Author Archive:
Maximilian Martin
Time for a total-sector perspective on impact investing
Can the longer-term, holistically minded capital that impact investors provide create wider impact in catalytic industries that affect millions of people, and in countries whose success in modernizing could have regional or global implications? We …
Corporate impact venturing: building the pipeline of later-stage opportunities for impact investors
How to stimulate the venture stage of the impact investing market with fresh ideas has stubbornly remained an open question. However, an answer in the form of corporate venture capital that considers impact (or corporate …
Building the social enterprises of the future with hybrid financing
Globalization, long-term demographic trends, changing consumer preferences, and the state of public finances are collectively driving the emergence of an integrated social capital market for the first time in human history, currently valued at US$46 …
Impact Starter launched to bring talent to social entrepreneurship
Entering the social entrepreneurship sector needs to be far more accessible for talent. The number of established pathways such as Ashoka—which has focused on identifying, selecting, and supporting promising social entrepreneurs since 1980—or spatial opt-in …
Making Impact Investible: The Implications for Japan
The 4th Impact Economy Symposium & Retreat will be held from June 13-15, 2014 at the shores of Lake Constance in Switzerland. The event annually convenes key influencers, thought leaders, and practitioners from the worlds …
Is there a role for philanthropy in catalysing a shift to sustainable value chains?
The world’s garment and textile industry reached US$3 trillion in turnover in 2011, encompassing clothing, textiles, footwear and luxury goods. What’s more, it directly creates more than 20 million jobs around the world. But pressure …
Getting ready for the sea change: notes from the launch of Impact Economy in North America
Around the world, ‘impact’ is gradually moving to centre stage. Reported impact investments are up from 1,105 in 2010 to 2,213 in 2011 (see Insight into the Impact Investment Market); the number of impact-oriented funds …
Investors’ perspectives: Zooming in from 10,000 feet
As the ‘next gen’ successor to capital markets focused on a single bottom line, impact investing is at a fascinating juncture. The loss of confidence in banks and mainstream investments appears to be with us …
Intervening at the inflection point
Philanthropy harbours an interesting paradox. Structurally, charitable foundations can be designed to operate in the long run, in principle in perpetuity. For example, the largest charitable grant-giver to London-only causes, the City Bridge Trust, dates …
