I’m preparing to launch something very special and BIG!

In the last seven years, I have embarked on an amazing journey.

I discovered what the blockchain could do and how important this new technology is for the future of our society.

And, I’ve been amazed by how much can still be done.

So… brace yourself. Something big is coming!

On that note, I’m gonna take a break from my podcast and newsletter, and dedicate all my time and energy to the launch of…

Nope, I can’t tell you now. 🤐

But no worries, I’ll be back soon!

Enjoy the end of the summer,

Elisa, the Impact Lady

This Week We Are Diving Into:

1. Good Gossip
2. News & Opportunities

Good Gossip

Congrats to … 

• James Purcell ↪ has been appointed Head of Sustainability Frameworks at Credit Suisse, a leading global wealth manager with strong investment banking capabilities.

• Gina Panayiotou ↪ has been appointed ESG manager at West P&I, a leading mutual marine insurer providing its worldwide membership of shipowners, charterers and operators with liability insurance and related services.

• Mark Watson ↪ has been appointed Head of ESG advisory for Asia Pacific at Teneo, a leadership consulting firm.

• Gui Ee Leen ↪ has been appointed Human Resources Partner at Gobi Partners, a Pan-Asian venture capital firm.

• Koolboks ↪ raised $2.5M in seed funding to scale solar refrigeration across Africa. Lead investor: Aruwa Capital Management. Other investors: Acumen, PG Impact (Verein), All On, GSMA 

• iProcure ↪ raised $10.2M in Series B funding to expand in Uganda and Tanzania.

• BankTech Ventures ↪ raised $115M in funding to support innovation and investment return for community banks and bank tech companies.

• Phospholutions ↪ raised $5.3M in funding to support the commercialization of their RhizoSorb technology in the U.S. row crop market. Lead investors: Ospraie Ag Sciences (OAS), Bunge Ventures, the for-profit, global investment arm of Bunge, and UPL Ltd.

• Econic Technologies ↪ raised £10.4M Series D funding  to support the commercialisation of its catalyst and process technology. Lead investors: CM Venture Capital Fund III, GC Ventures Company Limited and ING Sustainable Investments B.V.

News & Opportunities

India’s Exponent Energy might have found the secret to deliver 15-minute rapid charging

Massive iron batteries could be key to displacing natural gas from the grid

Biden Signs Most Significant US Climate Investment into Law

Burberry’s Net Zero Emissions Goals Approved by SBTi

Apple Invests in Clean Energy

BlackRock announced acquisition of Australian Battery Storage Provider Akaysha

It should not be necessary to add any disclaimer but … Let’s say it anyway! This is not financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. DYOR - Do Your Own Research!

If you are a tech startup there at least are some basic things you have to make right.

And… if you are in Impact in Tech, well…there are a few more.

But first things first. 

Before diving deep into the perfect pitch, here is one of my favourite quotes and the first things you need to get right, even before you start thinking about pitching a startup to anyone.

“If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.”  –Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn Co-Founder and Venture Capitalist

Enjoy!

Elisa, the Impact Lady

This Week We Are Diving Into:

1. The Perfect Pitch in Impact Investing In Tech
2. Good Gossip
3. News & Opportunities

The Perfect Pitch in Impact Investing In Tech - with Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Enjoy the audio or watch the video. You are in charge!

📺 VIDEO VERSION

📣 AUDIO VERSION

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

Good Gossip

Congrats to … 

• Kelly Hagg ↪ has been appointed Senior Managing Director and Head of Responsible Investing Strategy & Solutions at Nuveen, an investment manager.

• Claus Nussgruber ↪ has been appointed Chief Executive Officer at Utility Global, the pioneering sustainable hydrogen company.

• Tom Proverbs-Garbett ↪ has been appointed Associate Director at RSM UK, the leading global network.

• Theodore Sheen ↪ has been appointed Head of Clean Tech at  Standard Chartered Bank, the leading international banking group.

• Utility Global ↪ raised $25M in Series B funding for final product and systems development, expansion of manufacturing capability, and new strategic hires. Lead investor: Ara Partners. Other investors: Samsung Ventures, NOVA and Aramco

• Orange EV ↪ raised $35M in funding to Scale EV trucking solutions. Lead investors: S2G Ventures and CCI

• SecondCircle ↪ raised €1.2M in a pre-seed round to turn CO2 emissions into gold. Lead investor: Atlantic Labs

• Beacon Power Services ↪ raised $2.7M in funding to improve electricity access for Sub-Saharan African cities. 

• Vespene Energy ↪ raised $4.3M in a financing round to bolster gas-to-bitcoin solutions. Lead investor: Polychain Capital

News & Opportunities

FedEx Office Launched Pilot of Ford Electric Vans

Ford Signs Record Breaking Renewable Energy Deal

Estée Lauder to Transition to 100% Electric Fleet of Vehicles by 2030

CBRE Group Signs $3.5 Billion Facility Linked to Sustainability Goals

Chicago commits to 100% renewable energy by 2025

Iberdrola to Invest $170 Million UK Green Hydrogen Plant

It should not be necessary to add any disclaimer but … Let’s say it anyway! This is not financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. DYOR - Do Your Own Research!

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

CONNECT: Twitter | Elisa on Twitter | Elisa on Linkedin

Have you ever heard about a Megatrend?

It would be easier if a Megatrend were just a name of a Sci-Fi robot from the future.

The reality is that megatrends are macroeconomic forces that are shaping our world and our future – with huge implications for our society.

Whether for some people megatrends highlights challenges and risks, I like to think about them as opportunities. It means we can work together in advance to deescalate threats by investing, promoting and leading projects and businesses that are both sustainable and accelerated by new technologies.

Tesla is just one example where new technologies are accelerating sustainability to solve the challenges of megatrends like clean energy by completely revolutionizing an industry.

Let’s dive deep into these two Megatrends for 2022 and beyond.

Enjoy!

Elisa, the Impact Lady

This Week We Are Diving Into:

1. Megatrends In 2022 And Beyond: Sustainability And New Technologies
2. Good Gossip
3. News & Opportunities

Megatrends In 2022 And Beyond: Sustainability And New Technologies - with Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Enjoy the audio or watch the video. You are in charge!

📺 VIDEO VERSION

📣 AUDIO VERSION

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

Good Gossip

Congrats to … 

• Jan Ernst de Groot ↪ has been appointed Chief Sustainability Officer at Ahold Delhaize, the Dutch parent of U.S. brands such as Food Lion and The Giant Company.

• David Thomas ↪ has been appointed Senior Portfolio Manager at Robeco, a pure-play international asset manager founded in 1929.

• Jayne Mammatt and Jyoti Vallabh ↪ have been appointed Sustainability and Climate Change specialists at Deloitte Africa, a Global professional services firm. 

• Jeanne Ng ↪ has been appointed Chief Sustainability Officer at BlueOnion, a subsidiary of WealthAsia

• Proof of Impact ↪ raised $6M in Series A funding to accelerate go-to-market efforts focused on private credit and private equity fund managers. Lead investor: Rakuten Capital. Other investors: Franklin Templeton Blockchain Fund, Five T, Blockrocket VC, Advaita Capital, Franklin Templeton Advisors, CV VC, Working Capital Fund, Asiri and Oxford Angel Fund

• Terabase Energy ↪ raised $44M in Series B funding to digitalize and automate the deployment of utility-scale solar power plants. Lead investors: Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Prelude Ventures, and SJF Ventures

• Longroad Energy Holdings ↪ raised $500M to help drive a major expansion in its wind, solar and storage portfolio. Lead investor: MEAG. Other investors: NZ Super Fund and Infratil

• VoltStorage ↪ raised £24M in Series C financing to develop larger-scale redox flow storage systems for commercial and agricultural enterprises. Lead investor: Cummins Inc. 

• Aurora Hydrogen ↪ raised $10M in Series A funding to develop emission-free, low-cost hydrogen technology. Lead investor: Energy Innovation Capital. Other investors: Williams, Shell Ventures, Chevron Technology Ventures and the George Kaiser Family Foundation

• Buoyant Ventures ↪ raised $50M to cash in on emissions mitigation.

News & Opportunities

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to Launch Inaugural Green Bond

BP to Invest up to $60 Million in new EV Battery Research & Development Centre

Sprite ditches its iconic green bottle to boost green packaging

BASF to Surpass 25% Renewable Energy in North America

Lear Corporation Commits to 100% Renewable Energy

Biden announced the launch of the Climate Smart Buildings Initiative

It should not be necessary to add any disclaimer but … Let’s say it anyway! This is not financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. DYOR - Do Your Own Research!

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

CONNECT: Twitter | Elisa on Twitter | Elisa on Linkedin

Despite the (in)famous Tweet of Donald Trump on 6 Nov 2012:

“The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.”

The world invested $920 billion in clean energy deployment and innovation in 2021 - according to BloombergNEF.

And the Big Tech companies are a big part of it.

Do you want to know why?

Let’s talk about it in today’s episode!

Watch this week’s video or listen to the audio.

Enjoy!

Elisa, the Impact Lady

This Week We Are Diving Into:

1. 6 Reasons Big Tech Is Investing in ClimateTech (And Why You Should Care)
2. Good Gossip
3. News & Opportunities

6 Reasons Big Tech Is Investing in Climate Tech (And Why You Should Care) - with Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Enjoy the audio or watch the video. You are in charge!

📺 VIDEO VERSION

📣 AUDIO VERSION

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

Good Gossip

Congrats to … 

• Donna Riley Bebb ↪ has been appointed Head of ESG at Thoma Bravo, a private equity manager.

• Ellen Jackowski  ↪ has been appointed Chief Sustainability Officer at Mastercard, a global technology company in the payments industry.

• Jörg Eigendorf  ↪ has been appointed Chief Sustainability Officer at Deutsche Bank, a Global Hausbank.

• Dr. Alicia Williams ↪ has been appointed Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Saks, the premier luxury e-commerce platform.

• Octopus Energy ↪ raised $550M in funding to invest in renewables-enabling technologies and solutions.

• Arable ↪ raised $40M in Series C financing to advance climate resilience in agriculture. Lead investor: Galvanize Climate Solutions. Other investors: Qualcomm Ventures, Prelude Ventures, S2G Ventures, Ajax Strategies, Grupo Jacto, Middleland Capital, M2O and iSelect

• Fifth Wall ↪ raised $500M to invest in software, hardware, renewable energy, energy storage, smart buildings and carbon sequestration technologies.

• Systemiq ↪ raised $70M to fund early-stage climate tech founders.

News & Opportunities

Singapore’s MAS and Google launch Climate Fintech Incubator Program

Australia introduced legislation to enshrine climate targets into law

AllianceBernstein announced a new climate commitment to achieve net zero emissions

Accenture Invests in ESG Measurement Platform PulsESG

Iberdrola Signs $550 Million Green Loan with EIB

Unilever launches sustainable laundry capsule with reduced carbon, plastic footprint

It should not be necessary to add any disclaimer but … Let’s say it anyway! This is not financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. DYOR - Do Your Own Research!

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

CONNECT: Twitter | Elisa on Twitter | Elisa on Linkedin

There is some massive news: “The Merge” is coming!

No, this is not a fantasy name for an alien invasion of the world.

But it is a world game-changer regarding Crypto and Sustainability.

In fact, the next step for Ethereum in cutting the energy consumption - the so-called “The Merge” - is just a few weeks away.

But what is the difference between Ethereum and Ethereum 2 and how will the energy usage reduction be reached?

And… why is that so important for impact investing and the SDGs?

Let’s talk about it in today’s episode!

Watch this week’s video or listen to the audio.

Enjoy!

Elisa, the Impact Lady

This Week We Are Diving Into:

1. ETH2: a New Era For Sustainability in Web3
2. Good Gossip
3. News & Opportunities

– Elisa & Stefano, the Impact Couple

ETH2: a New Era For Sustainability in Web3 - with Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Enjoy the audio or watch the video. You are in charge!

📺 VIDEO VERSION

📣 AUDIO VERSION

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

Good Gossip

Congrats to … 

• Julie Wallace ↪ has been appointed Head of Impact at LeapFrog Investments, an impact-focused investment firm.

• Yasuhiko Ushikubo ↪ has been appointed Chief Sustainability Officer at  Mizuho Financial Group, a Tokyo-based banking and financial services company.

• Robyn Grew ↪ has been appointed President at Man Group, a global active investment management firm.

• Reiko Mito ↪ has been appointed Head of Japan Equity Strategy and Research at Martin Currie, a global active equity specialist headquartered in Edinburgh and part of the Franklin Templeton group.

• TAE Technologies ↪ raised $250M in a finance round to fund the construction of the company’s sixth-generation research reactor. Lead investors: Google, Chevron and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas

• Source Global ↪ raised $130M Series D equity financing to further scale its commercial, community, and consumer offerings globally and to accelerate innovation in advanced renewable water technologies. Lead investors: Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Drawdown Fund. Other investors: Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, Fifth Wall, Blackrock, WIND Ventures, Duke Energy, Harvard Management Company, Material Impact Partners, Monashee Capital, and the Lightsmith Group.

• Nexii Building Solutions ↪ raised $35M in funding to accelerate the company’s manufacturing capacity. Lead investors: Horizon Technology Finance Corporation and Trinity Capital

• Terra CO2 Technology ↪ raised $46M in a Series A round of funding to decarbonize cement manufacturing. Lead investors: Breakthrough Energy Ventures and LENX. Other investors: Creative Ventures and Rio Tinto

• IQM ↪ raised $128M in a funding round to deliver carbon cuts by megatonne. Lead investor: World Fund

• TomoCredit ↪ raised $22M in a Series B round to make credit scores obsolete.

News & Opportunities

TCS Launched ESG Integration Tool for Investors

India Implements Single Use Plastic Ban

Shell Invests $38 Million in Forest Preservation

PepsiCo announced collaboration with Iberdrola

FactSet Announced Net Zero Commitment by 2040

UK Commits to Net Zero Domestic Aviation and Airports by 2040

It should not be necessary to add any disclaimer but … Let’s say it anyway! This is not financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. DYOR - Do Your Own Research!

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

CONNECT: Twitter | Elisa on Twitter | Elisa on Linkedin

Some people think of Bitcoin as weird gold.

Bitcoin is gold for nerds.
— Stephen Colbert, Comedian

Half of the financial headlines agree that it’s time to sell your Bitcoin. The other half? They argue exactly the opposite, of course.

They all miss the point (… except Stephen Colbert. He’s funny and we love him, so he’s right even when he’s wrong.)

In the media business, they say “Good deeds don’t make good headlines”.

There is much more than the Bitcoin price going up and down.

Do you want to know more? Easy, watch this week’s video or listen to the audio.

Enjoy!

Elisa
The Impact Lady

This week we are diving into:

1. How Blockchain is Making Impact Across Industries (Video + Audio podcast)
2. Good Gossip
3. News and Opportunities

How Blockchain is Making Impact Across Industries - with Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Enjoy the audio or watch the video. You are in charge!

📺 VIDEO VERSION

📣 AUDIO VERSION

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

Good Gossip

Congrats to … 

• Markus Müller ↪ has been appointed ESG Chief Investment Officer at Deutsche Bank, the leading German bank with strong European roots and a global network

• Mike Gozzo ↪ has been appointed Chief Product Officer at Ada, a brand interaction platform that automates more valuable interactions.

• Darryl Riley ↪ has been appointed Chief Sustainability Officer at Hostess, a sweet snacks company focused on developing, manufacturing, marketing, selling and distributing products in North America.

• William Marr ↪ has been appointed Senior Managing Director at Welton Investment Partners, the alternative investment manager focused on the pursuit of consistent returns across market environments.

• Novoloop ↪ raised $10M in Series A funding to begin developing industrial capabilities. Lead investors: Mistletoe Singapore and Hanwha Solutions

• Electra ↪ raised €160M in a funding round to expand its presence in France and across Europe by providing fast-charging solutions. Lead investor: Eurazeo

• Partners Capital ↪ raised $143M to invest in private equity opportunities focusing on proven technological innovations and long-established businesses.

• Climes ↪ raised $1.2M in funding to create a roadmap for companies to become the market leaders in climate change. Lead investors: Sequoia Capital India, Kalaari Capital, Nithin Kamath (Zerodha, Rainmatter) and Avaana Capital. Other investors: Keshav Reddy (Reddy Futures), Arjun Gupta (Smart Joules), Akshay Singhal (Log9 Materials), Satyen Kothari (Cube Wealth), and Anshuman Bapna (Terra.do) from Stanford Angels

News & Opportunities

Shell to build Europe’s ‘largest’ renewable hydrogen plant in 2025

Pfizer announced a commitment to achieve Net-Zero by 2040

LGIM launched Net Zero Global Corporate Bond fund

PwC Australia launched Dedicated Energy Transition Practice to help facilitate Australia’s successful transition to a decarbonised economy by 2050

BT Pension Scheme announced decarbonisation goals for its 2035 net-zero goal

Deepki acquired Fabriq to improve ESG performance of real estate assets

CONNECT: Twitter | Elisa on Twitter | Elisa on Linkedin

It should not be necessary to add any disclaimer but … Let’s say it anyway! This is not financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. DYOR - Do Your Own Research!

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

CONNECT: Twitter | Elisa on Twitter | Elisa on Linkedin

Exciting news! We are experimenting with a new format.

No, not this one.

We are taking this week off, and we’ll be back next week with the biggest and bolder episode of Impact in Tech.

Instead of two separate newsletters (Text-Tuesday & Video-Thursday), we’ll merge news and podcast into a weekly newsletter.

• Let’s get everything in one place: Your inbox, every Thursday, starting July 21st, 2022.

• Plus, a community event (online and physical), real-time news on social media, and other surprises. Check the next episodes for the full set of information.

Let’s keep making an impact together!

Elisa
The Impact Lady

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

CONNECT: Twitter | Elisa on Twitter | Elisa on Linkedin

This week’s newsletter is shorter than usual. We had a great time meeting Sir John Lorimer, the Lieutenant Governor for the Isle of Man, Hon Laurence David Skelly MLC President of the Parliament of the Isle of Man and Hon Daphne Caine MHK, and the Climate Change team.

Fear not! I’ll be a speaker at FTT DeFi 2022, a physical + online event on deFining a new age of financial services. After my speech, we’ll gather with the Impact Nation and the event’s community. Feel free to join, ask questions, let’s get a drink (or tea) together.

Celebrate, learn, grow, have fun … together.

This Week We Are Diving Into:

1. Let’s meet at FTT DeFi 2022
2. Good Gossip
3. News & Opportunities
4. Coming Soon: Video Podcast with Elisa Giudici

Elisa
The Impact Lady

FTT DeFi 2022

FTT DeFi will bring together the community of 700+ innovators and creators who are challenging the established thinking, and the establishment, when it comes to the future of financial services and beyond.

Learn more about the agenda here.

I’ll be at the “The big questions stage” at 11:30 talking about “Rethinking financial services to unlock inclusive DeFi”. See you there!

REGISTER HERE

Good Gossip

Congrats to … 

• Karen Lee ↪ has been appointed Head of Partnerships and Advocacy at AIA, the market leader in Asia based on life insurance premiums.

• Dörte Höppner ↪ has been appointed Chief Sustainability Officer at The Riverside Company, a global investment firm focused on being one of the leading private capital options for investors, business owners and employees.

• Bey Soo Khiang ↪ has been appointed to be a member of a new Sustainability Reporting Advisory Committee (SRAC) at Royal Golden Eagle, a global group of resource-based manufacturing companies.

• Dr. Mark Cruise ↪ has been appointed Independent Non-Executive Director at Bunker Hill Mining Corp., the foundational asset in a modern high-margin mining company.

• Maya Capital ↪ raised $100M in funding to triple the firm’s assets under management and invest in another 25 to 30 companies.

• Cleartrace ↪ raised $20M to accelerate the growth of its carbon and energy management platform. Lead investor: ClearSky Other investors: Brookfield Renewable, EDF Energy North America, Tenaska & Exelon

• True Wealth Ventures ↪ raised $35M in new capital to back women-led startups.

• Energy Dome ↪ raised $11M bridge funding round to accelerate the development of its larger, ten-hour duration 20MW/200MWh system. Lead investors: CDP Venture Capital Sgr & Barclays. Other investors: Novum Capital Partners

• Vestack ↪ raised €10M in funding round to become a leader in low-carbon construction. Lead investor: Impact Private Equity fund of Mirova. Other investors: Ring Capital’s VC Impact fund Ring Mission and Karista.

News & Opportunities

European multinational bank raiding over greenwashing allegations could be a “sign of things to come” for Asian bankers

European ESG assets to reach €9 trillion by 2025

G7 to launch ‘climate club’ by the end of the year

G7 leaders pledged to raise $600 billion for developing countries

Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein's owner is putting cash behind its commitment to help improve and protect the environment and human rights

LyondellBasell announces purchase agreements on Renewable Energy Power

🚀 COMING SOON

Raising Money with Blended Capital in Impact in Tech - with Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Video interview available from Thursday - Stay tuned

It should not be necessary to add any disclaimer but … Let’s say it anyway! This is not financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. DYOR - Do Your Own Research!

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Twitter | LinkedIn | Company

CONNECT: Twitter | Elisa on Twitter | Elisa on Linkedin

This week we are going to share the best TED Talks on impact investing … according to us.

Do you have a different opinion?

Wonderful! 

Hit reply to this email, and let us know which videos YOU prefer! We are eager to enjoy your feedback. 🍿

This Week We Are Diving Into:

1. The 5 Best TED Talks on Impact Investing
2. Good Gossip
3. News & Opportunities
4. Coming Soon: Video Podcast with Elisa Giudici

Elisa
The Impact Couple

You are invited to Reset Connect and to the London Climate Action Week

Join us at the leading sustainability and net-zero event, for businesses, investors, and innovators!

Reset Connect is the UK’s largest sustainability ecosystem and green investment gathering. A flagship event of London Climate Action Week, it offers present & future net-zero business solutions and the financing to implement them.

• Meet 100+ exhibitors.

• Network with 1000+ investors and like-minded entrepreneurs & professionals.

• Listen from 150+ speakers.

• Join 50+ sessions from corporate, industry, ESG, and government thought-leaders on their sustainability insights, successes, advice, and future plans.

FREE REGISTRATION to the exhibition with access to the exhibition floor, 6 content hubs, and keynotes.

DISCOUNTED TICKETS for the conference with access to the full 150+ speakers, and to the exclusive networking events.

This is a special deal for Impact Nation:

Discount code: ItDc15

Insert the code when booking for a 15% discount.

Register free or buy your discounted ticket.

Click Here to Register

The 5 Best TED Talks on Impact Investing

“Why share a list from best to worst? Let’s make our own mini-Oscars.”

That’s the super-short summary of our latest editorial meeting. In this week’s newsletter, you are *not* going to find another boring list from best to worst. 

Each video is the best in its category (at least, according to us). 

Pick the category that intrigue you the most.

💯 MOST WATCHED: Wendy Woods - The business benefits of doing good

It makes sense to start our list from the most-watched video. Wendy Woods is a Senior Partner of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Vice Chairman of BCG's Social Impact practice. If you like traditional data, you’ll love this Talk.

Original on TED.com:

https://www.ted.com/talks/wendy_woods_the_business_benefits_of_doing_good

Embedded by YouTube:

💰 MONEY DRIVEN: Audrey Choi - How to make a profit while making a difference

Don’t get us wrong. Audrey Choi’s talk is *not* just about money. She’s a thought leader on sustainable investments and full of passion. She’s also the speaker with the stronger financial argument. 

From the video: If you had invested one dollar 20 years ago in a portfolio of companies that focused narrowly on making more money, that one dollar would have grown to 14 dollars and 46 cents. On the contrary, if you had invested in companies focused on environmental and social issues, you would have almost twice the return on investment (28 dollars and 36 cents). Now, that sounds good news!

Original on TED.com:

https://www.ted.com/talks/audrey_choi_how_to_make_a_profit_while_making_a_difference 

Embedded by YouTube:

🧠 LOGIC DRIVEN: Chris McKnett - The investment logic for sustainability

Chris McKnett - consultant for institutional investors on sustainable investing - presents one of the most-watched talks on our topic. He shows how financial data isn't enough, and why the company's environmental, social and governance structures may guarantee a better return on investment.

Original on TED.com:

https://www.ted.com/talks/chris_mcknett_the_investment_logic_for_sustainability 

Embedded by YouTube:

🦸 UNCONVENTIONAL: Sangu Delle - In praise of macro -- yes macro -- finance in Africa

"We seem to be fixated on this romanticized idea that every poor person in Africa is an entrepreneur, … Yet, my work has taught me that most people want jobs.”

This is not a talk against micro-finance but for macro-finance. Sangu Delle, an entrepreneur from Ghana, shares his experience and the incredible potential he sees in the African economy.

Original on TED.com:

https://www.ted.com/talks/sangu_delle_in_praise_of_macro_yes_macro_finance_in_africa 

Embedded by YouTube:

🔥 ENERGETIC: Tynesia Boyea-Robinson - Understanding the Social Impact of Investing

What’s the connection between the rise of Internet nerds and impact investing? If you don’t know, this talk is a must-watch. Tynesia Boyea-Robinson - founder of CapEQ, impact investment and advisory firm - shares her experience, a cool story, and even cooler photos from the past.

Original on TED.com:

https://www.ted.com/talks/tynesia_boyea_robinson_understanding_the_social_impact_of_investing 

Embedded by YouTube:

Good Gossip

Congrats to … 

• Andrew Masci ↪ has been appointed ESG Manager at Heritage Bank, a customer-owned bank.

• Georgia Sandom ↪ has been appointed Director of ESG at Office Space in Town, a leading serviced office and flexible workspace provider.

• Nidhi Verma ↪ has been appointed Chief People & ESG Officer at Crawford & Company, the world’s largest publicly listed independent provider of claims management and outsourcing solutions to carriers, brokers and corporations. 

• Nigel Pitchford ↪ has been appointed Head of Healthcare Ventures at Downing, an investment firm.

• Breega ↪ raised €250 million in funding  to finance at least 20 companies in total with the new fund. Lead investors: EIF (European Investment Fund) Bpifrance, Group Crédit Agricole, Amundi, LCL & Isomer Capital.

• Zap Electricity ↪ raised $160M in Series C round of funding to advance its lightning-in-a-bottle fusion tech. Lead investor: Lowercarbon Funds. Other investors: Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Shell Ventures, DCVC and Valor Equity Partners

• Zenysis Technologies ↪ raised $13.3M in a Series B round of funding to scale its big data platform for emergencies across Africa, Asia and South America. Lead investor: Steele Foundation for Hope

• Brookfield Asset Management ↪ raised $15B in funding to fund the rollout of Brookfield's critical technology across the energy and industrial units in America.

News & Opportunities

Blackrock reduces exposure to ESG funds. 

ESG practitioners underprepared for the new global regulations and reporting requirements according to a Workiva survey.

Taiwan's largest pension fund assigns a $2.3 billion ESG mandate to HSBC, Morgan Stanley, and three others.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) published its new position paper on ESG Regulatory Roadmap.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise ties executive pays to climate targets.

Siemens Energy and Air Liquide launch a joint venture for the European production of large-scale renewable hydrogen electrolyzers.

🚀 COMING SOON

The Rise of Decentralized Science (DeSci) - with Elisa Giudici, Co-founder of Impact Investing In Tech

Video interview available from Thursday - Stay tuned

It should not be necessary to add any disclaimer but … Let’s say it anyway! This is not financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. DYOR - Do Your Own Research!

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Peter Lazou, Chairman Otherdots Foundation

LinkedIn | Twitter | Company

CONNECT: Twitter | Elisa on Twitter | Elisa on Linkedin

This week’s newsletter is all about new ways of raising money, boosting scientific research, and earning wealthy royalties (while doing good, of course.)

And … yes! Flamingos and scientists DO have many things in common.

The best way to find more it’s to keep reading below. 

Enjoy!

This Week We Are Diving Into:

1. The Rise of DeSci - Decentralized Science for Impact Investing
2. Good Gossip
3. News & Opportunities
5. Coming Soon: Interview with Peter Lazou

Elisa
The Impact Lady

Special guest, Dr. Stefano L Tresca

You are invited to Reset Connect and to the London Climate Action Week

Join us at the leading sustainability and net-zero event, for businesses, investors, and innovators!

Reset Connect is the UK’s largest sustainability ecosystem and green investment gathering. A flagship event of London Climate Action Week, it offers present & future net-zero business solutions and the financing to implement them.

• Meet 100+ exhibitors.

• Network with 1000+ investors and like-minded entrepreneurs & professionals.

• Listen from 150+ speakers.

• Join 50+ sessions from corporate, industry, ESG, and government thought-leaders on their sustainability insights, successes, advice, and future plans.

FREE REGISTRATION to the exhibition with access to the exhibition floor, 6 content hubs, and keynotes.

DISCOUNTED TICKETS for the conference with access to the full 150+ speakers, and to the exclusive networking events.

This is a special deal for Impact Nation:

Discount code: ItDc15

Insert the code when booking for a 15% discount.

Register free or buy your discounted ticket.

Click Here to Register

The Rise of DeSci - Decentralized Science for Impact Investing

In November 2021, Jonah Erlich - a software engineer - decided to buy an original copy of the U.S. Constitution.

There was just one problem. 

The only copy available for sale was auctioned at Sotheby's for $30+ million. Quite a stretch for the salary of an engineer.

So Jonah and his friend brainstormed an idea that eventually would start a revolution.

What if they offered all people around the world to join the fundraising, and split the ownership equally?

• No need to start a company (that would be a nightmare of costs, compliance, and regulation.)

• No need to join a crowdfunding platform (which usually takes 5% of the fund raised; and requires a long time to approve new projects.)

Pigs CAN fly

Jonah and around 30 other people started a DAO, a “Decentralized Autonomous Organization.”

There are many DAOs, but – for this case - think of a huge piggy bank sitting on the cloud.

It’s a special piggy owned by an entire community, with no middlemen or bank charges.

They named the project “ConstitutionDAO”, of course.

… and raised $47 million in one week (forty-seven million dollars in one week)

… and failed to win the auction.

This is when the story became (even more) interesting.

After a failed auction, the participants just need to connect their crypto-wallet to the project, and get the capital back.

No baking costs.

No bureaucracy.

What if …

What if the project had won the bid?

Well, other projects did.

FlamingoDAO is another DAO, and it was created to buy a collection of NFT art.

• They raised $150 million.

• Their portfolio’s value hit $1 billion just a few months ago. 

Although FlamingoDAO is not 100% an online entity (it’s an older project with some activities delegated to a US company), it proves that the fundraising industry is moving toward the DAOs.

Now, how can we use this revolutionary tool outside the collectible industry?

What do flamingos and scientists have in common?

Most human inventions were started by artists and creators. 

Gunpowder was invented by the Chinese to enjoy fireworks, not by military engineers.

Today, it’s happening again. Artists and collectors built the first wave of NFTs and decentralized fundraising.

Finally, scientists are catching up with the “Flamingos”. 

What if … again

What if scientists from all around the world could collaborate on an invention, and share the results?

The big pharma would not be so monopolistic as today.

• A brilliant but poor scientist from an emerging country may help create a life-saving vaccine, and get the royalties she/he deserves - without even needing to leave his/her country.

• A group of diabetics may join funds in a DAO and develop new insulin. How would they price the drug that could save their life?

Meet (some of) the scientists

After two years ruled by artists, scientists are starting to close the gap.

A startup – Molecule - just raised $13 million in seed funding, with lead investor Northpond Ventures.

The entity is not a DAO, but the research projects will be (www.molecule.to).

Each patent could be represented by an NFT owned by a community of scientists and investors.

Every royalty earned by a project will be shared automatically and transparently by a smart contract into the wallets of the participants (scientists and investors). 

. No need for a bank account (that in emerging countries are not as common as we think),
. No currency conversion costs,
. No middlemen.

The startup Molecule is not alone. If you are curious about the industry, here are a few other projects that you can check (in alphabetical order): LabDAO, PsyDAO, SCINET, and VitaDAO.

Things will never be the same.

Things are turning flamingos.

Good Gossip

Congrats to … 

• David Hickey ↪ has been appointed Head of Sustainability at BlackRock,  a global asset manager and technology provider.

• Andre De Bakhapouve ↪ has been appointed Group Chief Risk Officer at Credit Corporation Limited, a leading finance, property and investment group operating throughout the Pacific.

• Tara Marlow ↪ has been appointed Group General Counsel at Kerten Hospitality, a mixed-use, ESG and lifestyle operator.

• Gerald Chiddick ↪ has been appointed Regional Executive at Zurich North America, a global multi-line insurer that services customers in both global and local markets.

• Molecule ↪ raised $13M in a seed funding round to build out an accelerator framework for biotech and create a non-profit foundation to steward the Molecule protocol. Lead investor: Northpond Ventures. Other investors: Backed VC, Shine Capital, Speedinvest and former Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinivasan

• Siply ↪ raised $19M Pre-Series A round of funding to achieve triple-digit Average Revenue Per User (ARPU). Lead investor:  QI Ventures. Other investors: LetsVenture, JITO, Vivek Sunder, CEO of Cuemath

• Launch Africa Ventures ↪ raised $36.3M in funding to invest in B2B and B2B2C startups across Africa.

News & Opportunities

EU Parliament is attempting to block nuclear energy from being labeled as “Green”. The vote will prevent green finance and grants to be applied to nuclear (and gas.)

Spain’s impact investments reach €2.4B as private sector activity booms.

Millennials are driving growth in impact investment in Australia. A survey highlighted millennials are the generation most interested in impact investing.

Equitable announces an investment into the “Black Impact Fund”, a Black-led real estate developer and investment fund, focused on providing high-quality, affordable, and workforce housing in California.

Adani and TotalEnergies announce a $50 billion co-investment in green hydrogen. The 10 years plan aims to build a production capacity of 1 million tonnes a year for green hydrogen before 2030.

🚀 COMING SOON

Democratizing Social Impact - With Peter Lazou, Chairman Otherdots Foundation

Video interview available from Thursday - Stay tuned

It should not be necessary to add any disclaimer but … Let’s say it anyway! This is not financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. DYOR - Do Your Own Research!

🤝 MEET THE SPEAKER ️

Genevieve Leveille, CEO and Founder of Agriledger

LinkedIn | Twitter | Company

CONNECT: Twitter | Elisa on Twitter | Elisa on Linkedin

This week’s newsletter is plenty of insights for you, even if you are *not* planning to raise capital.

For managers, consultants, and staff, having a look at recently invested companies mean a list of potential clients or new employers.

For entrepreneurs *not* raising capital, it’s a great overview of market trends.

And for VC? 

Well, if you are an impact VC yourself - and we didn’t mention your firm - drop us a message and get the recognition you deserve.

Without further ado, let’s move on to this week's newsletter. Enjoy!

This Week We Are Diving Into:

1. You are invited to Reset Connect and to the London Climate Action Week
2. 10 VC Firms Investing in Impact
3. Good Gossip
4. News & Opportunities
5. Coming Soon: Interview with Genevieve Leveille

Elisa
The Impact Lady

You are invited to Reset Connect and to the London Climate Action Week

Join us at the leading sustainability and net-zero event, for businesses, investors, and innovators!

Reset Connect is the UK’s largest sustainability ecosystem and green investment gathering. A flagship event of London Climate Action Week, it offers present & future net-zero business solutions and the financing to implement them.

• Meet 100+ exhibitors.

• Network with 1000+ investors and like-minded entrepreneurs & professionals.

• Listen from 150+ speakers.

• Join 50+ sessions from corporate, industry, ESG, and government thought-leaders on their sustainability insights, successes, advice, and future plans.

FREE REGISTRATION to the exhibition with access to the exhibition floor, 6 content hubs, and keynotes.

DISCOUNTED TICKETS for the conference with access to the full 150+ speakers, and to the exclusive networking events.

This is a special deal for Impact Nation:

Discount code: ItDc15

Insert the code when booking for a 15% discount.

Register free or buy your discounted ticket.

Click Here to Register

10 VC Firms Investing in Impact

3x5 Partners

Location: Portland, Oregon, USA

Industries: healthcare, climate

In their portfolio: Allakos, Arch Oncology, Good Therapeutics, InterVene, Koya, Vapotherm, Claros Technologies, Fervo Energy, Rubicon, Smart Wires, Source.

From the organization:

3x5 Partners is a venture capital firm that collaborates with passionate entrepreneurs who are developing solutions in response to global healthcare and climate needs. They seek opportunities in biotechnology, diagnostics, and medical devices, climate solutions companies that reduce and evolve the consumption of the planet’s limited natural resources.

Alante Capital

Location: Santa Barbara, California and New York, USA

Industries: deep tech, clean tech, and enterprise software

In their portfolio: Mango Materials, Circ, Lizee, Fit:Match, Treet, Flyp, Sway, ZZ Driggs, Novoloop

From the organization:

Alante Capital is a venture capital fund investing in innovative technologies that address climate change and enable a resilient, sustainable future for apparel production and retail. Alante Capital invests across deep tech, clean tech, consumer tech and SaaS.

Core Innovation Capital

Location: Los Angeles, California, USA

Industries: financial inclusion

In their portfolio: NerdWallet, Ripple, Oportun, Fundera, LoanSnap, Noyo, 

From the organization:

They invest in companies that deliver more efficient, well-designed financial products that save people time and money, create upward mobility, and scale broadly – driving both profit margins and consumer value. Their investment Criteria are: focused on economic mobility and stability; mission and margin motivated teams; outsized value creation for US-based consumers; high growth, early-stage companies; $100k to $10m initial investments.

DBL Partners

Location: San Francisco, California, USA

Industries:  clean energy, sustainable products & services, IT, healthcare

In their portfolio: Tesla, SolarCity, Powerlight, NEXTtracker, The RealReal, Andela, Brainscope

From the organization:

DBL Partners was formed with a “Double Bottom Line” investment strategy to invest in companies that can deliver top-tier venture capital returns (First Bottom Line), while working with their companies to enable social, environmental and economic improvement in the regions in which they operate (Second Bottom Line). DBL invests in and helps nurture outstanding entrepreneurs and companies in Cleantech, Information Technology, Sustainable Products and Services, and Healthcare. 

InvestEco Capital Corporation

Location: Toronto, Canada

Industries:  sustainable finance

In their portfolio: Mara, Evive, Acid League, Om Mushrooms, Tiny Organics, Gusta, Tree Island, Love Good Fats, Chickepea.

From the organization:

InvestEco’s main focus is investing in expansion-stage companies in North America that promote health and sustainability in the food and agricultural sector. Their companies typically have between $1 – 30M in revenues at the time of their initial investment, and they aim to hold their positions for about seven years.

LeapFrog Investments

Location: London, UK

Industries:  financial inclusion, healthcare

In their portfolio: HDBank, CarDeckho, AllLife, Jumo, HealthfyMe, Medgenome, Ascent

From the organization:

LeapFrog makes an impact through private equity investments in high-growth, purpose-driven businesses in some of the world’s fastest-growing markets. With a focus on the emerging consumer and with integrated financial and social goals, LeapFrog is well-positioned to invest in the rise of a new emerging consumer class. Their portfolio increases access to financial services and healthcare in markets where these sectors are heavily underpenetrated.

Patamar Capital

Location: Singapore

Industries: global poverty, financial inclusion

In their portfolio: Ayoconnect, Kinara Capital, Vigo, Nikel, Mio, MyShubhLife, TapTap Send, Sayurbox, Supahands 

From the organization:

Founded in 2011, Patamar got its name from the traditional Indian ‘dhow’ boat. This wooden, sail-powered boat was a historic mode of transportation in the Indian Ocean, which connected communities and facilitated economic exchange. Its purpose is to serve the hundreds of millions in Asia.

Potential VC

Location: Lightwater, Surrey, UK

Industries: climate, new finance

In their portfolio: Offgrid.finance, Tierra Foods, Deep Meta, Global Otec, Treecomony

From the organization:

Potential VC is a collection of funds targeting high-impact areas of innovation. They offer patient capital to founders and support to fund managers whose goals & consciousness align with Potential VC. Potential Climate VC is funding 120 early-stage UK-based climate startups to unlock crazy innovations to help save our planet & improve life for every human. Newfinance.vc funds the next leaders of finance.

Renewal Funds

Location: Vancouver, Canada

Industries: sustainability of food, water, climate

In their portfolio: Alter Eco, Aquatic Informatics, Horizon Distributors, Seventh Generation, Better Bean, Swiftly, Food Logiq

From the organization:

Renewal Funds is a mission venture capital fund investing in early growth stage companies to accelerate the transition to a sustainable economy. They invest in innovation that will advance the sustainability of food, water, and climate — contributing to a safer and cleaner planet for future generations.

True Wealth Ventures

Location: Austin, Texas, USA

Industries: gender equality, health, environment

In their portfolio: UnaliWear, BrainCheck, Dermala, Solstice, Atlantic Sea Farms.

From the organization:

True Wealth Ventures invests in smart female entrepreneurs, from consumer health innovators to sustainable product pioneers. Women-led, venture capital-backed start-ups financially outperform their male counterparts, utilizing less capital for a greater return. Despite the history of outperformance, there is a big blind spot in the market, creating a fantastic investment opportunity. That’s where the common-sense strategy of creating True Wealth comes in, with a mission to deliver superior returns to our investors, portfolio companies, and communities by investing in highly-scalable, women-led businesses that improve environmental and/or human health.

Good Gossip

Congrats to … 

• Kristina Kloberdanz ↪ has been appointed Chief Sustainability Officer at Macquarie Asset Management, a global financial services group operating in 33 markets in asset management.

• Andreas Kodell and Stuart Smith ↪ have been appointed Head of Environmental Markets and Head of Commodities at ANZ, a leading sustainability bank. 

• Max Satel ↪ has been appointed Chief Financial Officer at Battery Mineral Resources, a battery minerals company providing shareholders exposure to the global mega-trend of electrification. 

• Lynette Lim ↪ has been appointed Director of Human Resources at Transport Capital, an investment management and financial advisory firm focused on Maritime and Aviation.

• Upway ↪ raised €23.3M in a Series A round of funding to accelerate the adoption of electric mobility at this time of massive awareness about environmental issues. Lead Investors: Sequoia Capital and Exor Seeds. Other investors: Global Founders Capital, Henri Moissinac, co-founder and CEO of micromobility startup Dott and Moving Capital

• Brevel ↪ raised $8.4M in a seed round to further develop its microalgae-based protein ingredient, SCiFi Foods’ rebrand and major VC backer, and Cocuus’ 3D printing alt-protein tech.

• GOMYCODE ↪ raised $8M in a Series A round of funding  to combat the 30% unemployment rates in some of the African nations. Lead Investors: AfricInvest and Proparco. Other investors: Wamda Capital

• Klar ↪ raised $70M in equity funding to acquire more users organically. lead investor: General Atlantic

News & Opportunities

Canada Post commits C$1 billion (US$785M) to build a 100% electric fleet. A great opportunity for electric vehicles and truck companies. 

US President Biden leverages the Defense Production Act (DPA) to accelerate domestic production of clean energy technologies. By invoking the DPA, President Biden can deploy federal funds directly into a stagnant economy, and push the Congress for further green energy investments.

Deutsche Bank raided by the police over allegations of greenwashing. The raid adds further pressure on Deutsche Bank DWS Chief Executive Asoka Woehrmann.

The EU will enforce 40% quota for women on corporate boards. EU companies could also be fined for failing to recruit enough women to their non-executive boards.

French financial authority AMF and its Dutch equivalent call for a European regulation of ESG data, ratings, and services.

Singapore establish guidelines for green bond issuance by the public sector, and announces S$35 billion (US$25 billion) of green bonds by 2030.

Neuberger Berman reframes its $35 million global high yield fund to focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), in partnership with UBS.

🚀 COMING SOON

Impact Investing in Blockchain and Agritech - With Genevieve Leveille, CEO and Founder of Agriledger

Video interview available from Thursday - Stay tuned

It should not be necessary to add any disclaimer but … Let’s say it anyway! This is not financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. DYOR - Do Your Own Research!