Weekly Review October 20-26: What’s Happening in Impact Investing?

The industry is still buzzing after the fifth annual Social Capital Markets (SOCAP) Conference in San Francisco. In addition, there was big news this week on a key impact investment and updates from the unexpected players that have entered the market.

Social Capital Markets Works to Connect World of Impact Investing” Ben Joe Van Brussel on Huffington Post
SOCAP does a lot more than just host the world’s leading impact investing conference, which convened for the fifth time earlier this month. Kevin Jones and his team also practice what they preach. Year round, SOCAP supports social entrepreneurs by providing a space for the like-minded at The HUB Bay Area. The SOCAP team also sponsors and is working to grow a worldwide support network of social entrepreneurs called Hub Cities. More than just an annual conference, SOCAP gives wings to the impact investing movement.

Rewriting the Term Sheet: a Grand Unified Theory of Impact Investing” Review of a SOCAP Plenary Session
In case you missed it, Sasha Dichter of Acumen Fund and John Kohler of Santa Clara University spoke at SOCAP to discuss what works and what doesn’t in impact investing. Both speakers have published significant reports through their respective organizations on strategies for coordinating impact capital. The pair discussed new ways to structure investments to optimize long-term impact, such as a series of rules or practices that align goals and new types of term sheets. The term sheets Kohler refers to are available through Campbell Law Group, and we’re excited to be part of this innovative charge. Check out the term sheets here, which include a customizable sample of our Impact Factoring Fund terms.

Husk Power Systems Set to Scale Reliable and Renewable Energy Solution to Underserved Rural Areas around the World” on Santa Clara University Blog
Husk Power systems, one of the most successful Indian energy social enterprises, recently closed its $5 million Series A round. Participating investors include Bamboo Finance, Acumen Fund, and LGT Venture Philanthropy. Husk is committed to providing energy access to the millions of households in India that are relying on a failing central grid and, as an alumni of the Global Social Benefit Incubator, is a good example of a GSBI success story.

The Impact Investing Grounds Are Shifting” by Ben Thornley on The Huffington Post
On the business corner of the Huffington Post, Ben Thornley writes about recent news of larger players entering the nascent impact investing industry. Since Morgan Stanley released its “Investing with Impact” platform, it has worked to refine its product. Morgan Stanley must walk a fine line to balance its customers’ financial and social returns and appropriately convey the measure of impact that clients’ investments have generated. Outside of wealth management, the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) has launched a Targeted Investment Program uniquely tailored to manage funds for retirees while generating local impact. Clearly, impact investing is becoming attractive to a diverse group of investors and the potential for real impact is growing.

Applications for Village Capital and VentureWell Boston close next week on October 29! Apply here.
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