hours and $2 million in resources from private equity firms, business schools, and Fortune 500 companies to rebuild New Orleans’ entrepreneurial ecosystem after Hurricane Katrina.

He serves on the Board of Directors for Ben & Jerry’s, the CFA Institute’s Future of Finance Advisory Council, the New Venture Fund, and the Impact Assets Investment Committee.

Daryn earned his M.B.A. from Stanford University, where he served on the Dean’s Management Board, and his A.B. from Duke University. His work reflects a steadfast commitment to equity and measurable impact in financial markets and beyond.

About Illumen Capital

Illumen Capital, an impact-focused fund of funds, is on a mission to challenge the status quo. By reducing racial and gender bias in financial decision-making, Illumen Capital aims to create a more inclusive and optimized asset management industry—one that not only drives equity but also enhances financial performance.

Illumen Capital partners with institutional investors to empower the next generation of diverse-led venture and private equity fund managers.

Their mission is rooted in the belief that an equitable asset management industry will be the cornerstone of a more just and prosperous future.

Why it matters:

• Racial and gender bias limits potential. Research led by Illumen Capital and Stanford SPARQ revealed that race influences the decision-making of professional investors. Alarmingly, high-performing Black-led funds are often rated more harshly on subjective criteria such as competence and social fit.
• Missed opportunities: This bias not only perpetuates inequities but causes investors to unknowingly overlook high-potential investment opportunities.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Welcome to Episode 83 of the Investing in Impact podcast. Today, we’re joined by Dan Fishman, Co-Founder and General Partner of Regeneration.VC, a venture capital firm at the forefront of Consumer ClimateTech. Regeneration.VC specializes in supporting early-stage companies that are redefining consumer industries through sustainability-focused innovation.

Takeaways

• The next generation of founders is focused on solving climate issues.
• Sustainable brands are outpacing conventional brands in growth.
• Technology is key to transforming material science and production methods.
• Supply chains can be innovated without complete overhaul.
• Creativity in entrepreneurship is being overshadowed by data-driven decisions.
• The U.S. has potential to lead in climate tech but needs to evolve.
• California remains a leader in climate legislation and innovation.
• The future of work in climate tech is about creating lasting careers.

Regeneration.VC’s mission is to drive systemic change by investing in groundbreaking solutions that prioritize circularity, sustainable materials, and carbon reduction technologies. By addressing the intersection of consumer demand and environmental impact, Regeneration.VC aims to create a future where business growth aligns with planetary health.

Through their portfolio, the firm champions visionary startups working on innovative solutions in sustainable fashion, eco-friendly packaging, renewable products, and more. Regeneration.VC is not just funding businesses but fostering a movement toward a regenerative economy that prioritizes environmental restoration and resilience.

Dan brings a unique perspective to this work, shaped by his diverse career spanning entertainment, fashion, and food industries. He co-founded Bulldog Entertainment Group, worked with major celebrity brands, and launched successful fashion ventures like House of Harlow 1960 and Winter Kate. In the food sector, he was the first investor and President of Coolhaus, leading its vegan product line launch and eventual acquisition by Perfect Day. His entrepreneurial expertise and passion for sustainability drive the vision of Regeneration.VC.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode 82 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with David Lynn, Co-Founder and CEO of Mission Driven Finance (MDF), an organization focused on closing capital gaps and catalyzing economic opportunities in underserved communities.

In this conversation, David shares his unconventional journey from tech to finance and the catalysts that led him to establish MDF.

We dive into MDF’s mission to bridge capital gaps by focusing on private credit and real estate to support local businesses, and David highlights the importance of community-driven due diligence, where relationships are prioritized over traditional metrics.

David also discusses the diverse sources of capital backing MDF, including foundations, high-net-worth individuals, and institutional investors, and MDF's expansion from its roots in San Diego to a national scale.

Looking forward, he outlines MDF's ambitious goal of moving a billion dollars into communities by 2027 and the broader potential for blended finance policies to drive growth in impact investing.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode 81 the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Dan Barker, President and CEO of Halcyon, an incubator and investor in early-stage, impact-driven startups from around the globe.

About Dan

Dan is a seasoned leader in impact investing and social entrepreneurship. As the President and CEO of Halcyon, he's dedicated to nurturing and funding innovative startups making a positive global impact. Before joining Halcyon, Dan held leadership roles at Mastercard, BlackRock, and Deloitte, where he focused on driving social change through research, strategy, and investment.

His academic background, including a master's degree from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree from NYU, further complements his deep understanding of international finance and economic policy. Dan's commitment to fostering a more equitable world is evident in his service on various advisory boards and his role as a judge for the Inclusive Fintech 50.

Halcyon: Accelerating the Impact-Driven Future

Halcyon is a leading incubator and investor dedicated to fostering the growth of early-stage, impact-driven startups. Since 2014, Halcyon has empowered social entrepreneurs with the resources, community, and expertise they need to succeed. By providing fellowships, mentorship, and investment opportunities, Halcyon helps startups address critical global challenges in Health, Climate, and EquityTech.

Halcyon House: A Historic Hub for Innovation

Halcyon House, a historic 18th-century mansion nestled in the heart of Washington, D.C.'s Georgetown neighborhood, serves as the beating heart of Halcyon. Once home to the first Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin Stoddert, this iconic building now provides a unique and inspiring workspace for Halcyon’s fellows.

With its rich history and elegant surroundings, Halcyon House fosters creativity, collaboration, and innovation. Its grand rooms, including the historic library and the modern boardroom, provide the perfect setting for Halcyon's programs, events, and community gatherings. Whether it's a fellowship retreat, a speaker series, or a networking event, Halcyon House offers a distinctive backdrop that elevates the experience.

For Halcyon’s fellows, the mansion is more than just a workspace. It's a place to connect with like-minded individuals, seek inspiration, and grow their businesses. The serene atmosphere and stunning architecture create an ideal environment for focused work and creative thinking.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode 80 the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Cole Shephard, founder of Legacy Group, on his mission to become a leading coffee producer in Colombia while maintaining a focus on sustainability and social impact.

About Cole Shephard

Cole is a Partner at Legacy Group, an alternative asset manager focused on high-impact investment opportunities in the U.S. and Latin America.

Founded in 2015, Legacy Group aims to bridge the gap between financial capital and ventures with significant social and environmental impact across various sectors, including real estate, agriculture, and technology.

Before founding Legacy Group, Cole spent eight years with Pricewaterhouse Coopers, working across the U.S., Bermuda, Hong Kong, and Beijing. His expertise spans accounting, advisory, and consulting, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions in industries like financial services, real estate, and healthcare.

In this episode, Cole shares valuable insights on building business models that integrate environmental and social initiatives, emphasizes the importance of adaptability for aspiring entrepreneurs, and outlines the ambitious future goals for the Green Coffee Company.

Key Takeaways from the Interview:

• Green Coffee Company is Colombia's largest coffee producer.
• The company focuses on sustainability and social impact.
• Building a business for the long term is crucial.
• Education and talent development are key to success.
• Entrepreneurship involves facing numerous challenges.
• Aspiring entrepreneurs should learn from experiences.
• Identifying strengths and weaknesses is essential.
• Future goals include becoming a public company.
• The company aims for nationwide expansion in Colombia.
• Building a community around the business is important.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode 79 the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Ed Marcum, the Managing Partner of the Working Capital Fund, on the innovations creating a more transparent and responsible global supply chain.

With over 20 years of experience in human rights and venture capital investing, Ed has worked across the for-profit, nonprofit, and public policy sectors.

Previously, he spent more than a decade at Humanity United, guiding initiatives to address forced labor in corporate supply chains.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA/MA from The Wharton School and the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.

About the Working Capital Fund

The Working Capital Fund is on a mission to improve the lives of marginalized workers, catalyzing economic justice by investing in innovative solutions that address the deep-seated challenges of global supply chains.

Global supply chains are enormous, involving millions of workers across thousands of businesses. On average, a Fortune 500 company works with over 10,000 suppliers, producing the goods that consumers rely on daily.

However, these supply chains are often associated with some of the most pressing challenges humanity faces, including forced labor, unfair wages, and environmental degradation.

Annually, over $354 billion worth of goods are at risk of being tainted by forced labor, with more than 17 million workers trapped in modern slavery conditions.

These challenges are often hidden deep within supply chains, making them difficult to detect and resolve. Moreover, supply chains are a primary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating the climate crisis.

How the Working Capital Fund Works to Create Impact

The Working Capital Fund focuses on investing in technologies and solutions that address the injustices inherent in global supply chains.

Through its strategic investments, it aims to create a positive impact on workers and the environment. Key areas of focus include:

1. AI-Enabled Transparency Tools

One of the biggest challenges in addressing supply chain issues is the lack of transparency. Corporations often do not have visibility into the practices of their suppliers, making it difficult to identify labor violations or environmental concerns.

By investing in AI-enabled transparency tools, the Working Capital Fund is empowering companies to map their entire supply chains and assess risks in real time.

These tools offer a clear view of potential human rights abuses or environmental risks, helping businesses make more informed decisions about their suppliers.

2. Worker-Voice Solutions

Empowering workers is a critical part of creating a fair and just supply chain. The Working Capital Fund invests in worker-voice solutions that give laborers the tools they need to hold their employers accountable.

These solutions allow workers to anonymously report unsafe working conditions, wage theft, or other violations, providing valuable feedback to companies and regulators.

With this data, stakeholders can take action to improve labor conditions and ensure that workers’ rights are respected.

3. Financial Technology for Fair Pay

Ensuring fair wages for workers is another priority for the Working Capital Fund.

By investing in financial technologies, the Fund is helping to create systems that ensure workers are paid promptly and fairly.

These technologies also help gather sustainability data on upstream suppliers, providing insights into whether they are adhering to ethical labor practices.

With this information, companies can work towards ensuring that their entire supply chain is both economically and socially responsible.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode 78 the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Gavin Smith PhD, Managing Director, Head of Equity Research and Sustainable Investing for PGIM Quantitative Solutions, on his journey into sustainable investing and the evolution of ESG and SDGs.

Gavin Smith, PhD, is the Managing Director and Head of Equity Research and Sustainable Investing at PGIM Quantitative Solutions. In this role, he leads the integration of ESG factors into the firm’s investment platform and oversees research and analysis for Quantitative Equity portfolios.

Prior to this, Gavin was a portfolio manager and a key member of PGIM’s Research team, focusing on alpha and implementation strategies. Before joining PGIM, he led the North American Quantitative Research team at Macquarie Capital and held research roles at Barclays Capital and Plato Investment Management in Sydney, Australia.

Gavin holds a BComm (Honors) in finance from the University of Wollongong and a PhD in finance from the University of New South Wales, Australia.

Takeaways

• Gavin's dual role combines quantitative equity research with sustainable investing.
• The evolution of ESG has been significant since the Paris Climate Accord.
• Data quality is crucial for effective ESG and SDG investing.
• Key metrics for evaluating companies include carbon emissions, water usage, and diversity.
• Engagement with companies is essential for improving data transparency.
• SDGs provide a framework for assessing the impact of investments.
• Greenwashing poses a challenge in identifying truly sustainable companies.
• The future of sustainable investing relies on better data and education.
• Investors are increasingly interested in the financial performance of sustainable companies.
• The integration of ESG and SDGs can lead to more impactful investment strategies.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode 77 the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Lawrence Williams III, Partner at the De-Carceration Fund, on the fund's mission to support startups that address the challenges faced by incarcerated individuals and those reentering society.

The U.S. criminal justice system affects over 6.6 million people and costs the nation more than $80 billion per year.

The De-Carceration Fund is unique in its mission to support and invest in enterprises that directly address the failings of the U.S. criminal justice system. The fund’s multipronged strategy includes backing companies that work in areas such as:

• Preventing Entry: Advocating for reforms in gun control, cash bail, foster care, law enforcement, and domestic violence to reduce the number of individuals who enter the criminal justice system.
• Reducing Suffering: Supporting efforts in juvenile justice, legal costs, prison programming, family support, and sentence reduction to ease the burdens placed on those within the system.
• Ending the Cycle: Addressing recidivism by promoting reform and rehabilitation that help formerly incarcerated individuals reintegrate into society and avoid re-incarceration.

The Economics of Incarceration

The current system perpetuates a cycle of financial exploitation and human suffering. Private companies make approximately $7 billion from prison operations, with over $3 billion of that coming directly from the families of incarcerated individuals.

Each inmate costs an average of $35,000 per year, yet over half of those released return to prison within three years.

This broken system not only drains resources but fails to provide meaningful solutions to reduce crime or support rehabilitation.

The indirect costs of incarceration, estimated at $260 billion annually, further highlight the deep flaws in the system.

These costs ripple through society, affecting families, communities, and the overall economy.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode 76 the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Amy Duffuor, General Partner of Azolla Ventures, on combining catalytic capital with traditional venture capital to support climate tech companies.

Takeaways

• Azolla Ventures combines catalytic capital with traditional venture capital to support climate tech companies.
• Portfolio companies of Azolla Ventures include Lilac Solutions, Noon Energy, and Carbon Reform, which are working on innovative solutions in lithium extraction, long-duration energy storage, and carbon capture.
• There is a need to integrate equity and justice into climate investments and prioritize underfunded areas like rice cultivation, ocean-related projects, and alternative proteins.

About Azolla Ventures

Azolla Ventures partners with visionary founders to accelerate transformative climate solutions. Their mission is clear: to invest in breakthroughs that can avert catastrophic climate change and return our world to balance.

By focusing on ventures at the earliest stages, where risk and reward are highest, Azolla Ventures prioritizes impact above all, ensuring that each investment holds the potential for large-scale greenhouse gas reductions and a more just climate for all.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode 75 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Larry Selzer, the CEO of The Conservation Fund, on his journey and the organizations path to being the investment bank for Conservation.

Larry Selzer, the CEO of the Conservation Fund, discusses his journey in conservation and the mission of the organization. The Conservation Fund is a nonprofit that buys land for conservation and promotes sustainable economic development. They work with public agencies to acquire land and hold it until the agencies are ready to purchase it back.

The organization focuses on protecting working forests and farms, which provide clean air, clean water, and jobs for rural communities. Selzer also discusses the importance of carbon markets and the need for regulations to ensure transparency and integrity.

Takeaways

• The Conservation Fund buys land for conservation and promotes sustainable economic development.
• Working forests and farms are important for clean air, clean water, and jobs in rural communities.
• Carbon markets and carbon credits play a crucial role in achieving climate solutions.
• Regulations and standards are needed to ensure transparency and integrity in the carbon offset market.
• The future of conservation lies in the convergence of the environmental movement and the free enterprise system.

Sound Bites

"Conservation and economic development is where we like to play."
"Land conservation is part of the solution to some of our great challenges."
"We need to build and deploy hundreds of thousands of miles of new transmission capacity."

About The Conservation Fund

The Conservation Fund is an American nonprofit organization founded in 1985, committed to the dual goals of environmental preservation and economic development. With a mission to protect America’s most critical lands and waters, The Conservation Fund has become a leader in advancing sustainable, community-based conservation efforts.

Mission and Vision

The Conservation Fund aims to create solutions that make environmental and economic sense. By blending the benefits of conservation and development, they strive to address pressing environmental challenges while also supporting community prosperity. The organization’s vision is a future where both natural and human communities thrive together, ensuring that the natural world is conserved for future generations while current communities benefit from sustainable development.

Key Initiatives

1. Land Conservation:

The Conservation Fund works to protect landscapes critical to the health of America’s natural environment. This includes preserving forests, rivers, and wildlife habitats. They acquire land to protect it from development and work with government agencies and private partners to ensure its long-term stewardship.

2. Working Lands:

Recognizing that productive land use and conservation can go hand in hand, The Conservation Fund supports working forests, farms, and ranches. By promoting sustainable practices, they help landowners manage their lands in ways that support both economic livelihoods and environmental health.

3. Community Development:

The organization focuses on enhancing community resilience through sustainable development projects. This includes creating parks and green spaces in urban areas, revitalizing historic landmarks, and supporting local economies through eco-friendly tourism and recreation initiatives.

4. Waterways and Coasts:

The Conservation Fund is dedicated to protecting America’s rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. They work to preserve water quality and safeguard critical aquatic ecosystems, ensuring that water resources are managed sustainably for both people and wildlife.

5. Climate Solutions:

Addressing climate change is a core focus of The Conservation Fund. They implement projects that sequester carbon, restore ecosystems, and promote renewable energy. By integrating climate resilience into their conservation strategies, they help mitigate the impacts of climate change on natural and human communities.

Impact and Achievements

Since its inception, The Conservation Fund has protected over 8 million acres of land across the United States. Their innovative approach to conservation finance has enabled them to leverage private, public, and philanthropic investments to achieve significant conservation outcomes. Key achievements include:

 • Large-scale land acquisitions: Preserving vast tracts of forestland and critical habitats.

 • Urban green space creation: Transforming underutilized urban areas into community parks and recreational spaces.

 • Economic benefits: Supporting local economies through eco-friendly initiatives that create jobs and boost tourism.

 • Climate action: Implementing projects that have sequestered millions of tons of carbon dioxide.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode 74 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Scott Saslow, Founder of ONE WORLD Investments, on his journey into impact and sustainable investing, family offices, and his new book.

About Scott:

Scott is an accomplished entrepreneur and impact investor with a proven track record of developing successful businesses and products. He is the founder ONE WORLD Investments, and had key roles at The Institute of Executive Development, Microsoft, and Siebel Systems, among others.

Scott is the author of the book, "Building a Sustainable Family Office: An Insider's Guide to What Works and What Doesn't," published by Greenleaf Publishing Group and available on Amazon.

As an impact investor, advisor, and consultant, Scott works with both for-profit and non-profit social enterprises. He founded ONE WORLD Investments, an organization that provides training and investment capital to social impact enterprises in the Bay Area, aimed at improving lives globally.

About ONE WORLD Investments:

ONE WORLD Investments leverages its Silicon Valley base to offer innovative and profitable approaches to increasing social impact. The organization supports a diverse network of entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate professionals, and provides capital through various investment vehicles to early-stage companies, impact private equity and venture capital funds, and public markets, all aimed at scaling social impact.

About the episode:

Scott discusses his journey into impact investing and the importance of building sustainable family offices. He explains that family offices are the infrastructure created to manage wealth and philanthropy for wealthy individuals and families. However, many family offices are not sustainable and fail during generational transitions.

Scott emphasizes the need for a new model in managing family offices to ensure their longevity and impact. He also explores the role of family offices in impact investing and the ripple effect their failures can have on society.

Family offices are increasingly interested in sustainable and impact investing, but many are still in the early stages of incorporating these strategies. The younger generation within family offices is often the driving force behind these initiatives, as they have a socially minded approach and a desire to make a positive impact.

While many family offices already engage in philanthropy, there is an opportunity to go beyond traditional giving and use investment capital to address social and environmental concerns. The change towards more sustainable and impact-focused family offices can come from both the principles themselves and the non-family professionals they work with.

This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode 73 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Andrea and Jessica La Mesa, co-CEOs of The Life You Can Save, on their journey into the philanthropic sector and the mission of the organization. Since 2013, the organization has catalyzed $100 million in donations to high-impact charities.

They share their backgrounds and how they transitioned from their previous careers to dedicating their time to philanthropy.

The Life You Can Save focuses on connecting donors with effective nonprofits in the global health and development space.

They curate a list of organizations that have been independently verified and offer donors confidence in the impact of their donations.

The La Mesas emphasize the importance of strategic and evidence-based philanthropy and the need for ongoing funding partnerships with nonprofits.

About The Life You Can Save

The Life You Can Save was founded in 2013 by philosopher Peter Singer and former executive Charlie Bresler.

The organization was born out of Charlie Bresler's personal quest for impact, inspired by Peter Singer’s book The Life You Can Save. Charlie, a psychologist and business executive, reached out to Peter, and together they formed an organization dedicated to spreading Peter’s ideas and encouraging effective philanthropy.

Over the past decade, their collaboration has inspired global change, resulting in over $100 million in donations to high-impact charities.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In Episode 72 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Alix Lebec, Founder & CEO of LEBEC, on helping visionary founders, funders, and investors maximize value creation and scale solutions that address the world’s most pressing challenges.

LEBEC is a pioneering women-owned and led firm that specializes in innovative finance and philanthropy. With a strong presence in both the U.S. and Europe, LEBEC is dedicated to helping visionary founders, funders, and investors maximize value creation and scale solutions that address the world’s most pressing challenges.

About Alix

For over 20 years, Alix Lebec has been advising and growing organizations across the philanthropy and sustainable finance ecosystem.

As a member of the founding and executive leadership team at WaterEquity, alongside co-founders Gary White and Matt Damon, Alix spent the past decade building this high-performing global asset manager that invests in water, women, and sanitation in emerging markets.

She has also worked at the World Bank in Paris and Southeast Asia, the Clinton Global Initiative, and Water.org, where she mobilized $260 million in capital and built winning teams.

In 2020, Alix launched LEBEC to support philanthropists, investors, and entrepreneurs worldwide and to shape a paradigm shift in our global financial ecosystem. She is also a Limited Partner and impact advisor at Polymath Ventures, a member of 100 Women in Finance, and a co-founder of the World Climate Tech Summit in Miami.

Alix serves on the Board of iDE Global and is a regular media contributor on philanthropy, innovative finance, and investing in women in emerging markets.

Catalytic Philanthropy: Accelerating Impact

In this interview, Alix emphasizes the concept of catalytic philanthropy—a method that accelerates impact by leveraging philanthropic funds in innovative ways.

She identifies key strategies for philanthropists and investors to dramatically increase their impact beyond writing a check:

• Guarantee First Loss: Utilize philanthropic funds as a cushion for investors, encouraging them to engage in high-impact projects.
• Engage in Impact Investing: Direct capital towards ventures that not only promise financial returns but also generate social and environmental benefits.
• Foster Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships: Collaborate across sectors to pool resources, expertise, and networks, maximizing the scale and sustainability of interventions.
• Measure and Manage Impact: Employ robust impact measurement and management practices to ensure transparency and guide continuous improvement.

Reimagining Global Capital Markets for Good

At Lebec, the belief is that it’s critical to think bigger and reimagine how global capital markets can be a force for good—with the goal of unleashing systems change.

The opportunities to donate, invest, and do business in a sustainable manner are vast, ranging from achieving gender, racial, and income equality; addressing climate change; solving the global water crisis; elevating dance and the arts; to ensuring quality education and healthcare for all.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In Episode 71 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Kirsten Dueck, CEO of NESsT, on breaking the cycle of poverty by investing front-line entrepreneurs.

About Kirsten

As the CEO of NESsT, Kirsten Dueck fosters trust-based relationships to accelerate impact for corporate, philanthropic, nonprofit, and community stakeholders. In her role, she drives strategy and operations for a leading global impact investor and venture philanthropist.

As CEO of NESsT, she drives strategy and operations for a leading global impact investor and venture philanthropist that has invested more than $30M and trained and supported over 30,000 entrepreneurs across 50 countries, accelerated and financed 243 enterprises sustaining more than 100,000 formal jobs and improving the lives of 1.6million people from the most marginalized communities around the world.

Addressing the Urgency of Poverty

Since its inception in 1997, NESsT has been investing in front-line entrepreneurs, catalyzing impact-driven enterprises, and shaping sustainable and equitable futures, especially in emerging market countries.

A significant portion of the global population still grapples with extreme or moderate poverty, while nearly half face low incomes and challenging working conditions.

NESsT recognizes the inherent dignity in providing access to good jobs and reliable income, not just as a means of sustenance but as pathways to empowerment and community upliftment.

Invest, Accelerate, Transform: NESsT’s Approach

NESsT's strategy revolves around three core pillars:

Invest, Accelerate, and Transform.

By leveraging donations and patient capital, NESsT channels resources into social enterprises that prioritize creating dignified jobs for those most in need.

These investments are not merely financial; NESsT commits to these enterprises for several years, offering tailored financing and hands-on business development support to navigate the challenges of scaling.

Through this dedicated support, NESsT empowers social entrepreneurs to not only build successful businesses but also to transform communities.

By providing essential skills, technology, and ongoing support, these enterprises become catalysts for sustainable change, fostering economic resilience and fostering dignity.

The Power of Social Enterprises

At the heart of NESsT's philosophy lies the recognition of the unique role that social enterprises play in driving positive change.

Unlike traditional businesses, social enterprises are deeply embedded within their communities, earning trust and understanding local needs intimately.

They align their business interests with the well-being of their communities, ensuring that economic growth is inclusive and sustainable

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In episode, I speak with Brett Hagler, CEO and Co-founder, of New Story Homes, on using philanthropy and market-based solutions to solve the global housing crisis.

The global housing crisis is a staggering issue, affecting 1.6 billion people who live without adequate housing. This crisis stifles the potential of millions of families, particularly women and children, across the globe.New Story Homes, a nonprofit organization, has set out to tackle this problem through a unique blend of philanthropy and market-based solutions.

By integrating innovative technology with community-focused strategies, New Story Homes is revolutionizing the path to homeownership for vulnerable families.

Takeaways

• New Story's journey began with a mission to help vulnerable families access life-changing housing, leading to a decade-long evolution of its strategy and model.
• The transition to a market-based solution involved challenges, resistance, and a two-year metamorphosis, resulting in a hybrid model that combines philanthropy with profitable financing and lending.
• The future of New Story involves executing its model to attract large pools of capital, focusing on creating a product that customers love, and building a track record for accessing significant funding.
• The conversation highlights the potential of market-based solutions in the nonprofit sector and the importance of addressing important social problems through innovative approaches.

Sound Bites

"I think you learn by doing."
"I would love to try to help as many people as possible have life-changing housing."

Empowering Through Land Ownership

At the heart of New Story Homes' mission is the concept of land ownership. In many parts of Latin America, securing land is the first critical step towards economic stability and homeownership. New Story Homes helps families purchase land, build creditworthiness, and unlock home financing. This approach shifts families from being mere beneficiaries of charity to active participants in their journey out of poverty.

By developing and selling land equipped with essential municipal utilities—water, sewage, electricity, and roads—at affordable monthly rates, New Story Homes ensures that these properties are not only accessible but also sustainable and integrated into the local urban context.

Innovative Housing Solutions

One of the standout innovations of New Story Homes is the use of 3D printing technology to build homes quickly and cost-effectively.

This method significantly reduces construction time and expenses compared to traditional building techniques, making it possible to provide immediate relief to families in need.

Beyond construction, New Story Homes focuses on the entire community-building process, developing housing products that meet the unique demands of local regions.

Families can use their land as collateral to secure first-time home financing, allowing them to either purchase one of New Story's housing prototypes or self-build the home that best suits their needs.

The Role of Philanthropy and Impact Investments

New Story Homes recognizes that addressing the housing crisis requires a multifaceted approach. Philanthropy plays a crucial role in funding the initial stages of projects, allowing the organization to acquire land and develop infrastructure.

However, to achieve scalable impact, New Story Homes pairs philanthropic funds with impact investments.

This blend enables the organization to extend its reach further down the market, serving families who are often excluded from traditional housing solutions.

By focusing on sustainable, market-based solutions, New Story Homes ensures that its initiatives not only provide immediate relief but also foster long-term economic growth and stability in the communities it serves.

Success and Future Innovations

The success of New Story Homes can be seen in the thousands of families who now live in safe, affordable homes in countries like Haiti, El Salvador, Mexico, and Bolivia. Each project is a testament to the power of innovation and community collaboration in solving one of the world's most pressing social issues.

Looking ahead, New Story Homes continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in affordable housing, exploring new technologies and strategies to further reduce costs and increase the speed of home construction.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In Episode 70 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Zoila Jennings, Impact Investment Lead at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, on poverty alleviation and systems change through targeted community financing.

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This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

Sound Bites

• "The limit does not exist in philanthropy. I think with banks, they're highly regulated, and it does limit what they can do in terms of flexible financing."
• "We're a systems level investor. So I don't say, oh, I'm focused on housing or small business. On the community development side, I say, where is the capital now going and where are places that we should really pilot, test, bring in other investors to join."

About Zoila

Zoila Jennings joined the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2021, bringing her career focus on social justice and poverty alleviation—through targeted community financing—to her role as an impact investments officer. Prior to this, Zoila served as a senior relationship manager with U.S. Bank, the fifth largest commercial bank in the United States, as part of its Community Development Corporation.

In this position, she sourced, structured, and underwrote loans and equity investments for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). She also developed and executed investment initiatives aimed at addressing racial inequities, including a $25 million fund to support women of color microbusiness owners and the first CDFI-issued racial equity bond for targeted investments in underserved communities of color.

Before joining U.S. Bank, Zoila spent a decade at JPMorgan Chase in New York, taking on various roles, including vice president for Community Development-New Markets Tax Credits.

Here, she utilized tax equity to structure community development transactions. As a credit underwriter, she managed a credit portfolio that encompassed lending, from small working capital lines to large syndicated tax-exempt debt obligations, to nonprofit hospitals, higher education institutions, and social services agencies.

In other roles, she founded a consulting firm specializing in credit underwriting, loan structuring, and financial due diligence for loans and investments benefiting low-income communities.

Zoila holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management and a BS in Business Economics with a concentration in Catholic Studies from Fordham University.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is a force in the realm of philanthropy, employing a multifaceted approach that includes grantmaking, policy change, and impact investing to dismantle barriers to health and wellbeing.

At the heart of RWJF's mission is the belief that everyone in the U.S. should have the opportunity to live their healthiest life possible. Achieving this goal requires equitable capital flow to communities historically deprived of investment due to generations of racist policies and structural racism.

About RWJF Impact Investments

RWJF stands as a national leader in philanthropy, committed to transforming health across the nation within our lifetime. Through impact investments—which encompass deposits, loans, equity investments, and guarantees—RWJF collaborates with both public and private sector investors to channel more capital into underinvested communities.

The foundation's vision encompasses flourishing communities where clean, safe drinking water and stable housing are accessible to all, jobs pay a living wage, and everyone has a fair chance to thrive.

Since 2010, RWJF has allocated $625 million to impact investments, addressing structural barriers that perpetuate health inequities.

These barriers include historical and ongoing disinvestment in housing, jobs, water infrastructure, and other critical community conditions. RWJF's investments target improving health and economic opportunities for communities, small business owners, and households that have historically faced a lack of investment, such as rural communities, communities of color, and low-income communities.

RWJF aims to attract or "leverage" $1 billion from other investors—including banks, commercial lenders, insurance companies, and private investors—by 2025 to further this mission.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In Episode 69 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Alasdair Maclay, Chief Strategy Officer at GSG Impact, on impact data and strategic leadership in Impact Investing.

About Alasdair

Alasdair Maclay is the Chief Strategy Officer at GSG Impact, where he serves on the Executive Committee and oversees the organization’s strategy, communications, development, and funding.

From 2014 to 2019, Alasdair was the Director of Strategy at the Rhodes Trust, where he led philanthropic fundraising efforts totaling over £300 million, facilitated international expansion across Africa and Asia, and established strategic operating partnerships.

With over 20 years of experience in financial services, Alasdair has specialized in emerging markets investment. His career includes a significant tenure at Actis, an emerging markets private equity fund manager, after joining CDC. He also worked for Sovereign Capital, a UK private equity firm, and Bain and Company, a global consulting firm.

Alasdair holds an MBA from INSEAD and a joint honours degree in Russian and Czech language and literature from the University of Oxford.

An active impact investor and entrepreneur, Alasdair is committed to achieving environmental and social outcomes.

Our Discussion

The conversation covers Alasdair Maclay's journey into impact investing, the work of GSG Impact, and the concept of impact valuation.

It delves into the challenges and opportunities of impact investing, the role of blended finance, and the vision for a new economic system where impact is at the heart of every decision.

The discussion also explores the use of impact valuation in making investment decisions and the potential for transparency in impact data through barcodes and consumer apps.

The conversation covers a wide range of topics related to impact accounting, government policies, financial incentives, and the future of impact investing.

It explores the challenges and opportunities in driving better outcomes for people and the planet, with a focus on the role of governments, financial markets, and local interventions.

The discussion also highlights the importance of mandatory impact accounting, capital mobilization in emerging markets, and the need for collaborative efforts to achieve sustainable impact.

Takeaways

• Alasdair Maclay's journey from private equity to impact investing highlights the shift towards investment with purpose and the focus on driving positive impact alongside financial returns.
• The concept of impact valuation and the use of blended finance as tools to attract private capital for positive impact are key aspects of the conversation.
• The vision for a new economic system where impact is at the heart of every decision and the potential for impact transparency through barcodes and consumer apps reflect the evolving landscape of impact investing and sustainability.
• The discussion emphasizes the importance of consistent impact data, the role of asset owners and asset managers in driving impact valuation, and the potential for impact accounting to become mandatory for businesses. The importance of data to inform impact-led decisions
• Challenges and opportunities in transitioning to a greener economy
• The role of financial incentives in driving positive behaviors and impact
• The significance of local interventions and sustainable solutions
• The need for mandatory impact accounting and harmonized reporting standards
• The potential for increased capital flow into emerging markets and its impact on economic growth

Sound Bites

• "I think blended finance is one of the tools that can be used to attract private capital."
• "Our vision is an economic system where impact is at the heart of every investment, government, consumer spending decision."
• "Data to help inform impact-led decisions"
• "The value of local intervention by people on the ground"

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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In this episode, I speak with Hardika Shah, Founder and CEO of Kinara Capital, on transforming lives and local economies, by providing access to capital for small business entrepreneurs.

Armed with a mission to empower the 70 million small business entrepreneurs in the country, Kinara has embarked on a journey to provide fast and flexible collateral-free business loans. Leveraging cutting-edge technology and a dedication to customer service, Kinara Capital revolutionized the lending landscape with its digital processes and doorstep assistance.

Over the years, the company has disbursed more than $300 million to over 40,000 small business entrepreneurs, ushering thousands into the realm of financial inclusion. This transformative journey has not only created jobs and spurred economic growth but has also generated over $100 million in incremental income for MSMEs across India.

Before embarking on her entrepreneurial journey, Hardika honed her skills as a management consultant, working on projects for global companies across the USA, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Her passion for social impact led her to devote nearly a decade to mentoring emerging social entrepreneurs.

At Kinara Capital, the mission is clear: to transform lives, livelihoods, and local economies by providing access to capital for every entrepreneur. With a vision of a financially inclusive world, Hardika and her team continue to pave the way for a brighter future for small business entrepreneurs across India.

I hope you enjoy the conversation, until next time, stay humble and stay creative.

Welcome to Causeartist.

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Impact Startup News.

Our mission is to empower and inspire social entrepreneurs, impact investors, impact professionals, and conscious consumers, who are dedicated to creating a more sustainable and regenerative world.

To learn more, please visit causeartist.com.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Subscribe to our Causeartist newsletter here.

This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

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In Episode 68 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Robert Keith, the Founder and Managing Principal of Beartooth, on how environmental stewardship can be synonymous with financial gains.

Robert holds a strong belief that the diverse financial tools and innovative growth/exit strategies available to small business owners should also be accessible to ranch owners. With this vision, he co-founded Beartooth in 2005 to empower ranchers with these resources.

In his role at Beartooth, Robert oversees all operations, with a particular emphasis on cultivating meaningful relationships in capital sourcing, investment structuring, and management.

Before establishing Beartooth, Robert gained valuable experience at various financial institutions, including an agricultural investment company, a private equity investment firm, and Morgan Stanley, an investment bank. He holds a degree in Economics from Yale University and a business degree from Stanford University.

Despite his academic and professional pursuits, Robert consistently found himself drawn back to his family's ranch near Cody, Wyoming. Eventually, he made the decision to cease commuting to coastal regions for work and instead founded Beartooth to pursue his passion for supporting ranchers and their communities.

About Beartooth

Beartooth Group is a Bozeman-based conservation investment firm. Founded in 2004, Beartooth partners with ranch sellers, owners, investors, and buyers to restore and steward the lands, waters, and wildlife of the American West. Beartooth does this by crafting creative solutions to conservation and economic challenges.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Subscribe to our Causeartist newsletter here.

This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

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In Episode 67 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Erin Sietstra, Head of Investments at Hopelab Ventures, on her journey, Health Tech, Medicare startups, and the mission and vision of Hopelab.

Erin is responsible for the development and oversight of Hopelab’s work investing in organizations and companies that aim to improve the health and well-being of teens and young adults. In her role, she sources, executes, and manages investments, positioning Hopelab as both a financial and a strategic partner to entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and innovators.

As a social impact investor, Hopelab Ventures invests in companies that support the mental health and well-being of adolescents, particularly in underserved communities. The organization backs founders with lived experience related to the youth and mental health topics it supports. The team believes those founders are uniquely equipped to develop effective solutions.

Hopelab Ventures’ investment approach combines early-stage capital with expertise in research, design, youth co-creation, and payment models to support the development and adoption of better, more diverse, and accessible mental health and well-being solutions for young people at scale.

When you get a chance, please share, rate, and subscribe to the podcast. Enjoy the interview.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Hi everyone, this is Grant at Causeartist, welcome to this weeks Investing in Impact Brief. This week showcases some significant capital injections into the fields of climate tech and affordable housing.

In our first piece of news, Satgana, a venture capital firm prioritizing climate tech solutions, has completed the final close of its first fund. Falling short of its €30 million target due to challenging fundraising conditions for first-time fund managers, they've nevertheless accrued €8 million. The company plans to back up to 30 early-stage climate-tech startups in Africa and Europe.

Moving along, we look at New Summit Investments, which has entered the fundraising arena with ambitions to raise a new $100 million impact fund. Signaling a robust confidence in the continuous attractiveness of environmental and social impact ventures, New Summit's latest fund represents a significant leap from their previous $40 million.

Up next, the state of Texas makes headlines with its bold decision to sever ties with BlackRock, withdrawing a massive $8.5 billion in assets. At the heart of the matter is the controversial and increasingly politicized ESG investing strategy. While ESG principles have been praised for promoting sustainability, Texas officials are pushing back, viewing it as an ideological maneuver that jeopardizes the traditional energy sectors.

Lastly, we report on ABP, one of the largest global pension funds. They have declared a reduction in investments that significantly affect the climate, aiming to allocate more capital to companies and projects that are socially and environmentally positive. The Dutch fund, managing approximately 502 billion euros ($545 billion), intends to invest a minimum of 30 billion euros in "impact investments" by 2030, particularly in affordable and sustainable housing and energy projects.

Connect with Grant
Connect with Causeartist 

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Hi everyone, this is Grant at Causeartist, welcome to the Investing in Impact Brief. This week showcases some significant capital injections into the fields of climate technology and regenerative agriculture.

First up, Montauk Climate, a new incubator committed to pioneering climate, infrastructure, and energy solutions, has made headlines with an $8.5 million launch. The incubator is set on assembling the finest tech minds to spur the transition to a sustainable, electrified future. Their focus is on harnessing experienced talent to turn innovative technologies into scalable companies.

In the agriculture sector, The Rockefeller Foundation joins Mad Capital's Perennial Fund II with a focus on expanding regenerative organic farming. They've invested $50 million to support American farmers aiming for both ecological and financial strength. With less than 1% of U.S. farmland certified organic, access to capital stands as a formidable barrier. Funds like Perennial Fund II are integral to meeting the spike in  consumer demand for regenerative organic products.  Since its advent in 2019, Mad Capital has committed over $25 million to 30 farmers, supporting more than 10,500 acres transition to organic.

In other developments within the climate technology sector, Silence, an innovative venture capital firm specializing in climate technology, has unveiled its strategy to support environmental initiatives. Their investment fund, totaling $35 million, oversees a diverse portfolio encompassing virtual power plants and circular economy marketplaces.

Moving to Asia, where Fullerton Fund Management has attracted $100 million in their quest to accelerate decarbonization across emerging markets. The fund explicitly targets investments in companies that are not only committed to but are also actively lowering their carbon footprint. This initiative represents a concrete effort in aligning financial growth with environmental responsibility, an essential consideration in today's impact investment landscape.

Engaging primarily with Asian companies, the Fullerton Carbon Action Fund has a unique strategy. It concentrates on a specific niche in the market that has so far been underserved: businesses with high carbon emissions that are on a clear trajectory towards reducing their environmental impact. It's about fueling the transition of these companies, and effectively, the industry at large.

Finally, we arrive in Brussels, where World Fund has grown to 300 million euros. This venture capital firm is dedicated to supporting startups that develop technologies to combat climate change. Even with economic turmoil affecting private equity, major players like BPI France and PWC Germany have invested in World Fund, signaling a strong conviction in the dual potential of profitable investments and environmental benefits.

Thank you for tuning in. Until next time, stay humble and stay creative. 

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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What's up everybody this is Grant at Causeartist, welcome to the Investing in Impact podcast, where we interview Impact Investors, General Partners, and Family Offices from around the world.

Each week conversations will bring on industry insiders to discuss the latest news, topics, and trends in impact investing.

My apologies for the delay on new episodes, but the Investing in Impact podcast is back with weekly episodes this year! And when there's big news in the industry, I'll be hopping in with quick updates on those interesting topics.

As always, if you have any questions or thoughts, shoot me an email at grant@causeartist.com.

In Episode 66 of the Investing in Impact podcast, Causeartist contributor, Rafael Aldon, speaks with Anshul Magotra, cofounder and partner at Social Innovation Circle. Anshul shares her journey from a career in banking to working in the impact venture sector.

She also talks about how she stumbled into the world of social innovation through volunteering at Ashoka, where she discovered the power of social entrepreneurs and their innovative solutions.

This experience led Anshul to co-found Social Innovation Circle, an organization that supports social entrepreneurs and impact investors. Anshul emphasizes the importance of funding for social entrepreneurs and the need for expertise in finance and business to help them scale their impact.

She also highlights the role of angel investors and the creation of a syndicate to increase the flow of capital into social enterprises. Anshul also touches on their unique business model, which revolves around coaching, capital, concepts, and community.

When you get a chance, please share, rate, and subscribe to the podcast. Enjoy the interview.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Addy is a dynamic Investment Manager at Regenerate Ventures, focusing on fundraising, deal flow, and portfolio management. With her diverse experience across agri-tech, VC, and regenerative agriculture, she excels at bridging the gap between investors and entrepreneurs.

Previously, Addy built her own grab-and-go restaurant business in London, giving her valuable insight into the challenges facing startups seeking funding. She leverages this entrepreneurial spirit in her work sourcing and evaluating high-potential investments.

Prior to joining Regenerate, Addy held positions at Imprimatur Capital, Forward Food Tech, and Europe's largest regenerative farming project, Wildfarmed. In these roles, she developed specialized skills in agriculture technology, venture capital, and sustainable food systems.

Addy thrives on making connections between investors and world-positive startups. With her well-rounded background, she is a trusted partner for building regenerative portfolios.

About Regenerate Asset Management

Regenerate is actively involved in a global network bridging the gap between natural capital and the international finance community. In areas such as sustainable agriculture, the right approach creates opportunities to positively impact the environment while producing high quality food and fiber.

Regenerate's agricultural investments focus on improving soil health, which has positive ripple effects on biodiversity, water quality, and farming economics. Through its network, Regenerate is linking the worlds of finance and regeneration to fund scalable and impactful solutions. 

With a mission to heal the planet, Regenerate makes investments that restore natural systems while delivering competitive financial returns. 

The company is at the forefront of driving capital towards regenerative projects that benefit both people and planet.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Alina serves as the CEO and Managing Partner of The Radical Fund, an early-stage VC fund with a unique mission – investing in and supporting entrepreneurs who are driving rapid solutions for an inclusive climate transition, strengthening the foundations of a more resilient Southeast Asia. Connect with Alina on LinkedIn.

In addition to her role at The Radical Fund, Alina is a Co-Founder and former Chief Strategy Officer of Founders Factory Africa, a powerhouse in early-stage venture investment across the African continent, headquartered in Johannesburg. With a track record of raising over $140 million from LPs and investors for the Africa funds, the organization now boasts a portfolio of more than 55 companies and a dedicated team of over 45 professionals working across the continent.

One of Alina's recent achievements is securing a groundbreaking partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, worth $107 million, with a primary focus on driving increased investment and support to the early-stage ecosystem. This initiative aims to create over 2.7 million jobs and empower over 1500 inspiring entrepreneurs to become fully fledged founders, shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future.

But Alina's impactful journey doesn't stop there. Prior to her role at Founders Factory Africa, she spearheaded corporate partnerships at SPRING, an organization dedicated to scaling over 75 Pre-Seed tech ventures in nine countries across East Africa and South Asia. Working alongside a team of 40+ local and global experts, SPRING reached over 2.5 million adolescent girls and women, a feat independently evaluated by Tetra Tech Impact Management.

Before her work at SPRING, Alina dedicated seven years to the World Bank Group, where she forged critical collaborations with governments, corporations, and other multilateral development agencies, contributing to the advancement of social and economic development.

Alina's career began in Australia, where she honed her skills at two global companies within the WPP Group, operating across the Asia Pacific region and serving renowned clients such as BP, Kodak, GE Money, and Fosters Group.

About The Radical Fund

The Radical Fund is an early-stage VC fund dedicated to investing in founders who are actively advancing climate resilience in Southeast Asia. Their portfolio comprises a spectrum of adaptation and mitigation ventures, fostering an inclusive climate transition toward a sustainable future.

The fund recognizes that climate mitigation and decarbonization efforts, on their own, are insufficient to address the unique challenges faced by emerging markets in coping with climate change. These nations, disproportionately affected by environmental shifts, require more comprehensive solutions that go beyond emissions reduction.

The Radical Fund's investments are directed towards early-stage entrepreneurs who possess an intimate understanding of their customers - their needs, behaviors, and specific market or industry challenges. These founders have not only identified a pressing issue within their domain but have also rolled up their sleeves to actively seek innovative solutions.

Their Vision:

The Radical Fund envisions a future where, by 2030, Southeast Asia emerges as the world's premier hub for early-stage climate ventures. This vision hinges on the development of scaled products and services, thoughtfully tailored to the requirements of individuals residing in countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia. In this vision, climate mitigation efforts are seamlessly integrated with climate adaptation solutions.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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Krisztina Tora, as the Chief Market Development Officer at GSG, plays a pivotal role in mobilizing capital for positive impact across 70 nations. Her expertise extends to advising governments, financial institutions, and other stakeholders on strategies to accelerate capital flow, ultimately benefiting both people and the planet. She champions the cause of systemic change, with a particular emphasis on addressing the financing gap for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in emerging markets. Krisztina also leads efforts to drive policy transformations and the establishment of innovative financial instruments and impact funds.

Before joining GSG, Krisztina was a co-founder and leader of the Global Social Entrepreneurship Network (GSEN), a worldwide network of organizations dedicated to supporting early-stage social entrepreneurs across more than 50 countries, impacting the lives of over 2.5 million people globally.

Krisztina's unwavering passion for making a difference has been a constant throughout her career. Prior to 2013, she held the position of Director at a prominent strategy consultancy, specializing in forging partnerships between multinational corporations and NGOs or social enterprises. Earlier in her career, she served as the International Projects Manager at Veolia, a global utilities company.

She holds an MBA from ESSEC Business School in Paris, is fluent in French, Hungarian, English, and Spanish, and possesses proficient skills in German and Portuguese.

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Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.

Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.

By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

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