Shows
Financing ImpactMalengo - with Gladys Amule, Johannes Haushofer and Richard NerlandIn our 10th episode, we take a deep-dive into Malengo, an organization that facilitates international educational migration. Malengo helps students from low-income countries with admissions and financing for a bachelor’s degree in a high-income country. We discuss why migration is an important lever for development, and how income-share agreements can make supporting it a worthwhile impact investment. Our guests bring in 3 different perspectives. Johannes Haushofer is a development economist who founded Malengo based on findings from his research. Richard Nerland is an economist with a passion for academic economics and international development. Convinced by Malengo’s pote...
2023-08-021h 24Financing ImpactInstitutional investors and net zero - with Brunno Maradei and Wiebke MerbethIn our ninth episode, Brunno Maradei and Wiebke Merbeth discuss the role of institutional investors in achieving net zero. Institutional investors such as pension funds or insurers invest on behalf of others. Wiebke is member of the Sustainable Finance Advisory Committee to the German Government and a partner at Deloitte, and Brunno is Global Head of Responsible Investment at Aegon Asset Management. Both point out that the sheer trillions of € that institutional investors manage make them key stakeholders for a transformation agenda involving financial markets. We discuss the toolbox institutional investors have at their disposal, but also that their st...
2023-06-1349 minFinancing ImpactImpact investing in EdTech - with Marie-Christine Levet and John SoleanicovIn our eight episode, we discuss impact investing in EdTech. Our guests bring a complementary perspective: Marie-Christine Levet is founding partner at Educapital, a European EdTech VC that closed its second fund with a €150 million closing. John Soleanicov works for the Jacobs Foundation, which committed CHF 30 million to impact investments into EdTech, and CHF 10 million funding for accompanying research. We discuss the rationale for promoting EdTech and the complementary roles of grants and impact investments. We hear about Educapital’s and the Jacobs Foundation’s approach to impact measurement, and how Marie-Christine incentives her team to strive for more impact...
2023-05-1649 minFinancing ImpactImpact investing in public markets - with Krisztina Tora and Eric RiceIn our seventh episode, we discuss impact investing in public markets with Krisztina Tora and Eric Rice. Krisztina is Chief Market Development Officer at GSG, the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment. Eric is head of Active Equities Impact Investing at Blackrock, the world’s largest asset manager. In our conversation, we discuss what makes impact investing through the stock market different from investing in private equity or other asset classes. We talk about what it takes to democratize impact investing and the role of shareholder engagement to achieve impact. Eric shares Blackrock’s strategy to build a universe of p...
2023-01-091h 04Financing ImpactDeep impact investing - with Charly KleissnerIn our sixth episode, Charly Kleissner shares his investment philosophy, which he calls “deep impact investing”. Charly came into wealth as a technologist building several very successful companies in Silicon Valley. He developed the basis for what later became Apple’s OS with Steve Jobs at Next, but considers the B2B eCommerce company Ariba his masterpiece. Since selling his Ariba stock, Charly has devoted himself to impact investing to give meaning to his wealth. He co-founded Toniic, a network for likeminded impact investors, to share knowledge and deal flow. Under the umbrella of Toniic, he also launched the 100% Networ...
2022-09-051h 06Financing ImpactFostering social innovation – with Gorgi Krlev and Dominik DomnikIn our fifth episode, Gorgi Krlev and Dominik Domnik discuss what it takes to foster innovation that benefits society. We delve into what social innovation is, and what role public policy and specific funding instruments play for the growth of the sector. Gorgi is an assistant professor of sustainability at ESCP Paris. He has conducted a study comparing and assessing approaches from 10 different countries to support social innovation. Dominik works for LMU’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. He has previously worked for a foundation and a family office and set-up his own social business. They discuss the rationale for fa...
2022-07-0637 minFinancing ImpactSystems thinking for climate finance – with Dominic Hofstetter and Kirsten DunlopIn our fourth episode, Kirsten Dunlop and Dominic Hofstetter discuss why adopting a systems thinking perspective is key to tackling the climate crisis. They explain that it’s necessary to overcome a project-by-project mentality to achieve structural change. We hear why achieving a net-zero economy calls for an approach as ambitious as the Marshall plan. Both guests argue for the need to build portfolios of investments that are connected and create synergies to achieve sustainable transformation. Kirsten and Dominic also discuss how such an investment logic is at odds with traditional finance portfolios, which are built for diversification to re...
2022-06-0138 minFinancing ImpactPower dynamics in funding – with Marta Zaccagnini and Ben WrobelIn our third episode, Marta Zaccagnini and Ben Wrobel discuss power dynamics in funding within the impact investing space and in philanthropy. They explain why shifting decision-making power to those with lived experience of the problem at hand is both timely and leads to better outcomes. For impact investing, we look into the peer selected investment approach of Village Capital, where Marta is a manager. Ben, who co-wrote a book on participatory approaches in philanthropy and impact investing, analyzes what decision making processes in foundations and investment funds have in common. We hear examples of organizations that have introduced...
2022-03-3133 minFinancing ImpactFunding social businesses - with Aunnie Patton Power and Julia WinklerIn our second episode, Aunnie Patton Power and Julia Winkler discuss the challenges associated with funding purpose-driven organizations and how to overcome them. Aunnie is an angel investor, an academic, an adviser to funders and founders, and an author. Her book “Adventure Finance” presents innovative funding options for startups and businesses that are not a fit for the venture capital world. Julia is the co-founder of Volunteer Vision, a digital mentoring platform promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce. Her social business is funded by impact investors, and she shares the lessons learned from her fundraising journey. We discuss innovative fund...
2022-03-0745 minFinancing ImpactDormant assets - with Stephen Muers and Antonis SchwarzIn our first episode, Stephen Muers and Antonis Schwarz discuss how dormant assets can be leveraged to finance impact. Dormant assets are, for example, bank accounts which haven't been touched for many years and for which the owner cannot be found. In the UK, dormant assets have been used for over a decade to fund social impact investment. Stephen is the CEO of Big Society Capital, the financial institution through which these funds are channeled to investments that generate both a financial and a social return (e.g. social housing). Antonis is a philanthropist and impact investor who has...
2022-02-0134 min