Entrepreneurial Households (EHs)—resilient, resourceful families generating multiple income streams—are rapidly transforming from recipients of development aid into independent economic agents shaping the future of emerging markets. Yet, despite their growing significance, the unique needs of EHs remain largely underserved by traditional markets.

In this episode, we speak with Jyotsna from EPIC World, a platform launched by the team behind Elevar Equity, to understand how they are scaling businesses that serve EHs through insights, custom solutions, and aligned capital strategies. We explore the rise of EHs from the bottom of the pyramid, the need for specialist companies that can serve them with intent and precision, and the evolving investment models that support long-term value creation in these communities.

Due diligence is one of the most significant cost and time barriers in scaling impact investments, particularly for small and growing businesses (SGBs) and high-impact SMEs. The economics of conducting thorough due diligence on these enterprises often discourages investors from deploying capital at the scale needed to drive meaningful change.

In this episode, Audrey Selian, Director of the Artha Initiative at Rianta Capital Zurich, will unpack the challenges of due diligence in impact investing and explore innovative solutions, including technology-driven platforms, which aim to make due diligence more efficient, collaborative, and cost-effective.

Investing with a focus on children’s well-being is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic approach to achieving sustainable development goals. UNICEF’s Innovative Finance Hub is pioneering this space with the groundbreaking 'Child-Lens Investing Framework,' guiding global capital markets and investors to integrate child-related considerations into investment decisions.

In this episode, Radha Kulkarni, Lead of Innovative Financing at UNICEF and Francisco Biber, Child Rights Specialist at UNICEF, shares insights into the development and impact of the Child-Lens Investing Framework. We will explore how innovative finance can address the financing gap for children's needs across 190 countries and the potential for private sector engagement in this mission.

Many impactful ventures, particularly those addressing complex social or environmental challenges, require time to develop, scale, and demonstrate their full impact. This makes them unsuited to traditional investment timeframes. 

This episode explores the crucial role of catalytic capital and the advantages of aligning financial objectives with timeframes required to achieve impact. Alankrita Khera of ACT shares insights on how catalytic capital empowers high-impact initiatives, the strategies used for deploying this capital effectively, and how ACT’s approach differs from traditional investments.

In this episode of Impact Investing Musings, Co-Founder and Chairperson of LabourNet, unpacks the complexities of the investment spectrum and explores where impact meets profit. From understanding the distinctions between nonprofits, social enterprises, mission-driven for-profits and impact investments  to discussing funding structures and gestation periods for social enterprises, Gayathri shares invaluable insights into what it takes to create sustainable, impactful ventures. 

Tune in to learn how social enterprises navigate challenges, attract the right funding, and stay true to their mission while delivering measurable impact.

In this episode, Natasha Garcha, Senior Director of Innovative Finance and Gender-Lens Investing Specialist at Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), joins us to discuss the intersection of gender equality and climate resilience. We delve into gender-transformative climate action and how empowering women and marginalized communities is central to sustainable progress. 

Through initiatives like the Orange Movement, IIX aims to mobilize significant capital to support 100 million women and girls by 2030, driving climate action and fostering resilience across the Global South. Natasha will share insights on how gender equality can shape a climate-resilient future and the essential role of impact investing in achieving this vision.

This episode takes listeners through the evolving landscape of impact measurement and management (IMM) in Asia, highlighting the need for standardized impact metrics to foster credibility and confidence among investors  and developing impactful investment strategies in Asia.
 
Our guest, Christina Leijonhufvud, CEO of BlueMark, will discuss how BlueMark’s work—particularly their Fund ID service, which was piloted with 37 leading sustainable and impact funds this summer—is enhancing accountability through fund-level impact ratings.

In this episode, Chi Tran, Senior Associate at Earth Venture Capital, discusses how Vietnam’s rapid economic transformation and strategic focus on climate tech are positioning it as a leader in Southeast Asia’s climate innovation space. We explore how Vietnam’s demographic strengths, renewable energy potential, and trade advantages create a unique environment for impactful investments. Chi shares insights on Earth VC’s approach to navigating the challenges and opportunities within this dynamic market, highlighting Vietnam’s role in driving sustainable solutions and investment returns in the region.

This episode explores how Natural Capital investments address Asia-Pacific’s environmental needs. Antoine Raes, Investment Director for Natural Capital in the APAC region at Mirova, shares insights into Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) that Mirova deploys in Asia, from sustainable agriculture to ocean conservation and land restoration, highlighting the region’s unique opportunities for driving both environmental and economic impact.

In this episode of Impact Investing Musings, Varad Pande, Partner at BCG, dives into the critical role of climate finance in enabling Asia’s just energy transition. With Asia-Pacific accounting for 50% of global emissions, Varad unpacks the region’s unique challenges and opportunities in moving toward sustainable energy solutions. He also shares key insights from the People-Centric Energy Transition in Asia Pacific report by AVPN and BCG, highlighting the importance of prioritizing workers, communities, and SMEs in the transition. 

Join us as we explore the strategies, funding mechanisms, and collaborative approaches needed to drive equitable, people-first solutions for Asia’s energy future.

Links:
Download the People-Centric Energy Transition in Asia Pacific report by AVPN and BCG here: https://web-assets.bcg.com/db/0a/d33c984640fc9c72b6a2a4ef1bbb/bcg-avpn-final-publication-people-centric-energy-transition-in-apac-vupload-1.pdf