Governments around the world are grappling with a huge array of increasingly complex social challenges. Outcomes-focused projects - sometimes called 'pay for success', or previously 'social impact bonds' - have shown clear potential to help address these challenges, by creating innovative partnerships between governments, philanthropy, the social sector and the private sector, based on a shared vision of success. But globally, this market remains small, especially relative to the scale of the problem. Why is that? And what can we do to do unlock its true potential?

To discuss this, we're joined by Kevin Tan of Tri-Sector Associates. Based in Singapore, Tri-Sector is working with various east Asian governments on outcomes-based projects - and experimenting with new ways of adapting the model so it is better aligned with standard government procurement and budgeting systems. In our interview, Kevin argues:

• Why pay for success can be a vital tool for solving big social challenges
• Why it's hard for Governments to 'fail', especially in Asia
• The problems with the standard 'social impact bond' model
• Two modifications that can help solve the 'product/ market fit' issue
• The importance of working within existing government systems
• And more

Produced & presented by James Taylor
Editing by Jake Hatt @ Free Bird Film

Watch the videos at www.bridgesfundmanagement.com/2030visions

In the U.S. alone, private foundations hold more than $1 trillion of assets. So how do we deploy more of this capital to help solve our biggest challenges? And can foundations play a bigger role in catalysing investment from across the broader financial spectrum?

To discuss this, we're delighted to be joined by a true leader in the field: Roy Swan of the Ford Foundation. After a career in Wall Street (latterly with Morgan Stanley's Global Sustainable Finance division), Roy joined Ford to run Mission Investments, a ground-breaking programme that's aiming to invest $1bn in funds seeking attractive social and financial returns. In our interview, Roy explains:

• Why Ford decided to launch Mission
• Its remarkable performance to date
• What they've learned from the programme's first five years
• Why investors' incentives need to change
• The problem with fiduciary duty
• And more

Produced & presented by James Taylor
Editing by Jake Hatt @ Free Bird Film

Watch the videos at www.bridgesfundmanagement.com/2030visions

In this episode, we're focusing on a critical aspect of building a more inclusive economy: ensuring that more funding flows to businesses led by diverse founders. The stats are stark: although venture capital investment hit record highs last year, businesses led by black, Latinx and female entrepreneurs accounted for a disproportionately small amount of this - low single digit percentages at best. According to Morgan Stanley, this means we are missing out on a $4 trillion opportunity in the U.S. alone!

To discuss how we can fix this, we're delighted to welcome Kim Folsom, CEO of US-based Founders First Capital Business. A successful entrepreneur in her own right, Kim is now focused on using revenue-based financing to help over 1,000 diverse entrepreneurs access the capital and knowledge they need to build sustainable businesses. In our interview, we discuss:

• Her own journey as an entrepreneur,, and the challenges she had to overcame
• The scale of the capital gap facing diverse founders, and why it exists
• The disadvantages of traditional debt funding for communities of color (and the benefits of revenue-based financing)
• The need for more education and awareness-building
• Why funding diverse founder-led businesses is not about philanthropy
• And more

Produced & presented by James Taylor
Editing by Jake Hatt @ Free Bird Film

Watch the videos at www.bridgesfundmanagement.com/2030visions

For this episode, we were delighted to be joined by the Rt Hon Nick Hurd, former UK Government minister and now chair of the G7 Impact Taskforce, to talk about the role of government and multilateral institutions in driving the change we need. 

In our interview, we discuss:

• How the UK Government helped to accelerate two key markets in the UK
• Why better cooperation with the private sector has to be a key priority
• The positives from COP 27 - and the clear negatives
• The need for stronger accountability frameworks
• The critical importance of good leadership (both political and corporate)
• And more

Produced & presented by James Taylor
Editing by Jake Hatt @ Free Bird Film

Watch the videos at www.bridgesfundmanagement.com/2030visions

In this episode we're talking about science, and its role in tackling some of our biggest challenges. Our guest is Johanna Chao Kreilick, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a US nonprofit that does research and advocacy work around translating science into action. In our interview, Johanna discusses:

• How science is already showing us a clear pathway to Net Zero
• Why climate change is also a socio-economic and racial equity issue
• The importance of people-centered policymaking
• The receptiveness of the US Government to science
• Three reasons to be hopeful
• And more

Produced & presented by James Taylor
Editing by Jake Hatt @ Free Bird Film

Watch the videos at www.bridgesfundmanagement.com/2030visions

In this episode, we're exploring another essential topic: innovation. If we are to have any hope of tackling the challenges we face, innovation is clearly going to be critical: not just inventing whizzy new technologies, but also designing better products and better services and better ways of working.

Our guest is Ravi Gurumurthy, CEO of Nesta, which styles itself as "the UK's innovation agency for social good". In our interview, Ravi discusses:

• Why innovation is important - and why it's hard
• How to accelerate the move to Net Zero homes
• The key to tackling the expensive problem of obesity
• How regulation can support innovation
• The one area where Government is well-placed to drive long-term change
• The key policy levers for accelerating innovation
• And more

Produced & presented by James Taylor
Editing by Jake Hatt @ Free Bird Film

Watch the videos at www.bridgesfundmanagement.com/2030visions

In this episode, we're exploring the fascinating topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the role it can play in helping us build a better future (or not!).

Our guest is Dorothy Chou of DeepMind, one of the world's leading AI companies. In our interview, Dorothy discusses:

• How AI is already driving significant scientific breakthroughs that are helping to reduce emissions and improve health outcomes
• The importance of ensuring these benefits are shared equally
• The problem with our current data
• Why technology requires a renegotiation of the social contract
• The future potential of AI

Produced & presented by James Taylor
Editing by Jake Hatt @ Free Bird Film

Watch the videos at www.bridgesfundmanagement.com/2030visions

Our guest for this episode is Laurie Spengler, CEO of Courageous Capital Advisors, who's been leading the Impact Investing Institute's recent work on the Just Transition.
 
In our interview, Laurie talks about:

• Why we'll never get to Net Zero unless we think carefully about the social consequences
• What a Just Transition investment looks like
• The scale of the opportunity if we get this right
• The key barriers to adoption, and how we get around them
• The organisations leading the way in mobilising capital at scale

Produced & presented by James Taylor
Editing by Jake Hatt @ Free Bird Film

Watch the videos at www.bridgesfundmanagement.com/2030visions

In this episode, we're talking to Charlie Green, co-founder of The Office Group. 

Charlie (with his partner Olly Olsen, and a little help from Bridges' first fund) was an early pioneer in recognising the value that a sustainability-led approach could create in the real estate sector.

Charlie talks about:

• How TOG was one of the first to introduce green roofs, and the impact it had on the business
• Why occupiers value sustainability features in buildings
• How the pandemic has changed the game for commercial real estate 
• The opportunities and challenges of using more sustainable construction materials like timber
• How the sector needs to change 

Produced & presented by James Taylor
Editing by Jake Hatt @ Free Bird Film

Watch the videos at www.bridgesfundmanagement.com/2030visions

Our first episode features a legend of the impact movement and one of its greatest change-makers: Sir Ronald Cohen, chair of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (and, inter alia, Bridges' founding chair). In our interview, Sir Ronald talks about:

• The importance of bringing impact into financial accounting
• What the Impact-Weighted Accounts Initiative is revealing about 3,000 top companies
• Why he thinks this transparency will change the world
• The opportunity for $1bn+ outcomes funds
• Why governments can (and should) support the development of impact investing
• How the energy crisis is sparking a wave of innovation
• And why this will lead us to a new impact revolution

Produced & presented by James Taylor
Editing by Jake Hatt @ Free Bird Film

Watch the videos at www.bridgesfundmanagement.com/2030visions