Investing in enterprises aiming at creating social/environmental impact alongside profit
POPULARITY
Categories
In this engaging conversation, Bob Castellini shares his journey as a successful entrepreneur and the founder of a virtual family office. He discusses the importance of planning for business exits, the six forms of capital that contribute to wealth, and the unique investment strategies employed by family offices. Bob also reflects on his family's legacy in the produce industry and emphasizes the significance of community stewardship through sports ownership. Ultimate Show Notes: 00:01:30 - Overview of Bob Castellini's Background and Experience 00:03:50 - Explanation of Sentinel Private Wealth Group and Its Services 00:08:10 - Discussion on the Six Forms of Capital and Their Importance 00:10:30 - Common Pitfalls for Business Owners During Exits 00:13:50 - Insights on Investment Strategies of High Net Worth Families 00:24:00 - Bob Castellini's Personal Story and Family Business Legacy 00:27:30 - Community Involvement and Impact of the Cincinnati Reds Connect with Bob on Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobcastellini/ Learn More About Accountable Equity: Visit Us: http://www.accountableequity.com/ Access eBook: https://accountableequity.com/case-study/#register Turn your unique talent into capital and achieve the life you were destined to live. Join our community!We believe that Capital is more than just Cash. In fact, Human Capital always comes first before the accumulation of Financial Capital. We explore the best, most efficient, high-integrity ways of raising capital (Human & Financial). We want our listeners to use their personal human capital to empower the growth of their financial capital. Together we are stronger. LinkedinFacebookInstagramApple PodcastSpotify
Gil Alvarado is the Chief Financial and Investment Officer (CFIO) of the Prebys Foundation, where he helps steward a $1.2 billion portfolio with an eye toward both strong returns and strong community benefit. A national thought partner in mission-aligned investing, Gil brings an entrepreneurial mindset to philanthropy—designing funds, partnerships, and investment strategies that help fuel innovation, expand opportunity, and strengthen San Diego's long-term resilience. This Episode: How can a foundation use the full breadth of its resources to support a thriving region? Grant and Gil unpack how the foundation's investment strategy works in tandem with its grantmaking to advance health, creativity, and economic opportunity in San Diego. Gil explains how the $50 million Prebys Venture Fund backs early-stage life science and tech companies; why investments in affordable housing, small-business lending, and civic revitalization expand what's possible for the region; and how patient capital (long-term investment) lets a foundation take the long view on challenges like climate resilience and the blue economy. This episode offers an accessible look at how financial strategy, mission, and community well-being intersect. Key Moments [0:57] What impact investing means at Prebys [3:44] Inside the Prebys Venture Fund and its early investments [7:30] Using capital to expand affordable housing and small-business access [24:16] Why integrating impact into investing is still rare—and what's changing [42:20] Why even a “small” portfolio can catalyze big change Resources Prebys Impact Investing - Using all of our financial resources to advance an inclusive and equitable future for San Diego Prebys Ventures Impact Fund – Investing in life sciences and health innovation in San Diego Prebys Ventures First Investments – 5 startups advancing medical research and patient care Stop & Talk: Preeti Bhattacharji – Listen to our 2024 episode with Preeti Bhattacharji, Head of Sustainable Investing at J.P. Morgan Chase Private Bank, who talks about impact investing and social impact. Take Action Tips for organizations looking to expand their impact through investments: Leverage Full Portfolios – Consider how endowment investments, not just grant dollars, can advance mission and strengthen local ecosystems. Commit for the Long Term – Use patient, flexible capital to support solutions that require multi-year development. Grow Local Innovation – Back entrepreneurs, researchers, and community builders who are shaping the region's future. Build Strategic Partnerships – Collaborate with public, private, and community partners to amplify impact and unlock larger opportunities. Credits: This is a production of the Prebys Foundation Hosted by Grant Oliphant Co-Hosted by Crystal Page Co-produced by Crystal Page and Adam Greenfield Engineered by Adam Greenfield Production Coordination by Tess Karesky Video Production by Edgar Ontiveros Medina The Stop & Talk Theme song was created by San Diego's own Mr. Lyrical Groove. Download episodes at your favorite podcatcher or visit us at StopAndTalkPod cast .org Special thanks to the Prebys Foundation Team If you like this show, and we hope you do, the best way to support this show is to share, subscribe
Tune in to the most recent episode of Better Money Better World with Daniel Pianko in a fascinating conversation about the future of agriculture and impact investing with Mark Lewis, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Trailhead Capital.Regenerative agriculture isn't just a buzzword. It's emerging as a real poly solution to the so-called “polycrisis” impacting climate, water resources, biodiversity, and human health. Trailhead invests in technologies that enhance soil health, boost farmer profits, and deliver tangible environmental benefits.Whether you're a young professional or experienced investor, Mark Lewis advises: “Become a subject matter expert in something, build a really strong network, and learn the X's and O's as you go.” Passion and authentic engagement remain key in this transformative sector.Ready to learn more or get involved?Visit Impact Capital Managers to learn more about how investing for impact drives returns.More on Trailhead Capital at www.trailheadcap.com
Bolivia is facing a severe economic crisis. The country is literally running out of dollars. Their foreign reserves have collapsed from $15 billion a decade ago to just $50 million today. In June 2024, Bolivia legalized cryptocurrencies, and digital asset transaction volume exploded - growing over 500 percent in the past year.To participate in the global economy, businesses are turning to stablecoins for access to dollar assets. From Binance peer-to-peer trading to stablecoin-powered credit cards, we explore how people survive when their country runs out of dollars, and how stablecoins are being used for global spending. Watch the full episode on YouTube.00:00 - Bolivia ran out of dollars02:06 - Stablecoins to the rescue03:25 - How did Bolivia get here?04:11 - Bolivia's parallel economy06:24 - Meru09:55 - What happens when a country runs out of dollarsOur Links -
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
My guest is Mark Kahn, Managing Partner at Omnivore, a $295 million venture capital firm investing in startups across agriculture, food, and the rural economy in India, focused on climate risk resilience.In this episode, we talk about how venture capital can be redesigned to fund climate adaptation in the real economy, and still deliver real returns.Mark shares what he's learned from over a decade investing in agritech and climate adaptation in India, and why institutional investors continue to underestimate the opportunity in emerging markets.We also discuss:how Omnivore balances financial returns with measurable impactwhy fintech for inclusion is key to rural transformationwhy fund managers need to build for climate resilience, not just growthTune in to hear why India may be the most logical and overlooked bet in climate-smart venture capital. And why it's time to fund adaptation before it's too late.—Intro (00:00)Childhood shaped by global curiosity and diversity (03:57)Disappointment with Penn's pre-professional culture (10:51)Burned out from early political consulting career (13:07)Harvard project with ITC ignites India focus (18:40)Omnivore's origin and spinout from Godrej Agrovet (27:26)Omnivore - high-level overview (35:09)Climate adaptation over mitigation in India (41:35)Investment strategy organized around four business models (43:24)Impact measurement - standardized IMM and field surveys (51:29)Agritech startups must mature into agribusinesses (58:21)Global capital still overlooks India's VC opportunities (01:02:20)India's life sciences sector limited by talent shortages (01:06:06)Alternative protein is culturally irrelevant for India (01:10:41)Agricultural subsidies need replacing with direct transfers (01:14:17)Rapid-fire questions (01:19:58)Contact info (01:23:31)— Discover More from SRI360°:Explore all episodes of the SRI360° Podcast Sign up for the free weekly email update —Additional Resources:Mark Kahn LinkedIn Omnivore Website
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.----------------------------------------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 investorsOver 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. ----------------------------------------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.
In this episode of The Founder Spirit podcast, Jay Cziraky, a serial entrepreneur and seasoned humanitarian operator, discusses how his journey, through extensive experience working in conflict zones and post-war reconstruction, has led him to found the No-End Philosophy. No-End Philosophy is a new socioeconomic paradigm that creates perpetual, sustainable, community-focused businesses that prioritize long-term impact over short-term profits. Jay shares insights on the challenges faced in logistics during the Kosovo War, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and how these events shaped his vision for the No-End Philosophy. He emphasizes the importance of localization and patient investment in fragile populations, going beyond shareholder maximization to strengthen local communities and operate within planetary boundaries.How did Jay's journey in war zones shape his conviction in creating a path for the benefit of global communities? TUNE IN to this conversation & find out. Don't forget to subscribe and support us on Patreon!For detailed transcript and show notes, please visit TheFounderSpirit.com.Also follow us on: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/TheFounderSpirit- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheFounderSpirit- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderSpirit- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFounderSpirit- X: https://twitter.com/founder_spiritIf this podcast has been beneficial or valuable to you, feel free to become a patron and support us on Patreon.com, that is P-A-T-R-E-O-N.com/TheFounderSpirit.As always, you can find us on Apple, YouTube and Spotify, as well as social media and our website at TheFounderSpirit.com.The Founder Spirit podcast is proud to be a partner of the Villars Institute, a non-profit foundation focused on accelerating the transition to a net-zero economy and restoring planetary health.About This Podcast:Whether you are an entrepreneur, a mid-career professional or someone who's just starting out in life, The Founder Spirit podcast is for you!In this podcast series, we'll be interviewing exceptional individuals from all over the world with the founder spirit, ranging from social entrepreneurs, tech founders, to philanthropists, elite athletes, and more. Together, we'll uncover not only how they manage to succeed in face of multiple challenges, but also who they are as people and their human story.So TUNE IN & be inspired by stories from their life journey!
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
Richard Brandweiner, Chair of Impact Investing Australia and a longtime institutional investor, joins the show to discuss the realities of impact investing at scale. He reflects on universal ownership, system-level risks, blended finance, and what it truly takes to align capital with real-world outcomes and fiduciary expectations.Richard shares lessons from leadership roles at Perpetual, Aware Super, LeapFrog, Pendal, and Regnan, and why hope isn't a strategy when designing investment frameworks meant to deliver measurable impact.A candid conversation for investors, asset owners, and practitioners who want an honest look at where sustainable finance is working, and where it isn't.—Intro (00:00)Parents' WWII survival shaped Richard's moral compass (03:54)Studied economics at the University of New South Wales (08:06)Trading shares through the 1987 market crash in high school (10:44)Career in Perpetual Investments and creating the first sustainable fund (13:15)Becoming CIO at First State Super in 2013 (17:34)Affordable housing fund idea sparked impact focus (19:34)Structural issues in asset owner systems (33:29)Transition from CIO to Leapfrog impact role (38:35)Challenges launching institutional-grade impact fund (42:04)Becoming BT CEO and integrating Regnan's early ESG legacy (43:54)At Regnan, the impact case is the investment case (48:29)Regnan's measurement approach and SDG taxonomy (54:18)Impact Investing Australia - mission and focus (58:37)Making impact the third axis in finance (01:04:55)Ethical vs ESG vs impact investing (01:09:22)How Australian Ethical outperforms with values-led investing (01:12:16)Governance for Aboriginal community investment and autonomy (01:14:00)Structural barriers to scaling impact investing globally (01:21:38)Communication and accounting gaps in environmental costs (01:32:08)Rapid-fire questions (01:35:37)Contact info (01:47:14)— Discover More from SRI360°: Explore all episodes of the SRI360° PODCAST Sign up for the free weekly email update—Additional Resources:Richard Brandweiner LinkedInImpact Investing Australia Website
Dans cet épisode, je reçois Aymeric Jung, Advisor en Impact Investing à la recherche de l'éthique de la finance, et Aurélien Gallèpe, Professeur de philosophie à l'Université de Genève, pour explorer l'éthique de la finance à la lumière de leurs parcours croisés. Tourné pour mon plus grand bonheur à Genève !
Stephen Wemple, Principal at Spero Ventures, shares how he backs mission-driven founders building enduring companies aligned with purpose and profit. From investing in hardware startups like Telo Trucks to backing social impact ventures such as Juno, Stephen explains why conviction and alignment between founders and investors matter more than ever. He reflects on his journey from Fulbright Fellow in Vietnam to venture capitalist in Silicon Valley, the lessons he's learned from working with founders, and how smaller, concentrated funds like Spero bring focus and depth back to early-stage investing.In this episode, you'll learn:[01:00] - Stephen's journey from Fulbright Fellow in Vietnam to venture capitalist at Spero Ventures[04:30] - How Spero spun out of Omidyar Network to back purpose-driven founders[08:10] - Investing early—with proof points that show real-world traction[11:10] - Why mission and authenticity matter more than hype in founder evaluation[14:00] - The story behind Spero's investment in Juno and the value of long-term relationships[17:00] - How founders should work with junior investors inside VC firms[19:00] - Why conviction and alignment matter when founders choose their investors[22:00] - Stephen's take on the concentration of capital and the future of small, focused fundsNonprofit highlight: AchieveKidsAbout Stephen WempleStephen Wemple is a Principal at Spero Ventures, where he invests in mission-driven founders building companies for a healthier, more sustainable, and fulfilling future. He has led investments across sectors such as healthcare, climate, and frontier technologies, backing founders who combine purpose with commercial ambition.Stephen began his career in early-stage venture capital, investing in emerging markets across Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. A Fulbright Fellow in Vietnam, he worked with the U.S. State Department to support entrepreneurship initiatives before joining Spero Ventures in its formative years. Stephen believes the best entrepreneurs are those who find and stay true to their mission.About Spero VenturesSpero Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based early-stage venture capital firm that backs mission-driven founders building companies for a healthy, sustainable, and fulfilling future. The firm leads or co-leads seed and Series A rounds with $2–4 million investments and maintains a concentrated portfolio to closely support each founder. Its team, which includes former operators from Tesla, eBay, and Stripe, has invested in companies like Juno (child disability insurance), Telo Trucks (electric pickup trucks), Tiny Health (gut health solutions), Euclid Power (renewable energy software), and Gencove (genome sequencing platform), reflecting its belief that purpose-driven startups can create both outsized impact and venture-scale returns.Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.
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.----------------------------------------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. ----------------------------------------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.
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
In this episode, I talk with Ron Homer – Chief Strategist for Impact Investing at RBC Global Asset Management, and one of the earliest architects of community development investing in the United States.Ron's perspective was shaped in Bedford-Stuyvesant, where he watched a thriving neighborhood decline not because of its people but because mortgage support and investment disappeared. That experience set him on a five-decade mission to help redirect capital back into places that had been overlooked.He went from banking in Boston to co-founding Access Capital Strategies, where he flipped mortgage-backed securities into something that actually supported low- and moderate-income communities.In 1997, he co-founded Access Capital Strategies with the goal of creating market-grade, fixed-income products that were community-aligned. His idea was to use the same mortgage-backed security structure that powered Wall Street, but build it around loans made to low- and moderate-income borrowers.The model showed that you could structure institutional-grade portfolios that delivered both financial performance and community impact.In 2008, Access Capital Strategies was acquired by RBC Global Asset Management. When the global financial crisis hit shortly after, Ron's portfolios outperformed, especially for clients like New York City. “We were the highest performing investment – made 10% – because people who had 30-year fixed-rate mortgages and were buying them for shelter didn't default.”Today, Ron leads RBC's U.S. impact investing strategy, part of a fixed income platform with about $80 billion AUM. His team oversees about $3 billion in community investment strategies. These include customized portfolios primarily composed of agency-backed mortgage securities targeted at low- and moderate-income borrowers, as well as allocations to SBA loan securitizations and municipal bonds.And the results are measurable: over 50,000 individual homes financed, tens of thousands of affordable multifamily units, and for institutional clients like the City of New York, quarterly reports that track each dollar to the specific mortgage, census tract, borrower income level, and racial demographics, down to the loan level.But data only tells part of the story. What keeps Ron going is something deeper: the ripple effect.He believes homeownership and small business act as beacons within communities. “If you have one or two people who take pride in their home, maybe that becomes three people and four people and five people." That's how change takes root, with visible progress that others want to join.Ron also sees what he calls “conditioned helplessness”, a kind of behavioral resignation that sets in when people stop believing their efforts will make a difference.“Some people think the only way to get money is through concessions. But the community doesn't need concessions. They need access.”Ron didn't invent impact investing. But he helped prove it can work, not just morally, but financially. And he did it by choosing reform over revolution, trusting the data, and never letting go of the lesson from Bed-Stuy: that pride and ownership, applied the right way, can change everything.Tune in.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:- Ron Homer LinkedIn- RBC Global Asset Management
In this inspiring episode, host Tracy Daugherty welcomes generosity specialist Kim Moeller for a deep and practical conversation about living generously as women of faith. Together, they explore what it means to steward resources—time, talents, and finances—for God's purposes, and how generosity is both a spiritual discipline and a source of joy. Kim shares her journey from support-raising to leading in Christian philanthropy, offers wisdom on donor-advised funds, impact investing, and giving circles, and provides actionable steps for women at every stage of life. Whether you're new to giving or seeking to deepen your impact, this episode will equip you with courage, clarity, and FREEDOM to live out your calling with open hands and a generous heart.Resources Mentioned:Generous Girl PodcastKim Moeller's podcast focused on equipping and inspiring women to live generously.National Christian Foundation (NCF)A leading provider of donor-advised funds (giving funds) for Christian givers, offering tools and guidance for impactful charitable giving.Impact FoundationEnables charitable capital to be invested in for-profit ventures that align with Christian values and create measurable impact.The Table (Impact Investing Cohort)A cohort-based learning and giving experience for women (and co-ed groups) to learn about impact investing and collectively invest in mission-driven ventures.Seeds San Diego (Giving Circle)A women's giving circle in San Diego pooling resources to support domestic and international nonprofits.Freedom Circle (Monthly Giving Community)The Freedom Challenge's own giving circle, enabling women to give in community and support anti-trafficking initiatives.Women Doing WellA free, online 12-week pathway to discover your purpose, passion, and plan for generosity, designed for women of faith.---Watch the interview: https://youtu.be/Mmk_T46qnUwRead the blog: www.thefreedomchallenge.com/blogposts/2025/11/4/give-generously---Want to learn more? The Freedom Challenge US: thefreedomchallenge.comOperation Mobilization USA: omusa.orgInstagram: @freedomchallengeusa / Facebook: @thefcusaSupport the show
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.----------------------------------------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 AcquisitionThe 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 → ----------------------------------------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.
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.----------------------------------------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. ----------------------------------------Investing in Impact is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you're launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Bookkeeping, Accounting & Tax Management – Organized, compliant, and transparent financials managed by licensed professionals (CPAs, CFAs, CMAs, and lawyers) to drive smarter decision-making.Growth & Marketing – Data-driven strategies across branding, web, advertising, CRM, and sales enablement—all optimized for measurable ROI.Outsourced CFO – Flexible financial leadership covering cash flow, forecasting, and strategic planning.Entity Management – Stay compliant and ready for scale with expert corporate governance and compliance support.Operations, HR & Admin – Streamlined infrastructure to boost team efficiency and keep your business running smoothly.IT & Security – Safeguard your data and operations with best-in-class infrastructure, compliance, and protection.Technology Consulting – Build the right tech stack with expert support across NetSuite, QuickBooks, Avalara, and more.Management Consulting – Unlock growth with industry-specific advisory services focused on metrics, operations, and scalability.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
My guest today is Eva Yazhari – General Partner at Beyond Capital Ventures and one of the most original thinkers in the world of impact investing.Trained on Wall Street, Eva left finance to found Beyond Capital, turning her expertise toward building impact-driven markets. Beyond Capital Fund was structured as a nonprofit, a 501(c)3 – not to do charity, but to meet the moment. She describes it as “almost like a Trojan horse” – a structure that made her approach more acceptable to early supporters, even as she operated with full VC rigor.She knew in 2009 that most investors did not yet believe emerging markets could deliver both returns and impact. So she created a structure that was more palatable – donors could get a tax deduction, while she quietly ran the fund like a VC from day one. There were no grants. No concessionary capital. They always behaved like a VC.The result was a top‑quintile track record: a 0.3% loss ratio, markups, and over 100 million people reached through portfolio companies' products and services.But the nonprofit structure also kept the firm smaller than it needed to be. “I think it was the right thing to do, but I think it was a little bit of a mistake in the growth of the firm.”In 2019, someone approached her after a talk and simply asked, “How do we invest?” – and that was the moment she knew the market was finally ready.She and her team launched Beyond Capital Ventures, a for‑profit venture fund, carrying forward the same thesis with a structure that allowed investors to participate directly in the returns.Today, Beyond Capital Ventures invests in early-stage companies across East Africa and India. It's one of the few woman-led impact VC firms globally, with a team that's 70% based in the markets they invest in.Eva's approach is hands-on, thesis-driven, and unafraid to push boundaries. She refuses deal flow from Europe or the U.S. because she believes the best opportunities come from being on the ground. As she says, “I'd rather the principal who runs our Nairobi office meet a founder while filling up his water bottle, than us meet them through some other channel.”Beyond Capital has pioneered something radical in VC: the equitable venture structure. 10% of the GP's carry is allocated to portfolio founders. Not only does it create community – it's created collaboration. That motivates companies across her portfolio now to share customers, talent, and capital.She measures impact as rigorously as she measures financial performance. Her team uses a three-tier framework aligned with IRIS and SDG metrics. And she's clear-eyed about what success looks like. “Everybody is focused on sourcing better and investing better. Nobody is focused on adding value, and that is exactly where everything goes right or wrong.”Eva's career is proof that creativity, service, and capital don't have to be separate. And that you can build something that lasts if you're bold enough to hold them together.Listen in.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:- Beyond Capital Ventures website- Eva Yazhari LinkedIn- Eva Yazhari Instagram- Book ‘The Good Your Money Can Do'- The BCV Podcast
This is a fan fav episode. The word ‘capitalism' seems to make some people happy, while making others cringe. The U.S. started as a capitalist society and has evolved into a mix of capitalism and socialism. As society and technology evolves, how should our economic system evolve in response? In this episode, Sir Ronald Cohen, “the father of British venture capital” speaks with Tom about the importance of social impact and what impact investing is evolving into and how it can change the social world for the better. Creating systems that support entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and social responsibility of big companies is just the tip of a massive iceberg. Listen in to see how this all ties into our natural desire to evolve and strive for more than just money. Order Sir Ronald Cohen's new book, Impact (all proceeds donated to impact charities): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Impact-Reshaping-capitalism-drive-change/dp/1529108055/ Original air date: 4-13-21 SHOW NOTES: Impact Investing | Sir Ronald explains what's reshaping a new economic system [1:57] Coming to Britain | Sir Ronald reveals how he moved from Egypt and ended in Britain [4:48] Venture Capital | An overview of how venture capitalism came to be and what it is [7:23] Social Impact | Getting an accurate view of a company's impact not just profits [9:41] Deciding | Sir Ronald gives tips on what to look for evaluating a company's impact [12:47] Redistributed Wealth | Why redistributed wealth is needed, but it's not enough [15:30] Poverty Problem | Sir Ronald discusses what's been missing from solution [18:20] 1800 Companies | The $3 trillion environmental damage being measured [21:28] Capitalism | Sir Ronald breaks down capitalism driven by profit and social impact [28:05] Communism | Setbacks of communism and how increased prosperity redistributed is better [32:30] Turning Point | Recognizing social problems and having technology to measure impact [34:59] Striving | Sir Ronald introduces human nature to strive for money & quality of life [42:14] Re-Skill | Sir Ronald identifies why opportunities for new skills is part of the system [45:12] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Japan’s ESG and sustainable investing are entering a new stage – impact investing, which seeks to generate measurable social impact alongside financial returns. Government-led initiatives and working groups involving investors, asset managers, corporations and academia are working to establish the framework of new investing schemes and increase its scale in Japan. In this episode of ESG Currents, Yuka Ogasawara, Director of the Fujimura Research Institute and co-author of the book Impact Investing, speaks with Bloomberg Intelligence ESG analyst Yasutake Homma about how it differs from conventional ESG investing, and why it matters. This episode was recorded on October 23.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Questa settimana entriamo nel vivo della Trasformazione Digitale affrontando temi cruciali come l'AI, i pagamenti, il mondo delle startup e gli analytics, il tutto attraverso la voce dei protagonisti del settore.Ascolta le interviste esclusive con:
Argentina's decades-long economic crises and hyperinflation has a major impact on how Argentine's participate in the economy.The recent story that's been told about Argentina is that people are adopting stablecoins to protect against inflation and currency devaluation. But that's only part of the story...The real story involves long-standing distrust of government and the banks, and overbearing taxes that drive Argentinians to the informal economy. While stablecoin volumes in Argentina surpass $90 billion, Argentina still has over $200 billion in cash circulating in the country, and hidden under mattresses. It's the second-largest holder of US Dollar cash, behind the US itself. In this episode of Money Trails, presented by @StellarDevelopmentFoundation , we explore why Argentines keep their money outside of the formal system, and why they are increasingly adopting stablecoins. In this episode, we're joined by Manuel Beaudroit, the Co-founder & CEO of Belo.Watch the full episode on YouTube.00:00 - Argentina's economic crisis01:45 - Arbolitos on Calle Florida02:48 - The Blue Dollar04:01 - Distrust and taxes07:20 - Why Argentines keep their money outside the formal economy09:50 - Why Argentina's parallel economy still thrives10:43 - Cuevas, Argentina's informal exchange houses13:21 - Why Argentines are adopting stablecoins15:43 - Subscribe!Our Links -
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
My guest today is Jamie Friedland, a former U.S. Treasury trader turned sustainability analyst at AXA Investment Managers – one of the world's largest and most active players in sustainable investing.He joined AXA Investment Managers – now part of BNP Paribas Group – in March 2022. Within the group, BNP Paribas Asset Management oversees over €716 billion in assets, while the broader platform manages around €1.5 trillion globally.Approximately 90% of listed assets are classified under Article 8 or 9 of the EU's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, meaning they integrate sustainability or have a dedicated sustainable objective (Source: BNP Paribas/ AXA Investment Managers (Core) as of end of 2024).At AXA, Jamie works in a central ESG role, focused on public investments and helping integrate sustainability across equities, fixed income, infrastructure, and alternatives.The results are detailed – and sometimes strict. AXA applies hard exclusions in its green bond strategies. Nuclear energy, for example, is allowed in conventional mandates and in unlabeled strategies that hold green bonds. But it's left out of AXA's official green bond funds – because some clients have made it clear they don't want it included in the list of eligible projects.This is the real balancing act – between client preferences, shifting regulation, and ESG data that's still catching up. Jamie likens it to steering a tanker: slow to move, but once it shifts, the weight behind it is massive.Still, ESG doesn't operate in a vacuum. The backlash – especially in the U.S. – has been loud, often political, and sometimes confusing. Jamie's answer is disarmingly simple: ESG is just data. And more information is always better than less.Today, he's here to walk us through how one of the world's largest asset managers turns ESG from principle into portfolio decisions. Tune in.—DISCLAIMER: This communication does not constitute, on the part of AXA Investment Managers, a solicitation or investment, legal or tax advice. Due to its simplification, this document is partial, and opinions, estimates, and forecasts herein are subjective and subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee forecasts made will come to pass. Data, figures, declarations, analysis, predictions, and other information in this document is provided based on our state of knowledge at the time of creation of this document. Whilst every care is taken, no representation or warranty (including liability towards third parties), express or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information contained herein. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the recipient. This material does not contain sufficient information to support an investment decision.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:- Jamie Friedland LinkedIn- AXA Investment Managers website- Full-year 2024 earnings- BNP Paribas Asset Management- Point of No Returns 2025: A responsible investment benchmar
In Episode 79, host Houston Blackwood and Matt Heaton talk with Senior Pastor Brad Sheets of Life Church in Hartselle, Alabama, about the power of faith, mentorship, and community.Brad shares how Life Church began and how the new Life Center is providing practical support like GED classes, financial education, and parenting resources to help families grow stronger.At its core, this episode is about more than programs or ministries—it's about making a difference and reminding us that when people are supported and believed in, entire communities can be transformed.
Some RIAs slap ESG labels on products and call it impact investing. Chat Reynders has been doing it for real, since before it was cool.In this episode, Chat sits down with Stacy Havener to unpack the story behind Reynders, McVeigh Capital Management, the $4B firm he co-founded after starting his career… raising money for a whale documentary.Yes, really.In this episode, you'll hear about:The wild backstory of how raising $4.5M for an IMAX film on whales sparked Chat's lifelong mission to fuse capital with purposeWhy Chat walked away from traditional finance (and how that shaped his view on sustainable investing)The truth about ESG, what Wall Street got wrong, and how Reynders McVeigh is doing it differentlyThe power of curiosity, clarity, and staying true to your story (especially in a world full of productized sameness)How declaring your firm's identity can fuel growth both externally and within your teamWhether you're a founder, an investor, or someone trying to align your money with your mission, this conversation will get you thinking.More About Chat: Chat Reynders is the Chairman and CEO of Reynders, McVeigh Capital Management, a $4B RIA he co-founded in 2005. With over 25 years of experience in investment management and social venture investing, Chat is known for blending fundamentals with forward-thinking strategies—and for being a true pioneer in values-driven investing.Beyond finance, he's raised over $150 million through public/private partnerships to support cultural and environmental initiatives worldwide. A longtime producer of socially conscious IMAX films (including the Oscar-nominated Dolphins), Chat's passion for impact extends to his work on the board of the MacGillivray Freeman Educational Foundation and other nonprofits.His work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Barron's, and Business Week.Want More Help With Storytelling? + Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth:https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe - - -Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital's exclusive membership ---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn't be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap
In dieser Episode des Goodcast spricht Host Julius mit Till Wahnbaeck, dem Gründer von impacc – einer Organisation, die soziales Unternehmertum in Afrika fördert und nachhaltige Entwicklung vorantreibt. Till blickt auf eine beeindruckende Karriere zurück: von seiner Zeit bei Procter & Gamble über die Leitung der Welthungerhilfe bis hin zur Gründung seines eigenen Social-Impact-Startups. Im Gespräch teilt er, warum er den sicheren Konzernweg verlassen hat, wie man unternehmerische Mittel für gesellschaftliche Veränderungen einsetzen kann und was ihn heute antreibt. Eine inspirierende Folge über Social Entrepreneurship, Impact Investing und die Frage, wie wir mit wirtschaftlichem Denken echten sozialen Wandel schaffen können. Eine Produktion von MAKIKO* für die Viva Equality gemeinnützige UG Gastgeber: Julius Bertram Mitarbeit: Tilman Perez Produktion: MAKIKO*
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
My guest today is Laura Segafredo – Chief Growth Officer at NatureAlpha, and a systems thinker who's spent the last twenty years connecting science, policy, and capital to build tools that help finance face the realities of the climate crisis.Laura began her career as an energy economist in Europe and California, contributing to major climate policy efforts like the Paris Agreement.She then spent nearly a decade at BlackRock, where she helped transform ESG from a niche concern into a $500 billion force across fixed income and index investing. She led the creation of green bond tools, sustainability frameworks, and data standards that shaped the firm's global strategy.But as ESG became increasingly politicized, innovation stalled, and Laura decided it was time to chart a new path. She took a leap – from the world's largest asset manager to NatureAlpha, a small startup using geospatial data to bring nature into investing.There, she's helping investors understand how companies depend on and impact natural systems – like water, soil, and biodiversity – and what happens when those systems start to break down. Most portfolios have never seen this data. Now they can.NatureAlpha's core product is Geoverse 2.0 – a geospatial AI tool that analyzes 8.5 million asset locations worldwide, tagging each with indicators of ecosystem health and how much a company depends on nature. It uses a quadrant model to flag the danger zone: places where companies are highly dependent on ecosystems – like rivers, forests, or soil – that are already deteriorating. That's where risk concentrates – high dependency, low resilience.The idea is to turn that risk into insight. Geoverse doesn't just map individual assets – it scans entire portfolios, helping investors see exposures they've never seen before.Through partnerships with data providers and platforms like ICE – and collaborations across the wider investment ecosystem – NatureAlpha is working to make its nature-related insights more accessible to investors within the tools they already use.That unlocks what Laura calls the “double dividend”: portfolios that reduce nature-related risk and keep pace with market returns.Still, Laura doesn't overpromise. If there's one lesson she's carried from the ESG battles, it's this: be transparent about what you know, and even more about what you don't. Today, she's studying eco-theology, writing essays, and speaking to philosophers, post-growth economists, and faith leaders. My conversation with Laura goes way beyond ESG.It's about what shifts when you zoom out from carbon and start seeing nature not as scenery, but as infrastructure. When rivers, forests, and soil stop being externalities and start showing up on the balance sheet.If you tune in, you'll also hear what made her lose faith in market-based climate solutions, what the biggest lie the industry tells itself, and why the next big revolution in investing may be a moral one.Because in the end, Laura's not trying to build better ratings or cleaner tickers. She's trying to build a better world – one that we might actually want to invest in.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:- Laura Segafredo LinkedIn- NatureAlpha website- Moral Revolution Podcast
Biodegradable water-soluble films. Recycling that reuses molecules over and over. AI that can develop more sustainable polymers. In this conversation, Sustainably Speaking host Mia Quinn sits down with Anne Kolton, Chief Sustainability Officer at SK Capital Partners, to explore the next wave of innovation in manufacturing and materials. Anne shares how her team invests in companies developing breakthrough products, how U.S. manufacturing can launch smarter, more efficient processes, and why engineering and AI will transform the materials we all use every day.
What if wealth wasn't about sacrifice, but about freedom, peace, and legacy? In this crossover episode, Dr. Felecia Froe joins Kiné Corder on Money & Meaning to unpack how women can create multiple streams of income that sustain their lives, fund their purpose, and outlive them. Together, they explore redefining prosperity as options and freedom, the path from physician to social-impact investor, and how to turn intellectual property, real estate, and relationships into a lasting legacy. This episode is a powerful reminder that wealth isn't just what you earn—it's what you build, share, and teach. 00:00 – Redefining Prosperity 06:00 – The Power of Multiple Streams 12:00 – Turning Skills into Income 20:00 – Making Real Estate Work for You 29:00 – Impact Investing and Assisted Living 41:00 – Legacy, Lessons, and Letting Go
Send me a messageIn this week's episode of Climate Confident, I sat down with Johanna Wolfson, co-founder and general partner at Azolla Ventures, to talk about how we can rethink climate-tech investing - not as a game of chasing returns, but as a mission to fund what truly matters.Johanna's firm takes a bold approach using catalytic capital, money that embraces higher risk to bring breakthrough technologies from lab to market. We explored why that matters right now, as parts of the venture community hesitate just when the planet has, as she put it, “negative time to spare.”We dug into the uncomfortable truth: the pull of the “returns-first” mindset is still powerful, even in climate investing. But Johanna makes a compelling case for impact-first capital that can back ideas others won't touch, from gigaton-scale carbon removal to early-stage innovations in shipping, geothermal, and bioplastics.She also flagged two blind spots investors urgently need to address: methane and nitrous oxide, gases far more potent than CO₂ yet largely ignored - and the coming wave of adaptation and resilience tech as climate impacts intensify.This conversation will make you think differently about where climate capital flows, who it serves, and what true impact investing looks like in a world that can't afford to wait.
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
My guest is Nidhi Chadda, founder and CEO of Enzo Advisors – a female- and minority-led sustainability and climate advisory firm that helps companies and investors integrate ESG factors into strategy and performance.She's a former Wall Street portfolio manager who believes ESG isn't about politics – it's about disciplined risk management and long-term value creation grounded in data.Before launching Enzo, Nidhi built a career that spanned investment banking, consulting, and asset management – always driven by a desire to understand what truly creates value in business. It all came together years later at RBC, when she encountered ESG research that reframed sustainability as a core driver of financial performance. That's when it clicked – ESG wasn't just about mitigating risk; it could actually drive value creation. She immediately signed up to help bring that approach into U.S. investment strategies.Her team built a scorecard of over 20 ESG factors – human capital, environmental exposure, governance – and tied them directly to outcomes like revenue growth and cost savings. It was a data-first approach that opened a new chapter.In 2020, Nidhi left a high-paying job managing billions to start her own ESG consulting firm, Enzo Advisors, a female- and minority-led sustainability consulting firm based in New York.It was a risky moment. But she knew the field was shifting. ESG was moving from a “nice to have” to a core part of operational resilience.And Enzo's mission was to help small and mid-sized companies operationalize ESG and show them how ESG could actually make them stronger, more resilient, and more valuable over time.Nidhi calls it Sustainability 2.0 – less about saying the right thing, more about doing the right thing... and measuring it.At the center of her strategy are three things companies can actually measure:Revenue growth: Winning new customers and entering new marketsCost savings: Cutting waste, using energy more efficiently, and improving supply chainsCost of capital: Getting better loan terms or investor interest by reducing risk and improving governanceBut she doesn't stop there.She's also Chief Impact Officer at Richmond Global Sciences, where she helps advance RGS Rift – a data-driven platform that applies impact-weighted accounting principles to quantify a company's environmental, customer, and employee impact in financial terms.It's built on a concept called impact-weighted accounting, which is just a fancy way of saying: let's measure how companies help or harm people and the planet – and translate that into real numbers.She doesn't get sucked into the political drama around ESG. Instead, she helps companies and their boards zero in on what actually moves value.And she's hopeful. AI is making data better. Investors are asking smarter questions. And the whole conversation is shifting – away from buzzwords, toward real business fundamentals like risk and performance.If you strip away the noise, the labels, the acronyms – what you're left with is a simple idea: ESG, done right, is just disciplined business. Nidhi Chadda knows how to make it work in the real world – and in this episode, she shares exactly what that takes.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:- Nidhi Chadda LinkedIn- Enzo Advisors LLC website
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
My guest today is Michael Etzel – a partner at Bridgespan, and one of the key architects behind a shift that's still unfolding: the effort to bring hard-nosed analytical discipline to a field once seen as closer to charity than capital.Michael came to this work from the social sector, back when “impact investing” wasn't yet a defined field. At Bridgespan, he began advising philanthropists and foundations – and over time, that work expanded to include some of the world's largest asset managers as they started asking how capital could solve problems philanthropy couldn't.His idea was pretty simple: to put impact first.Our conversation starts with that principle – and where it sits between two poles. On one side: traditional philanthropy willing to lose money in service of outcomes. On the other: finance-first investing chasing market-rate returns. Impact-first lives in the messy middle. The kind where the first diligence question isn't “What's the IRR?” – it's “What's the problem we're solving?”Michael was one of the architects of the Impact Multiple of Money, or IMM – a six-step process designed to estimate and compare the social or environmental value created for every dollar invested. It starts with what a business produces, connects those outputs to real-world outcomes, and draws on academic research to ground the analysis. The result is a dollar-based estimate of impact – not to put a price on people's lives, but to give investors a common language for understanding what value really means.Michael breaks it down in plain terms. He and his team actually put numbers to impact – they start with what a business produces, figure out what real-world benefits come from that, adjust for the risks, and then compare it to the money invested.The IMM framework is now used across TPG's Rise and Rise Climate funds, together managing tens of billions of dollars in assets. It's become part of how they underwrite investments, sitting right alongside financial measures like IRR and MOIC when evaluating performance.And the best part – it's open source. The full method and case studies are published in Harvard Business Review (“Calculating the Value of Impact Investing”), so anyone can see how the math works.But for Michael, this work has never been just about frameworks. It's about decision-making – what actually happens inside organizations when impact moves from a good idea to something real.In this conversation, we also got into some of the bigger questions shaping the future of the field:Fiduciary duty, and why that concept needs a serious resetHow much progress still depends on individuals, not market forcesAnd why one of the most overlooked disciplines in this work is simply knowing how to say noTune in!*** Impact investing services are provided by Bridgespan Social Impact, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Bridgespan Group.–About the SRI 360° Podcast: The SRI 360° Podcast is focused exclusively on sustainable & responsible investing.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:- The Bridgespan Group website- Michael Etzel Biography- Michael Etzel LinkedIn- Calculating the Value of Impact Investing
EP 2655 (WE 144) Book Review The Little Book of Impact Investing ตอนนี้ขอนำหนังสือเล่มนี้มารีวิว ซึ่งจะเป็นเรื่องเกี่ยวกับการลงทุนที่ทั้งสร้างกำไรและช่วยเหลือสังคมไปพร้อม ๆ กัน มาฟังกันเผื่อเป็นประโยชน์นะครับ
Drake Hicks, Head of Impact Investing at Variant Investments, discusses the unusual intersection of closed-end funds with impact investing, which goes beyond ESG (environmental, social and government principles) to invest in projects which have a purpose beyond just a profit margin. The firm runs the Variant Impact Fund, a high-yield closed-end interval fund whose assets are aligned with the United Nations' sustainable development goals, and Hicks talks about how shareholders benefit from the interval structure.
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
My guest today is Daniel Izzo, co-founder and CEO of Vox Capital – Brazil's first impact investing firm.When Vox launched in 2009, the term "impact investing" barely existed in Latin America. There was no roadmap, just a few people who believed business could do more than serve the top of the pyramid.Daniel teamed up with Kelly Michel, co-founder of Artemisia, an accelerator for social entrepreneurs. Kelly introduced him to Antonio Ermírio de Moraes Neto, a young investor from one of Brazil's most prominent business families. Together, the three launched Vox Capital.When Vox began in 2009, few understood what they were trying to do – and fewer believed in it. “People thought it was cute... crazy... or got angry at us.” The infrastructure wasn't there. Most investors ignored 85% of the population outside their own social class. Daniel understood why – but he also knew what they were missing.His team wasn't avoiding Brazil's social challenges, but solving them. They focused on early-stage companies that could scale – businesses built for scarcity, but still desirable for all.The breakthrough came from the results. Their second fund proved returns were possible – over 30% IRR – and suddenly, the skepticism began to fade. Today, Vox manages over $300 million across VC, credit, and real estate – all aiming to unlock opportunity for Brazil's low-income communities.They invested early in a medical education company that slashed the cost of specialist training from $10,000 to $1,000 and made it available online. They also backed Latin America's leading ventilator maker, years before COVID hit. When the pandemic overwhelmed Brazil's hospitals, that company supplied over 80% of the ventilators procured by the Brazilian government during the crisis.But Vox isn't just about writing checks. They take board seats, offer strategic advice, connect founders with new markets, and help navigate major crises.Today, they're leaning into catalytic capital, reforestation, regenerative agriculture, and environmental finance – the next frontier for impact.In Brazil, where deforestation and unsustainable land use drive climate damage, Daniel sees a huge long-term opportunity. Not just to earn returns, but to restore ecosystems.When I asked him what he'd fix with a magic wand, he went straight to mindset. “It'll only be good for everyone, when it's really good for everyone.” He believes ultra-wealthy families have a responsibility to mobilize their capital for collective survival.This is a conversation about what it takes to build in a place where the challenges are complex, the urgency is real, and the opportunity is bigger than most people realize. Daniel makes the case that the next era of capital won't just be about returns – it'll be about restoration, resilience, and responsibility.Tune in.—About the SRI 360° Podcast: The SRI 360° Podcast is focused exclusively on sustainable & responsible investing. In each episode, I interview a world-class investor who is an accomplished practitioner from all asset classes.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:- Vox Capital website- Daniel Izzo LinkedIn- The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits
Send us a textThis week, let's chat about how to make your money work for both you and the world. From environmental sustainability to gender equality, learn how to screen out harmful companies and support those actively solving societal issues. Let's also talk about how to leverage your shareholder voice to drive positive change. Tune in for actionable tips on making your investments a force for good while still keeping an eye on returns.Links from today's episode:Sustainable Investing: An ESG Starter Kit for Everyday Investors by Kylelane Purcell and Ben Vivarihttps://www.businessexpertpress.com/books/sustainable-investing-an-esg-starter-kit-for-everyday-investors/ ICYMI another episode you might enjoy:Episode#124 What to ask a financial planner if you want them to consider your societal valuesConnect With Genet “GG” Gimja:Website https://www.progressivepockets.comTwitter https://twitter.com/prgrssvpckts Work With Me:Email progressivepockets@gmail.com for brand partnerships, business inquiries, and speaking engagements.Easy Ways to Support the Show1. Send this episode to someone you know! Word of mouth is how podcasts grow!2. Buy me a coffee (or a soundproof panel!) https://buymeacoffee.com/progressivepockets 3. Leave a 5 star rating and review for the show!//NO AI TRAINING: Any use of this podcast episode transcript or associated show notes or blog posts to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. This includes, without limitation, technologies that are capable of generating works in the same style or genre as this content. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models//Support the show
What does it take to embed sustainability into a global snack company, without losing sight of taste, scale, or impact?This week on ESG Decoded, host Emma Cox is joined by Susanne Mathis-Alig, Vice President of ESG Reporting and Head of Impact Investing at Mondelēz International, the global company behind household brands like Oreo, Cadbury, and Ritz. Susanne shares how the company is advancing sustainability through its “Snacking Made Right” strategy, which focuses on sustainable sourcing, packaging, and climate goals. She also discusses the challenges of ESG reporting, balancing regulation with impact, and how consumer behavior drives meaningful progress.During this episode, you will learn:What “Snacking Made Right” means in practice at MondelēzHow the company is addressing circularity and packaging wasteWhat it takes to meet ESG reporting demands across global marketsHow consumer expectations are shaping sustainability strategiesDon't miss an episode—subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite podcast platform and follow us on social for the latest updates!Episode Resources: Mondelēz International – Snacking Made Right Sustainability Strategy: https://www.mondelezinternational.com/Snacking-Made-Right Cocoa Life Program – Mondelēz's Sustainable Cocoa Sourcing Initiative: https://www.cocoalife.org 2024 ESG Report – Mondelēz International: https://www.mondelezinternational.com/snacking-made-right/reporting-and-disclosure/ -About ESG Decoded ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. Join Emma Cox, Erika Schiller, and Anna Stablum for thoughtful, nuanced conversations with industry leaders and subject matter experts that explore the complexities about the risks and opportunities connected to (E)nvironmental, (S)ocial and (G)overnance. We like to say that “ESG is everything that's not on your balance sheet.” This leaves room for misunderstanding and oversimplification – two things that we'll bust on this podcast.ESG Decoded | Resource Links Site: https://www.climeco.com/podcast-series/Apple Podcasts: https://go.climeco.com/ApplePodcastsSpotify: https://go.climeco.com/SpotifyYouTube Music: https://go.climeco.com/YouTube-MusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/esg-decoded/IG: https://www.instagram.com/esgdecoded/*This episode was produced by Singing Land Studio About ClimeCoClimeCo is an award-winning leader in decarbonization, empowering global organizations with customized sustainability pathways. Our respected scientists and industry experts collaborate with companies, governments, and capital markets to develop tailored ESG and decarbonization solutions. Recognized for creating high-quality, impactful projects, ClimeCo is committed to helping clients achieve their goals, maximize environmental assets, and enhance their brand.ClimeCo | Resource LinksSite: https://climeco.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/climeco/IG: https://www.instagram.com/climeco/
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
My guest today is Nick O'Donohoe CMG – former CEO of British International Investment, co-founder of Big Society Capital, and one of the early figures to frame impact investing as a financial discipline.Nick spent nearly three decades in global banking – first at Goldman Sachs, then at JPMorgan, where he rose to become Global Head of Research.When the crisis hit in 2008, Nick left JPMorgan to explore whether finance could be used to serve people who had never been served by it at all.That search took him to Bellagio, where the Rockefeller Foundation had gathered a small group of investors, philanthropists, and bankers to explore a new idea – something that would eventually become known as impact investing.Nick brought a small research team – and the ability to put JPMorgan's name on something. He offered to write a report explaining what impact investing could be: who it was for, how it might work, and why it mattered.That report – Impact Investments: An Emerging Asset Class – was the first of its kind. It gave the idea a name, a structure, and a platform. For the first time, the field became legible – to banks, to investors, and to the wider world.A few years later, he left banking to co-found Big Society Capital (now known as Better Society Capital) with Sir Ronald Cohen. Their mission was to use dormant assets to back the UK's social sector.Big Society Capital backed early-stage social enterprises, co-founded intermediaries, and pushed for legal structures that could attract blended capital.In 2017, Nick became CEO of CDC Group – later British International Investment – the UK's development finance institution. His mandate: deploy billions in public capital into emerging markets, while balancing risk, return, and development goals.Under his leadership, BII invested in solar and wind, hospitals, digital connectivity, agribusiness, and venture capital. Most of that capital flowed into Africa, South Asia, and parts of the Caribbean.He also launched the Catalyst Portfolio – where expected returns were zero or even negative. He introduced an Impact Score to measure social and environmental outcomes with the same rigor as financial ones.During his time at BII, over 60% of the portfolio went into African countries. He believes capital needs to be structured differently to reach the people and places that need it most. That's where development finance has to step in – to fill the gaps the market won't touch on its own.Now Nick is about to start as a Senior Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School, where he'll be focused on what comes next.If I had to sum up our conversation in one word, it would be risk – financial, political, and moral. But we talked about much more.Tune in to hear from Nick O'Donohoe firsthand.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:- Nick O'Donohoe CMG LinkedIn- British International Investment website- Impact Investments: An Emerging Asset Class
In this conversation, Yasmina Zaidman, Chief of Development and Partnerships atAcumen, discusses the evolving landscape of development and partnerships in light of recent government changes. She emphasizes the importance of local ecosystems, market-based solutions, and the role of corporations in social responsibility. The discussion also highlights innovative approaches to energy access and health, the significance of blended capital for entrepreneurs, and the shifting mindset in impact investing. Yasmina calls for intentional cultivation of hope and engagement from individuals and corporations alike to address global challenges effectively.I always say that the best thing about having a podcast is the incredible people you get to meet along the way. Among a really impressive crowd of Nick Halaris Show guests, Yasmina is someone who stands out. Every single time I engage with her I walk away feeling inspired, reenergized, and motivated to continue the fight. Business really can be a force for good in the world and people like Yasmina and her colleagues at Acumen are proof positive.Tune in to this important episode to learn:- Why a focus on strengthening local ecosystems is even more important forsustainable development in the post-USAID world- How and why emerging economies are seeking more accountability in solvingtheir own problems- Why flexible capital is so crucial to impact investing success- What corporations can do to fill the gaps left by the withdrawal of governmentsources& Much, much moreAcumen, development, partnerships, USAID, social impact, entrepreneurship, climatechange, corporate responsibility, energy access, blended capitalConnect with Nick Halaris: Nick Halaris website and newletter (sign up!) Nick Halaris on Instagram Nick Halaris on linkedin Nick Halaris on Twitter
Highlights from this week's conversation include:Michaela's Career Journey and Entry into Impact Investing (1:06)Lessons from Early Impact Experiences (3:36)Misconceptions about Impact Investing and Returns (6:39)Lessons from Clean Energy Investments (10:11)Venture and Asset Class Inclusion in Impact (12:03)Capricorn's Ecosystem Building and Value Add (15:59)Current Client Questions and Market Backlash (17:49)Strategies and Dislocations in Capital Markets (19:39)Marie-Celine's Background and Role at Capricorn (22:40)Asset Class Commitments (25:10)GP Engagement and Inflection Points (26:49)Investment Excellence and Entrepreneurial Teams (29:01)LP Relationships and GP Support (31:17)Mission Alignment for GPs (34:02)Due Diligence, Regulatory Risk, and Diversification (35:49)Connecting with Capricorn and Parting Thoughts (37:19)Capricorn Investment Group is a $13B mission-aligned investment firm founded on the belief that sustainable investment practices can enhance risk-adjusted returns. With offices in New York City and Palo Alto, Capricorn invests across asset classes, from venture capital to GP staking, supporting scalable solutions to the world's most pressing problems. Learn more at www.capricornllc.com.Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank, is the bank of the world's most innovative companies and investors. SVB provides commercial and private banking to individuals and companies in the technology, life science and healthcare, private equity, venture capital and premium wine industries. SVB operates in centers of innovation throughout the United States, serving the unique needs of its dynamic clients with deep sector expertise, insights and connections. SVB's parent company, First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCNCA), is a top 20 U.S. financial institution with more than $200 billion in assets. First Citizens Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at svb.com.Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
In this episode, I sit down with Mark Campanale, founder of Carbon Tracker and Planet Tracker, best known for introducing one of the most disruptive ideas in climate finance: the carbon bubble.Mark's journey began in his 20s, crossing the Sahara and working in a famine camp, where he first saw how capital, policy, and poverty were deeply linked. After years supporting fair-trade cooperatives in East Africa, he shifted to sustainable finance in London, co-launching the Jupiter Ecology Fund and founding the Social Stock Exchange – until a loss of mission led him to step away. Around that time, he noticed a dangerous blind spot: fossil fuel prospectuses running hundreds of pages mentioned climate change in only a handful of lines. That raised a critical question: how much of the global carbon problem was sitting on corporate balance sheets?No one had run the numbers. So he did.He joined forces with Nick Robins and James Leaton to launch a nonprofit and publish a report – renamed last-minute to Unburnable Carbon.The idea was simple – and terrifying.We have a finite carbon budget if we want to stay under 2°C of warming. But the reserves held by fossil fuel companies – already financed, already capitalized – far exceeded that budget. Mark compared it to a game of musical chairs – but the players were oil majors, national oil companies, and gas producers, all scrambling for the planet's last remaining carbon budget. There aren't enough seats for everyone to win.That meant much of the fossil fuel industry's projected value was based on resources the world couldn't afford to burn. If countries kept their climate promises, those reserves would stay in the ground. And markets weren't ready for that.The report didn't just land. It exploded.Rolling Stone headlined it “Global Warming's Terrifying New Math,” and the term carbon bubble went global. University campaigns launched, the Financial Times ran a feature, and even analysts at JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs called Mark in to brief them.He hadn't meant to start a movement, but once it took off, he knew it needed structure. So he built Carbon Tracker – an independent research group now analyzing over 75 companies, using a traffic-light system to show whether business plans align with the Paris Agreement. Their reports, downloaded tens of thousands of times each month by banks and regulators, speak market language to translate climate risk into financial terms.One of their biggest impacts is that the industry's reserves life has fallen from 50 years to just 23. It didn't happen by accident. It happened because investors stopped believing those reserves would ever be developed.The idea of “stranded assets” has expanded beyond fossil fuels through Planet Tracker, Mark's second initiative applying the same forensic lens to oceans, land use, and natural systems. By following overlooked data, he exposed a deeper conflict between financial markets and the planet's future.Mark is not the loudest voice in the room. But his work has made some of the most powerful institutions take a second look.This is his story.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:Mark Campanale LinkedInMark Campanale Twitter/XCarbon Tracker InitiativePlanet Tracker
As the International Maritime Organization (IMO) presses to implement their groundbreaking Greenhouse Gas Fuel Intensity Standards across the shipping industry, we examine the scope and likely impacts of these net-zero regulations. Get our take on the credit implications to the industry—including progress on the transition to alternative fuels—as well as considerations for investors in this growing sector. PGIM's Roma Wilkinson, ESG Specialist, hosts this discussion with Sean Goodier, CFA, European Investment Grade Credit Research Analyst. Recorded on September 3, 2025.
This year, $160 billion in remittance payments will be sent from the US to Latin America. $65 billion will be sent from the US to Mexico, the world's largest remittance corridor. Yet, the majority of payments will be sent via brick-and-mortar stores like Western Union or Moneygram. The future of payments is already here, yet most people are queuing in line, paying in cash, taking a photo of their receipt, and sending it to their families on WhatsApp for collection in their home country. If we can send receipts over WhatsApp, why can't we send money too?That same question was the motivation for Félix, an AI-powered chatbot that replicates the trusted agent experience om WhatsApp. It's a user experience made possible by stablecoins.In this episode of Money Trails, presented by Stellar Development Foundation, our user-centric series on global stablecoin adoption, we explore how immigrants send money back home. This episode of Money Trails is sponsored by Rain Cards. In this episode, we're joined by Manuel Godoy - Co-founder & CEO, FelixFarooq Malik - Co-founder & CEO, Rain00:00 - Intro01:06 - Sending money in Jackson Heights03:22 - Félix CEO Manuel Godoy04:54 - How Félix works06:20 - Stablecoin-powered remittance payments08:49 - Spending money in Mexico11:38 - Subscribe!Our Links -
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
In this episode, my guest is Jonathan Hirschtritt, Head of Sustainability & Investment at GCM Grosvenor – a leading global alternative asset manager for more than five decades.The firm manages over $80 billion across the full spectrum of alternatives and has built one of the most comprehensive impact and sustainability investing platforms in private markets.In 2017, Grosvenor brought Jonathan in to work on strategy and operations, later moving into the role of Deputy COO. Four years later, leadership asked him to take on something very different: to formalize and build Grosvenor's sustainable and impact investing platform.The firm already had a long history with underrepresented managers and other initiatives, but this mandate meant creating a dedicated team, new frameworks, and a full reporting system from scratch.“This was a brand new area… no one really had done impact reporting or sustainable reporting compared to financial reporting.”Today, Jonathan runs Grosvenor's sustainable and impact platform – representing roughly a third of the firm's AUM. It's spread across private equity, infrastructure, credit, and real estate.It's a returns-first model, fully discretionary, but built to be customized. In fact, more than 70% of Grosvenor's capital is deployed through separate accounts designed around a client's specific objectives – whether that means climate, affordable housing, labor outcomes, or education.Jonathan makes a sharp distinction between “sustainable” and “impact,” and for him it comes down to two things: intentionality and measurement. In short, if a GP accidentally does good, that's great. But that's not impact unless it was designed that way – and unless you can prove it.What struck me in our conversation is how much of Grosvenor's model is built on customization. Every mandate begins with the client's own theory of change – whether that's climate, social infrastructure, labor outcomes, or diversity – and then the team constructs an investment program to match.Jonathan doesn't talk like a marketer. He talks like a builder. Someone who's spent years designing a platform that balances customization and scale – and believes that the future of impact is about doing the hard work behind the scenes, even when no one's watching.In our conversation, he showed how the real work starts before a dollar is invested – aligning on objectives, setting outcomes, and building them into portfolio construction.We also discussed:the challenges of data reportingthe distinctions in ESG terminologythe leverage of private capitalwhy impact only scales when it moves in lockstep with performancethe growing role of AIwhat rising energy demand might mean for infrastructure and climate strategiesTune in.—About the SRI 360° Podcast: The SRI 360° Podcast is focused exclusively on sustainable & responsible investing. In each episode, I interview a world-class investor who is an accomplished practitioner from all asset classes.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:
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.----------------------------------------In this episode of the Investing in Impact podcast, I sit down with Yigal Kerszenbaum, Managing Partner at JFF Ventures, 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.JFF Ventures 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 takeawaysJFF is a forty year old nonprofit with deep networks in education and workforce, JFF Ventures is its aligned venture fundThe fund backs products that move adults from learning to earning, with a focus on those earning under fifty thousand dollars per yearPortfolio companies like Pace AI, Manifest, and Major League Hacking show the thesis in actionAI can both disrupt and enable, the opportunity is to use it to widen access, lower training costs, and improve job performanceThe structure shares financial upside with the nonprofit, reinforcing the mission as companies scale ----------------------------------------Investing in Impact is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you're launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Bookkeeping, Accounting & Tax Management – Organized, compliant, and transparent financials managed by licensed professionals (CPAs, CFAs, CMAs, and lawyers) to drive smarter decision-making.Growth & Marketing – Data-driven strategies across branding, web, advertising, CRM, and sales enablement—all optimized for measurable ROI.Outsourced CFO – Flexible financial leadership covering cash flow, forecasting, and strategic planning.Entity Management – Stay compliant and ready for scale with expert corporate governance and compliance support.Operations, HR & Admin – Streamlined infrastructure to boost team efficiency and keep your business running smoothly.IT & Security – Safeguard your data and operations with best-in-class infrastructure, compliance, and protection.Technology Consulting – Build the right tech stack with expert support across NetSuite, QuickBooks, Avalara, and more.Management Consulting – Unlock growth with industry-specific advisory services focused on metrics, operations, and scalability.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
In this episode, my guest is Timothy Rann, Managing Partner of Mercy Corps Ventures. He leads what is likely the only venture capital fund in the world to have emerged from within a humanitarian NGO. When the fund was first created, Mercy Corps itself was a $600 million-a-year organization working in more than 40 conflict and climate-stressed countries.After years of building businesses in fragile markets such as Cambodia, Vietnam, and Afghanistan, he and his wife moved to Jakarta, where he was recruited to help launch what became Mercy Corps Ventures. The original idea was to create “the equivalent of Google X inside a nonprofit.”But that venture-building model proved too expensive. Tim and his team pivoted and convinced the board to let them invest directly in startups serving the Global South.From those beginnings, Mercy Corps Ventures has scaled into a family of four funds with more than 60 portfolio companies across Africa, Latin America, and Asia.Their first fund was evergreen, seeded by family offices and corporates, later joined by institutions like USAID and Proparco. It's already produced a unicorn and multiple exits.The second fund, now aiming for $50 million, focuses on climate adaptation and resilience.The third fund is the Venture Lab. It puts small grants behind frontier ideas – everything from anticipatory cash transfers to glacier restoration.And the fourth is a Web3 fund. Its purpose is simple: to test whether decentralized finance can lower costs and expand access in emerging markets. Mercy Corps Ventures has what they call a resilient future thesis. The idea is to back startups that help communities in emerging markets adapt to climate change and recover faster from shocks.Their thesis is built around three verticals:adaptive agriculture and food systemsinclusive fintechclimate-smart technologiesInstead of waiting years for perfect research to act on, they put capital to work now. They test what works and learn along the way. As Tim puts it, “We need to take as much impact risk as commercial risk within the realm”.It's this willingness to test, fail, and adapt that's helped MCV move from an experiment inside a nonprofit to one of the most innovative impact investors in the Global South today.In this interview, Tim talks about what it takes to back founders in fragile markets, why impact investing sometimes means taking risks no one else will, and why boring products like factoring can unlock climate resilience.Tune in to hear more about his remarkable journey.—About the SRI 360° Podcast: The SRI 360° Podcast is focused exclusively on sustainable & responsible investing. In each episode, I interview a world-class investor who is an accomplished practitioner from all asset classes.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:
Schuyler Dalton, impact investment manager with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), joins EisnerAmper's TechTalk host Fritz Spencer to explore how her investment group, WWF Impact, is amplifying the WWF's charitable mission and conservation goals within the food system. In this episode, discover how WWF Impact is investing in innovations that reduce farming's environmental footprint while promoting ecosystem and community health. They'll dive into emerging tech trends in regenerative agriculture, from linking farmer profits to improving soil and biodiversity to advancing traceability in livestock, crops, and produce. Tune in to learn more about the Fund's mission to build a future where people live in harmony with nature.
A pioneer in the realm of impact investing explains how The Rise Funds have scaled over the last decade—and why they're hitting “escape velocity.”
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.----------------------------------------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. ----------------------------------------Investing in Impact is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you're launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:Bookkeeping, Accounting & Tax Management – Organized, compliant, and transparent financials managed by licensed professionals (CPAs, CFAs, CMAs, and lawyers) to drive smarter decision-making.Growth & Marketing – Data-driven strategies across branding, web, advertising, CRM, and sales enablement—all optimized for measurable ROI.Outsourced CFO – Flexible financial leadership covering cash flow, forecasting, and strategic planning.Entity Management – Stay compliant and ready for scale with expert corporate governance and compliance support.Operations, HR & Admin – Streamlined infrastructure to boost team efficiency and keep your business running smoothly.IT & Security – Safeguard your data and operations with best-in-class infrastructure, compliance, and protection.Technology Consulting – Build the right tech stack with expert support across NetSuite, QuickBooks, Avalara, and more.Management Consulting – Unlock growth with industry-specific advisory services focused on metrics, operations, and scalability.As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.
SRI360 | Socially Responsible Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Investing
Most investors now accept that climate risk is financial risk. But what about nature loss? What about the fact that half of global GDP is tied to the natural world – from soil health to pollination to forest carbon – and yet almost none of that value is priced into markets? If climate was the first wake-up call, nature is the second.In this 3-in-1 compilation, we revisit past episodes with investors at the forefront of this shift. Each one is building strategies to bring natural capital into the financial mainstream – through listed equities, real assets, or nature-based carbon credits.Here are the featured guests:Martin Berg, CEO of Climate Asset ManagementMartin is pushing to bring natural capital out of the margins and into the financial mainstream.With over $650 million raised and three funds under management, Martin's building a new category of real asset investing – one that spans sustainable agriculture, forestry, and nature-based carbon. The firm's strategies include land acquisition and restoration in developed markets, as well as carbon credit partnerships with smallholder farmers in emerging markets. Each is tailored to a different type of investor – but they share the same goal: aligning financial returns with measurable improvements in natural ecosystems.Full episodeIngrid Kukuljan, Former Head of Impact & Sustainable Investing at Federated HermesAt the time of recording our original interview, Ingrid was Head of Impact and Sustainable Investing at Federated Hermes. In that role, she launched the Biodiversity Equity Strategy – the first biodiversity-themed fund in the listed equity space.Her team screened nearly 9,000 listed companies – the standard MSCI All World benchmark – and found only about 150 that qualified as biodiversity champions: businesses aligned with at least one biodiversity-linked SDG and actively working to preserve or restore nature. The gap was striking. Ingrid pointed out that 80% of the UN Sustainable Development Goals depend on biodiversity, yet fewer than 20% are on track – and in the past 50 years, we've decimated biodiversity globally.Her team used a detailed KPI framework across emissions, water use, land conversion, and waste, making the case that public equities can play a vital role in financing nature-positive outcomes – and in helping restore ecosystems without compromising returns.Full episodeHelen Avery, Director of Nature Programmes at the Green Finance Institute (GFI)Helen is working to make nature investable. As Director of Nature Programmes at the Green Finance Institute, she leads the GFI Hive – a dedicated platform focused on removing the barriers that keep private capital from flowing into nature. That means shaping the building blocks of nature markets – like biodiversity net gain, mitigation banking, and nature-based carbon – and helping define the standards, infrastructure, and policy frameworks that make them investable at scale.Helen's team supports the UK's nature markets and investment readiness funds, partners with farmers and NGOs to build new business models, and works closely with corporates through the TNFD to help them assess their risks and dependencies on nature.Full episode—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK
How can entrepreneurs transform the challenges of an aging population into powerful opportunities for innovation? In this episode of The Angel Next Door Podcast, host Marcia Dawood welcomes Bruce Simpson, a longtime McKinsey leader and now co-founder of Age Tech Capital, to discuss the rapidly growing world of age tech.Bruce shares his global perspective and deep experience in building new companies and catalyzing tech-driven change in healthcare and beyond. With Age Tech Capital, he's developing an investment ecosystem focused on supporting technology that benefits people over 50, combining health, financial security, and independent living with cutting-edge AI and data-driven solutions.Listeners get an inside look at emerging startups, funding models for angel investors, and why channeling entrepreneurial energy into age tech is both a social imperative and a huge opportunity. If you're passionate about investing, tech, or building a better future for all ages, this episode offers practical insight and inspiration you won't want to miss. To get the latest from Bruce Simpson, you can follow him below!https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-b-simpson/ https://www.agetechcapital.com Sign up for Marcia's newsletter to receive tips and the latest on Angel Investing!Website: www.marciadawood.comLearn more about the documentary Show Her the Money: www.showherthemoneymovie.comAnd don't forget to follow us wherever you are!Apple Podcasts: https://pod.link/1586445642.appleSpotify: https://pod.link/1586445642.spotifyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/angel-next-door-podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theangelnextdoorpodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marciadawood
In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Andrea Kihlstedt talks with Rob Riley, President of the Northern Forest Center, about how his organization raised $35 million through a unique blend of philanthropy and impact investing.Spanning 30 million acres across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, the Northern Forest Center set out to revitalize rural communities while protecting the largest continuous forest east of the Mississippi. Rob shares how the organization structured its first capital campaign to combine traditional fundraising with investment opportunities tied to real estate redevelopment, housing, and community revitalization projects.Listeners will learn how the Northern Forest Center:Balanced philanthropic gifts with investment capital to strengthen local economies and fund conservation initiativesOvercame challenges tied to multi-state fundraising and community-based givingBuilt a fundraising team that grew from two staff members to five while tripling the organization's budgetDesigned campaigns that engaged both donors and investors, with 75% of participants contributing in both waysUsed feasibility studies, case statements, and clear messaging to gain support for complex projectsCelebrated milestones with community events that inspired reinvestment and long-term engagementRob also highlights the role of volunteer leadership, the lessons learned from structuring matches and incentives, and the importance of celebrating success to keep momentum alive. From board development to donor cultivation, this conversation offers insights into what it takes to raise transformational capital for large-scale, place-based initiatives.Whether you are leading a nonprofit campaign, exploring impact investing, or looking for creative approaches to engage donors across regions, this episode offers practical takeaways and inspiring strategies.To ensure your campaign ends in a celebration, download our free Capital Campaign Step-by-Step Guide & Checklist. This intuitive guide breaks down each step of your campaign, and the timeline allows you to visualize your whole campaign, from start to finish!