This Week in Impact

By Impact AlphaBusiness

This Week in Impact episodes

January 10, 2025 Glimmers of hope for impact fundraising
Host Brian Walsh takes up the week’s top stories with ImpactAlpha’s Jessica Pothering. They discuss Jessica's takeaways from her analysis of ImpactAlpha's 2024 set of actively raising impact funds, how catalytic capital is unlocking regenerative agriculture opportunities in Brazil, and why drones are taking off in India for agriculture and economic inclusion.

"⁠Glimmers of hope for impact fund managers shine through the fundraising fog⁠," by Jessica Pothering.
"⁠How catalytic capital helped unlock ecosystem regeneration in Brazil⁠," by Dario Parziale.

"⁠Investors bet on drones to lift agricultural productivity and women’s livelihoods in India⁠," by Shefali Anand.
21 min
December 20, 2024 Looking ahead to 2025
In the final podcast episode of the year, host Brian Walsh takes up the trends that ImpactAlpha will be following in 2025 with editor David Bank. On our radar: Impact investors lean into economic populism with the ownership economy; climate gets a new narrative for the Trump era; and emerging markets attract local capital for local needs as better data rebuts misperceptions of risk.

Check out all of this year's ⁠lookaheads on ImpactAlpha⁠.
19 min
December 13, 2024Policy-enhanced impact investing + community ownership models
Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week:
How lobbying and advocacy are being used by family offices for “policy enhanced impact investing.”
“⁠These investors are raising their lobbying game to enhance their social impact⁠,” by David Bank.

How a California community lender is focusing on community ownership models to combat the displacement of small businesses and nonprofits.
“⁠Community Vision’s ownership strategy for combating displacement of small businesses and nonprofits in California⁠,” by Roodgally Senatus.
“⁠How community ownership benefits investors and communities⁠,” Aisha Benson and Christina Hollenback.

And, a look at the rapidly evolving off-grid solar industry in Africa.
“⁠Commercial lenders wake up to Africa's fastest-growing solar sector⁠,” by Lucy Ngige.
23 min
December 06, 2024How much is enough in employee ownership?
Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week:
The tale of two different ownership economy models for increasing employee wealth
⁠As private equity firms start to share the wealth, low-income workers get just a little bit⁠ by Roody Senatus

⁠Meet 22 funds raising capital to finance high-impact transitions to employee ownership⁠ by David Bank

RSVP for ⁠next week's Call⁠ where we'll screen our Napoleon Wallace documentary.

Lessons learned from 10 years and $1.9 billion of catalytic investments from ⁠British International Investment⁠.
And, the untapped potential for investment and innovation in the ⁠US care economy⁠.
21 min
November 22, 2024 Agents of Impact articulate new narratives for a post-election reality
Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Highlights from this week’s post-election ⁠Agents of Impact Call⁠; the news that ⁠Donald Trump Jr⁠. is joining a quasi-impact investing fund targeting an underserved market – conservative consumers; and, how ⁠catalytic capital warehousing⁠ could help emerging managers finance the sustainable development goals.
15 min
November 14, 2024 The search is on for global climate leadership + hospitals investing in social determinants of health
Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week:
Previewing next week's Agents of Impact Call (⁠RSVP NOW!⁠)
The search is on for ⁠global climate leadership⁠ at COP29-- and ⁠women are front and center⁠.
How ⁠hospitals are partnering with community lenders⁠ to invest in the social determinants of health
Plus, a look at some of our ⁠top deals of the week⁠.
18 min
November 07, 2024 Impact investors take stock after the US election
Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Initial reactions from agents of impact to President Trump's re-election; an update on some of the funding already being distributed from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund; and how a mutual aid network in Asheville, North Carolina is helping overlooked entrepreneurs rebuild after Hurricane Helene.
24 min
October 31, 2024 The vibe at this year's SOCAP + family offices lean towards climate
Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: The ImpactAlpha team was at the ⁠SOCAP conference in SF⁠, where the focus was on systemic change; how private investors are pouring more money into ⁠blended finance transactions⁠; and, why global ⁠family offices⁠ are slowly warming up to climate investments.
15 min
October 24, 2024 1.5 trillion dollars of impact capital, from commercial to catalytic
Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank, dialing in from Amsterdam. Up this week: The GIIN’s new report pegs the impact investing market at ⁠$1.5 trillion…ish⁠; the reasons for and significance of the news that the ⁠Catalytic Capital Consortium⁠ is doubling down rather than shutting down its efforts to expand the use of the financing tool; and, a preview of ImpactAlpha’s ⁠new documentary⁠ on the North Carolina model, premiering at SOCAP next week. Check out ⁠the trailer⁠.

Register for ⁠SOCAP24⁠ using the code “s24_ImpactAlpha” to save $250.
21 min
October 17, 2024 Strategies for housing affordability and ownership
Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Highlights from ⁠this week’s Agents of Impact Call⁠ on putting an ownership lens on housing affordability; how and why to restore ⁠trust in voluntary carbon markets⁠⁠; and, Amazon and Google opt for the nuclear option in their drive to supply their power-hungry data centers with carbon-free energy.
21 min