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The Seventh Chapter of The India Room Series The Impact Investors Council recently hosted the seventh edition of The India Room in Mumbai, supported by BTG Advaya, bringing together stakeholders from Nordic and Northern European countries on July 2nd. We were joined by Mr. Arne Jan Flølo, Consul General of the Royal Norwegian Consulate General Mumbai as the chief guest along with Mr. Rahul Maheshwari, Advisor- Economic, Political and Public Affairs, Ms. shubra jain, Advisor on Business Promotion and Economic Affairs at the Royal Norwegian Consulate General Mumbai and Ms. Deepika Nainani, Business Promotion Manager at Norwegian Business Association India. The event saw participation from around 12 Nordic & Northern European investors, including esteemed names such as Anabeya, Maj Invest, British International Investment, PINEGRAY, AlpInvest Partners, DEG, KfW, IFU, FMO - Dutch entrepreneurial development bank, Quilvest Capital Partners, Triple Jump, PBU - Pædagogernes Pension alongside 40+ delegates from approximately 26 India Impact Investing organizations and Ecosystem Players. Mr. GIRISH AIVALLI, CEO of Impact Investors Council (IIC), opened the event with insightful remarks on the evolving landscape of impact investing in India, highlighting its pivotal role in catalyzing societal change. Following Mr. Aivalli's introduction, Mr. Arne Jan Flølo discussed collaborative prospects between India and Nordic nations in impact investment, focusing on the potential of the EFTA Agreement to strengthen ties and foster climate-focused partnerships. He underscored the importance of aligning business strategies with India's diverse demographics and geographic landscape to maximize mutual benefits under the agreement. Mr. Prashant Mara, Managing Partner at BTG Advaya, provided strategic insights into climate investments in India, emphasizing the supportive regulatory environment and the critical role of governance in ensuring sustainable business practices. He emphasised on the importance of the fiduciary duty of investees and investors, while committing to invest for impact. Throughout the evening, the agenda featured enlightening talks and presentations. Ms. Jagriti Bhandari, Investment Manager from Abler Nordic, offered perspectives on investing in India's financial inclusion sector, highlighting its evolution and emphasizing the importance of localized knowledge and adaptive strategies to navigate regional complexities effectively. She emphasized that while technology enhances financial inclusion efforts, customized approaches are vital in India's dynamic market. Mr. Jinesh Shah, Managing Partner at Omnivore, presented sectoral insights on agricultural innovations, showcasing advancements from farm robotics to storage solutions that are revolutionizing the sector. He stressed the critical role of strategic financing in scaling agtech startups, citing examples such as DeHaat and Arya.ag which have demonstrated scale. (Continued in the comments)

In the first of our ‘Journey to Impact’ series of articles focusing the growing impact investment and social enterprise landscape in Western Australia, we dive deep on what catalytic investment means for both potential co-investors and investees. ------------------------ For the past 10 years Impact Seed has worked to bridge the divide between social enterprises and impact investors in Western Australia. In this time, access to catalytic investment has remained a stubborn bottleneck in the ecosystem, with 80% of WA’s impact entrepreneurs reporting early-stage investment as their barrier to survival and growth. At the same time, access to investment-ready enterprises is reported as the key barrier for investors. As we now set out on the path of deploying $2m of catalytic co-investment capital over the next 2 years through the WA Impact Loan Fund, this article explores ways of bridging this divide, and scaling impact... https://lnkd.in/ezkMgPuh

Looking for insights into the latest trends, opportunities, and developments shaping impact investing? Dive into our November 2024 edition of What's on Goodwell's Radar! 🔎 This month, we explore: ✅ How Moniepoint Group becomes Africa's newest unicorn ✅ That the African Development Bank Group has allocated $100 million to support youth- and women-led small and medium enterprises ✅ How the investment industry is currently dealing with an “exit overhang" 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ePvx9Cct 💬 We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your takeaways in the comments below or drop a link to recent investment news or commentary that's shaping your views of the impact investing space. #ImpactInvesting #SustainableDevelopment #GoodwellRadar #PositiveChange

Fireside Chat on Impact Investing in Social Enterprises at the 12th NCSI https://lnkd.in/dmYtpekB I spoke at the 12th National Conference on Social Innovation (NCSI) in Pune. Organised by Pune International Centre. In this session I talk to entrepreneur, investor and startup mentor Vishwas (Vish) Mahajan. Topics covered: -- A wider view of social innovation --Various ways to take social innovation to implementation stage -- for profits, non-profits and govt -- Also tried to explain how funding is arranged in each case. -- Even in for-profits, one needs to fund using grants in early stage to get a startup idea past the "activation barriers" and get it to a stage where investors are interested. -- Leads up to my understanding of Impact Investing.

What are the odds of a foundation investing in your new, earth-shattering enterprise? 🌍💥 In a recent eye-opening article, Laura Callanan, a seasoned impact investor with a rock-star background from the Rockefeller Foundation, exposes the challenges faced by outsiders trying to secure funding for their groundbreaking projects. 💡 Despite her golden pedigree and platinum connections, Callanan's journey to launch Upstart Co-Lab's Inclusive Creative Economy strategy was no cakewalk. 🍰❌ She reached out to a staggering 140+ foundations, starting in summer 2021, and it took nearly three years to secure her first close in spring 2024. 📆😲 If someone with Callanan's impressive resume struggles to gain traction, what hope do lesser-known fund managers and entrepreneurs have? 🤔 The real question may not be their odds of raising investment capital from foundations. Callanan's efforts speak for themselves. The question may better be: where should entrepreneurs go to seek capital? 🔍 The truth that few of us want to hear is that despite the alignment between an entrepreneur's values and the values of a given foundation, it is an incredibly competitive marketplace. 🏆 And the hard truth is that the closer investments are to market rate, no matter what the positive social externalities, the better their odds of raising capital in the short term. 💰📈 Of course, it's always worth keeping in touch with foundations. But be measured. They are more likely to come in and support your efforts once you have already taken some risk out of your service/product. 🚀💪 https://lnkd.in/g-e4JQrN

About impact investment What it is and why you should include it in your portfolio - and why not. 'Impact' is a term that gets thrown around a lot nowadays and honestly, I never looked into what it actually means in detail in an investment context. 'Impact' is obviously understood as social and environmental impact, but there's a broad spectrum. In my business angel training at Female Investors Network (FIN) Academy, we unpacked the entire range of 'impact-oriented investing'. I am sure there are other ways to look at it, but this scale makes a lot of sense to me. As we move down the list, the #ESG focus ⬆️ increases and the financial return on investment focus ⬇️ decreases typically. That doesn't mean that impact-driven startups can't be financially successful, but this is normally not the main focus for impact-driven investors. I list a few examples for financial instruments that are typically associated with each category. 💸 Traditional investing ⌙ traditional equity funds 🔍 Responsible investing ⌙ listed ESG funds or funds with a thematic focus on sustainability 🌱 Sustainable investing ⌙ thematic impact funds or impact private equity 🌏 Impact investing ⌙ thematic impact funds that address social and environmental challenges with typically below-market returns 🎯 Impact-first investing ⌙ impact-first equity funds with typically below-market returns 💚 Venture philanthropy ⌙ grants or seed capital with no financial return expectation 💝 Philanthropic donations ⌙ grants or charitable donations with no financial return expectation From an investor perspective, you should know where you locate yourself on that scale, what your investment focus is and if the business model matches your investment thesis. Impact-oriented investments can make a real difference for all of us. But if it doesn’t match your portfolio or strategy, don’t invest. There are many other ways to contribute to making this beautiful planet sustainable or to addressing social issues. And, after all, every investment has impact when it drives innovation and supports visionary founders who solve real-world problems. Your money, your choice. #ImpactInvesting #Investment #AngelInvestment #FINAcademy #Entrepreneurship #Investorinnen #Impact

🔍 Ever wondered what it takes to bridge the gap between finance and social change? Meet the impact investment wholesalers driving positive transformation. Gila Norich of GSG Impact demystifies the role of these wholesalers in this Pioneers Post article. 👇 #ImpactInvesting #SocialChange #FinanceForGood #SustainableDevelopment #GSGImpact

Unboxing Impact Investing: A Series (13) - Social Stock Exchange (SSE) Overview: Social stock exchanges (SSEs) are specialized financial platforms designed to facilitate investment in social enterprises and impact-driven organizations. Unlike traditional stock exchanges, SSEs focus on listing and trading shares or securities of entities that aim to generate positive social or environmental outcomes alongside financial returns. Mechanics: SSEs operate similarly to traditional stock exchanges, but with a focus on rigorous social impact criteria. Key mechanics include: - Listing Requirements: Organizations must demonstrate a clear social mission, measurable impact, and financial viability. - Impact Reporting: Listed entities are required to provide regular reports on their social or environmental impact. - Investor Base: SSEs attract impact investors, including individuals, institutional investors, and philanthropic foundations, who seek both financial returns and positive social impact. - Trading: Shares or other financial instruments are traded on the exchange, providing liquidity and enabling investors to buy and sell their stakes in social enterprises. History: The concept of SSEs emerged in the early 21st century, driven by growing interest in sustainable and responsible investing. Key milestones include: - 2003: The launch of the Brazilian Social Stock Exchange (BVS), a pioneering initiative connecting social projects with investors. - 2009: The establishment of the Social Stock Exchange in the UK, providing a platform for social enterprises to raise capital. - 2013: The Impact Exchange, part of the Stock Exchange of Mauritius, became the first SSE to offer a regulated market for impact investing. Example: Social Stock Exchange (SSX) in the UK was founded in 2013. The SSX provides a platform for social enterprises to access capital markets while adhering to strict impact reporting standards. It aims to bridge the gap between investors seeking social impact and organizations dedicated to addressing social issues. #impactinvesting #investing #finance #developmentfinance Image Credits: SEBI, KPMG 2020

Over the last three years, the India Impact Investing space has experienced significant growth, with more than $15 billion invested in impact enterprises through over 1000+ equity deals. In line with global trends, despite observing a decline in equity impact investments in 2023, there are still some intriguing developments and trends to uncover and explore. Delve deeper into our latest report, '2023 in Retrospect: India Impact Investing Trends,' to explore these intriguing developments. Also, listen to Divya Pinge and me as we summarize key insights on the India Impact Investing Landscape of 2023 in a short video. Access the complete report here: https://lnkd.in/gTYeryZ3  Feel free to reach out for further details or to learn more about impact investing! Impact Investors Council (IIC)

As the climate crisis persists, we recognise that many impactful climate technologies often originate from more developed markets. In our contribution to this Impact Investors Council (IIC) report, we share insights and learnings from our efforts to identify and introduce these climate-focused innovations to Asia, tailoring them to meet the specific needs of our communities. These innovations include groundbreaking solutions from Winnow, Polymateria, Iceotope Technologies Limited, and Cropin, addressing challenges such as #foodwaste, #plasticpollution, #energyconsumption, and the impacts of climate change on #agriculture. Our goal is to ensure that advanced solutions are accessible where they can make the greatest difference, supporting #sustainabledevelopment across diverse Asian landscapes. This approach not only addresses pressing environmental challenges but also aligns with our vision for a resilient and adaptive future in Asia. Explore more about our work in climate investments: https://lnkd.in/gWgiFrWP #ClimateTech #SustainableInvesting #ImpactInvesting #ABCimpact