The Finpact - Impact Meets Finance

In this episode of the Finpact Podcast I speak with Anshul Magotra, Impact Investor, and the Co-founder of Social Innovation Circle (SIC).

Anshul Magotra is the Co-founder & Partner at Social Innovation Circle (SIC), a prominent funding and coaching platform dedicated to supporting social innovators in accessing new funding opportunities. With a wealth of experience in advising social entrepreneurs on fundraising initiatives, Anshul has played a pivotal role in securing impact funding across diverse sectors such as healthcare, climate change, education, and digital literacy.

In addition to his role at SIC, Anshul is an accomplished impact investor and holds positions on the Boards of several social enterprises in Asia. His commitment to social impact is further underscored by his previous role as a Senior Consultant for Social Finance at Ashoka, the world's largest network of leading social entrepreneurs. Prior to his engagement with Ashoka, Anshul accrued 8 years of valuable experience in corporate and investment banking.

Anshul is a prolific writer, frequently sharing insights on social innovation and the transformative potential of finance as a catalyst for change. Beyond his analytical work, he finds joy in crafting short stories that illuminate the captivating journeys of social innovators driving positive change.

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

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

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

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

About Regenerate Asset Management

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

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

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

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

In this episode I speak with Arman Anatürk, the Co-Founder and CEO of HackCapital, on building the infrastructure platform for sustainable finance.

Arman Anatürk is the Co-Founder and CEO of HackCapital, an investment platform that aims to unlock billions in new capital towards private companies working on impact solutions. He is also a founding member of FoodHack, the world's largest foodtech community.

Arman is passionate about using technology to solve some of the world's biggest challenges, such as climate change and food security. He believes that HackCapital can play a key role in mobilizing capital towards these important areas.

Arman is a strong advocate for building community and infrastructure to support impact investing. He believes that by working together, we can create a more sustainable and equitable future.

About HackCapital

HackCapital is a platform that provides purpose-built fundraising and liquidity tools for impact funds and startups. The platform offers a variety of features, including:

• Roll-up vehicles: This feature allows startups and syndicates to roll up multiple investors as a single line on their cap table. This can make it easier for startups to raise capital and for investors to track their investments. Bring in an unlimited number of smaller ticket investors, without crowding your cap table.
• Feeder funds: This feature allows fund managers to roll up multiple investors as a single LP into their fund. This can help fund managers to raise capital more quickly and efficiently.
• Micro vehicles: This feature is designed for emerging managers who are looking for an alternative option to quickly set up and raise an investment vehicle.
• Custom structures: HackCapital can also help investors to structure investments into target assets. This can be helpful for investors who are looking to invest in specific impact sectors or regions.

In addition to these features, HackCapital also offers a number of benefits, including:

• New investor base: HackCapital can help investors to access a new pool of investors who are interested in impact investing.
• Increased liquidity: HackCapital's platform is designed to accommodate secondaries, which can help investors to sell their investments more easily.
• Fully digitized: HackCapital's platform is fully digitized, which can save time and money for investors and fund managers.
• 24-hour setup speed: HackCapital's platform can be set up in a matter of hours, not weeks.
• Neutrality: HackCapital is a neutral platform, which means that it does not compete with its investors or investees.
• EU based: HackCapital is based in Switzerland and Luxembourg, which gives it a strong legal and regulatory framework.

HackCapital is a valuable tool for impact investors and fund managers who are looking to raise capital and manage their investments more effectively. The platform's features and benefits can help investors to access a new pool of investors, increase liquidity, save time and money, and achieve their impact goals.

In this episode I speak with Jessica Burley, Investor at Planet A Ventures, on investing in early-stage startups that are developing climate change solutions.

Jessica Burley is an investor at Planet A Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in climate tech startups. She holds a Politics degree from Cambridge University and has a background in climate finance and sustainable development. Prior to joining Planet A, she worked as an analyst at a climate VC firm and as a researcher for the United Nations.

What is Planet A Ventures?

Planet A Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in climate tech startups. The firm was founded in 2022 and has raised €160 million for its first fund, which it plans to invest in early-stage startups that are developing solutions to climate change.

Planet A's Investment Thesis

Planet A invests in climate tech startups that are working to decarbonize the economy. The firm's investment thesis is based on the following pillars:

• Science-based targets: Planet A only invests in startups that have set ambitious science-based targets to reduce their emissions.
• Impact: Planet A measures the impact of its investments on the environment.
• Diversity: Planet A is committed to investing in a diverse set of startups, including those founded by women and people of color.

Some of the Companies in Planet A's Portfolio

Some of the companies in Planet A's portfolio include:

• Carbon Re: Carbon Re is a company that uses artificial intelligence to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
• Makersite: Makersite is a company that helps companies manage their product supply chains in a sustainable way.
• one.five: one.five is a company that makes circular biomaterials that can replace single-use plastics.

Planet A Ventures is a leading venture capital firm that is investing in climate tech startups. The firm's mission is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable economy. Fridtjof Detzner and the team at Planet A are passionate about making a positive impact on the planet, and they are committed to investing in the next generation of climate tech innovators.

If you are a startup that is developing solutions to climate change, I encourage you to reach out to Planet A Ventures. The firm is always looking for new investment opportunities.

Laura Ortiz Montemayor is a living-systems thinker and mompreneur. As the founder of SVX México, she is deeply passionate about fostering Regenerative Culture, preserving biodiversity, and advocating for Impact Investing. Laura's ultimate mission is to redirect capital towards serving life rather than controlling it, and she dedicates her efforts to transforming investment paradigms.

Over the years, Laura has focused her work on driving social, economic, and environmental justice through providing advice and education on Impact Investment. She actively contributes as a board member of the Mexico Impact Investing Steering Committee and Taskforce (AII MX) and volunteers as a mentor for ALTERNARE A.C. Laura is also one of the founding members of the ASEM (Mexican Association of Entrepreneurs).

Currently, Laura and her business partner, Stevie Smyth, are diligently structuring their inaugural fund, Regenera Ventures. This fund is dedicated to investing in the regenerative transition for rural Mexico, with a gender lens and a landscape approach. Laura's expertise has reached an extensive audience, as she has taught impact investing, climate finance, and regenerative economy principles to over 1,400 Latin American investors. Her valuable insights have been shared in various countries, amplifying her impact on a global scale.

Prior to her entrepreneurial journey, Laura accumulated over eight years of experience in wealth and asset management, working with prestigious institutions such as BBVA and Citi Banamex. Her educational background includes a degree in International Business from ITESM (Tec de Monterrey), along with certifications in Impact Investment from Oxford University, Regenerative Entrepreneurship from UCI, Venture Capital and Private Equity Seminar from RiskMathics, Investment Management training from ANDE, and Behavioral Economics from NYU.

Laura's commitment to making a difference extends beyond her professional endeavors. As an angel investor in Desplastifícate and a micro investor through collective finance in two other social and environmental impact companies, she actively supports ventures aligned with her values. Laura's unwavering dedication and diverse experiences make her a true force for positive change.

Krisztina Tora, as the Chief Market Development Officer at GSG, plays a pivotal role in mobilizing capital for positive impact across 70 nations. Her expertise extends to advising governments, financial institutions, and other stakeholders on strategies to accelerate capital flow, ultimately benefiting both people and the planet.

She champions the cause of systemic change, with a particular emphasis on addressing the financing gap for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in emerging markets. Krisztina also leads efforts to drive policy transformations and the establishment of innovative financial instruments and impact funds.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About The Radical Fund

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

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

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

Their Vision:

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

In this episode of The Finpact podcast, I speak with Sheeba Sen, Co-founder of Hasten Ventures, on developing large scale ecosystem regeneration projects.

Sheeba Sen is the co-founder of Hasten Ventures. Before Hasten Ventures, Sheeba was the Founder and CEO at Alaap, an organization working in Kumaon to bring back the native forests of the Himalayas through innovative community driven models. She’s studied Law at Oxford University and International Relations at LSE before working for Aarohi as an Executive Head.

About Hasten Ventures

Hasten Ventures designs and develops large scale ecosystem regeneration projects. Our approach is founded on bundling regenerative technologies and processes to address forests, water, soil, food and energy needs of a landscape and its people. Through the implementation of our high quality and high integrity projects, we aim to sequester and store CO2 at scale, exponentially improve biodiversity in the region, significantly improve water and soil assets and create economic engines of growth in our project regions.

At the heart of the projects is ecosystem restoration through regenerative forest, air, water, soil, food, and energy solutions using an integrated systems approach. The goal of Hasten Ventures is to build natural capital infrastructure to heal the planet while creating opportunities for economic development & social equity.

Their goals include:

• Create dense native forests comprising 500 million trees by 2030
• Sequester 100 million tonnes of CO2e by 2030
• Increase biodiversity exponentially in all projects
• Create long term sustainable livelihoods for local communities