ALAQA

Alaqa Podcast

ALAQA explores the structural, strategic, and human dimensions of relationships in the world of capital — particularly for those seeking to finance solutions in a complex, interdependent world. Each episode unpacks a relationship that matters between: - investors and founders - different assets in a portfolio - public and private capital - next-gen inheritors and established wealth - theory of change and deal execution We speak with investors, ecosystem builders, capital allocators and change agents working at the intersection of finance, sustainability, and systems thinking.

  1. #15 ⁠Rethinking the Fundraise: Lucy Mortimer on Trust, Collaboration and Circular Economy Investing

    2 days ago

    #15 ⁠Rethinking the Fundraise: Lucy Mortimer on Trust, Collaboration and Circular Economy Investing

    This special playlist is developed in partnership with ChangeNOW. We welcome some of the fund managers who presented during Funds for Change. Since they only had but a few minutes on stage to explain their unique angles, the sophistication of their approach, the urgent needs they want to address, we decided to offer them more time and broadcast their ideas to a wider audience.Today I'm joined by Lucy Mortimer, founding partner at Archipelago Ventures and environmental finance specialist with over 25 years of experience in climate finance and low-carbon investment. Over her career, Lucy has built a strong network across climate and nature finance, supporting early-stage companies and startups in navigating commercial barriers and scaling within complex markets. Her work sits at the intersection of environmental finance, investment structuring, and venture building, focused on helping capital flow more effectively into solutions for the climate transition.So why is Lucy with us today? I think it's fair to say that in 2026, circular economy can receive a "B+" for participation, but the impact in real life is desperately slow to appear. Some even start to question the possibility that it will ever reach actual market traction, at least without hefty public subsidies. That's the central scenario. And then you have the thematic experts, who jump in, willing to do the work. What's the work you'll tell me? Find the types of hidden industrial solutions that can transform the way materials flow through the economy. Not any materials - the 3 big ones - plastics, metals and textiles, the ones which have significant impacts on human health, oceans & landscapes, climate, biodiversity, both from their extraction & manufacturing, and their end of life management. That's the work. Key topics: Circular economy investing beyond recyclingBuilding trust in deep tech and climate financeCollaboration as a new model for venture capitalUnlocking more capital for systemic climate solutions Episode breakdown: Intro - 00:00:00 Welcome - 00:01:51 Origin & Perspective - 00:02:20 Biggest Objections - 00:10:59 Flash Round - 00:25:10 Follow us on: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Po2mXWyAelyE91jSa5flb Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/alaqa/id1838909986 https://linktr.ee/alaqapodcast Designed & Hosted by Imène Maharzi Produced by Taisa Echterhoff

    28 min
  2. #14 From lived experiences to red carpets: Danielle Turkov on building impact and changing laws through films

    2 June

    #14 From lived experiences to red carpets: Danielle Turkov on building impact and changing laws through films

    Today we sit down with Danielle Turkov, Founder and Executive Director of Think-Film Impact Production, a company she built from scratch to bridge the worlds of film, policy, and social change. Danielle has worked with Oscar- and Emmy-nominated projects like The Cave, iHuman, and BAFTA-nominated Eminent Monsters, using storytelling as a catalyst for real-world impact. Recently, “Mr Nobody Against Putin” won the Oscar and BAFTA for best documentary. Danielle is also part of the team who’s bringing “The voice of Hind Rajab” story to wider audiences. In this episode, she shares her journey from political strategist in the EU to global impact producer — and how film can move systems as powerfully as finance can. Enjoy the ride, and stay tuned for a possible part 2 with Danielle, as there is certainly more to cover! Key topics: Why storytelling is a form of systemic powerHow impact films can influence laws and institutionsThe tension between finance, empathy, and human rightsWhat it takes to build trust-driven change in volatile systems Episode Breakdown: Intro - 00:00:00 Welcome - 00:01:06 Origin & Perspective - 00:03:04 The Relationship at the Core - 00:10:29 Tensions, Lessons & Tools - 00:30:49 Contrarian Thoughts - 00:35:12 Your go-to person - 00:37:19 Flash Round - 00:39:33 Follow us on: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Po2mXWyAelyE91jSa5flb Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/alaqa/id1838909986 https://linktr.ee/alaqapodcast Designed & Hosted by Imène Maharzi Produced by Taisa Echterhoff

    42 min
  3. #13 ⁠Finance is never neutral: Marcel Zuidam on changing capital from within

    26 May

    #13 ⁠Finance is never neutral: Marcel Zuidam on changing capital from within

    Today, we are happy to welcome Marcel Zuidam, CEO of Triodos Bank, one of Europe’s leading banks in sustainable finance. Before joining Triodos, Marcel held senior leadership roles across mainstream finance, including CEO positions at NN Bank and Delta Lloyd Bank, giving him a rare perspective on both conventional and regenerative models of capital. In this conversation, we explore what it really means to finance change and change finance, from the myths still embedded in mainstream markets to the deeper question of how capital can serve societies, ecosystems, and long-term resilience rather than short-term extraction. Key topics: - Why finance is never neutral and capital always takes sides. - How the financial system became extractive rather than useful. - Why transparency alone will not redirect capital toward impact. - The tension between urgency and patience in systems change. Episode Breakdown: Intro - 00:00:00 Welcome - 00:01:27 Origin & Perspective - 00:02:24 Financing Change & Changing Finance - 00:05:47 Systems Thinking & Leverage Points - 00:11:44 Democratic Guidance & Incentives - 00:18:03 The Myths of Mainstream Finance - 00:23:15 What a Regenerative Financial System Could Look Like - 00:26:09 Urgency vs Patience - 00:27:58 Contrarian Thoughts - 00:29:02 Flash Round - 00:30:15 Follow us on: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Po2mXWyAelyE91jSa5flb Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/alaqa/id1838909986 https://linktr.ee/alaqapodcast Designed & Hosted by Imène Maharzi Produced by Taisa Echterhoff

    32 min
  4. ALAQAxChange NOW - Teaser Season 2

    21 May

    ALAQAxChange NOW - Teaser Season 2

    Welcome to Alaqa. Alaqa means relationship. And in finance, relationships are often the invisible layer — shaping decisions, shaping trust, shaping what ultimately gets funded… and what doesn’t. This new season is developed in partnership with ChangeNOW. It brings together conversations with fund managers from Funds for Change, and with investors, operators, and thinkers navigating the tensions of impact, climate, and finance. What you’ll hear are not polished narratives. They are reflections from within the system — on constraints, on trade-offs, on what it really takes to move capital differently. Because beyond strategies and frameworks, change happens through relationships — between people, between institutions, between intentions. And these relationships need to be nurtured — with our critical minds sharp, and our hearts open, willing to build the non-obvious bridges. But what if the way we relate — to capital, to risk, to each other — is also what holds the system in place? And what if changing finance begins there? Let’s put that assumption to the test — and take a dive together. Difficult, sometimes unsettling, sometimes messy… and in spite of everything, somewhat hopeful.

    1 min
  5. #12 Patient capital formula: Benjamin Le Pendeven on persistence as the missing ingredient of impact

    30/12/2025

    #12 Patient capital formula: Benjamin Le Pendeven on persistence as the missing ingredient of impact

    Today, we are happy to welcome Benjamin Le Pendeven, associate professor of entrepreneurial and responsible finance at Audencia Business School, where he leads the “Finance for Innovation” research chair focused on impact investing, innovation financing, and social impact bonds. He collaborates with public institutions, private investors, and NGOs and previously worked as an entrepreneur and impact investor. Key topics: Why experimentation isn’t the problem, scaling and persistence are.How persistence and stability in teams matter as much as patient capital.Why impact investing must think beyond pilots, metrics, and exits.How academia can act as a bridge between finance, policy, and real-world change. Episode Breakdown: Welcome - 00:00:00 Origin & Perspective - 00:03:06 The Relationship at the Core - 00:23:12 Contrarian Thoughts - 00:32:12 Your go-to person - 00:33:54 Flash Round - 00:34:59

    41 min
  6. #11 Patience as Powerful Lever: Benjamine Friderich on Long-Term Capital and Transformative Growth (FR episode) 🇫🇷

    23/12/2025

    #11 Patience as Powerful Lever: Benjamine Friderich on Long-Term Capital and Transformative Growth (FR episode) 🇫🇷

    Today's episode is a special one. We’re switching things up with a conversation conducted entirely in French. Consider it a linguistic detour from our regular programming. Alors… on y va, et bonne écoute en français. Aujourd’hui, nous sommes heureux d’accueillir Benjamine Friderich, Head of Investments chez Colam Impact, une filiale de Colam Entreprendre. Après avoir effectué un tour du monde à l’âge de 21 ans sur le thème du commerce équitable et de la microfinance, Benjamine Friderich rejoint le Groupe Crédit Coopératif, où elle accumule 12 ans d’expérience dans différents services. En 2015, elle intègre la filiale Esfin Gestion, où elle développe un fonds dédié à l’impact social, accompagnant plus d’une vingtaine d’entrepreneurs dans leurs enjeux de croissance. En 2021, elle devient Directrice de l’Impact Investing chez Enowe, un family office français, où elle développe et pilote la stratégie d’investissement à impact positif. Elle déploie plusieurs millions d’euros dans des entreprises et des fonds d’investissement à impact en France et dans le monde. Points clé: Pourquoi l’impact est intrinsèquement subjectif et politiqueComment l’appétit pour le risque façonne les trajectoires des fondateurs et fondatricesComment le capital patient permet aux entreprises de pivoter et de mûrir Episode breakdown: Intro - 00:00:00 Welcome - 00:02:50 Origin & Perspective - 00:06:06 The Relationship at the Core - 00:10:17 Tensions, Lessons & Tools - 00:31:30 Contrarian Thoughts - 00:49:55 Flash Round - 00:52:03

    56 min
  7. #10 Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Constanza Robles on Finding Creative Adjustments for AgriFood Systems Transformation

    16/12/2025

    #10 Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Constanza Robles on Finding Creative Adjustments for AgriFood Systems Transformation

    Today we are happy to welcome Constanza Robles Fumarola. Constanza is a systems change investor and designer focused on transforming food systems across Africa. She is the Founding Partner of Inanna, an investor and venture builder applying systems thinking to regenerative agriculture and food. With a background in social impact and futures design, she has worked with organisations such as the UN FAO, FCDO, and GIZ to shape strategies that bridge innovation, inclusion, and sustainability. Her work brings together modern finance and indigenous, community-led knowledge to build resilient, equitable agrihealth systems. Key points: Why shifting investment logic is necessary for system transformationThe gap between conceptual, long-term transformation goals and the short-term, survival-based realities of farmers or investorsHow Regenerative Agriculture is gaining traction Episode breakdown: Welcome - 00:00:00 Origin & Perspective - 00:10:35 The Relationship at the Core - 00:18:43 Tensions, Lessons & Tools - 00:30:47 Contrarian Thoughts - 00:35:29 Your go-to person - 00:35:49 Flash Round - 00:36:50

    40 min
  8. #09 Using public money to support change: Laure Blanchard-Brunac on when blended finance actually works

    09/12/2025

    #09 Using public money to support change: Laure Blanchard-Brunac on when blended finance actually works

    Today we are happy to welcome Laure Blanchard-Brunac. Laure is an expert in development finance and blended finance, with over 20 years of experience across leading European financial institutions and the European Commission. She has a proven expertise in EU financial instruments, budgetary guarantees and investment-related policies and regulations. Laure is currently a member of the InvestEU Investment Committee, and a Key Expert with the Trade and Private Sector Development Facility (TPSD) implemented by DAI on behalf of the European Commission. She is also a Senior Advisor with Rud Pedersen Public Affairs Brussels advising private companies on their EU funding strategies. Key topics: How blended finance actually works — where it succeeds, where it fails, and what signals show it’s the right tool.The hidden “EU bubble” dynamicsThe systemic importance of certain individuals inside institutions Episode breakdown: Intro - 00:00:00Origin & Perspective - 00:02:22The Relationship At Core - 00:17:37Contrarian Thoughts - 00:28:44Flash Round - 00:33:04

    39 min
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About

ALAQA explores the structural, strategic, and human dimensions of relationships in the world of capital — particularly for those seeking to finance solutions in a complex, interdependent world. Each episode unpacks a relationship that matters between: - investors and founders - different assets in a portfolio - public and private capital - next-gen inheritors and established wealth - theory of change and deal execution We speak with investors, ecosystem builders, capital allocators and change agents working at the intersection of finance, sustainability, and systems thinking.

Information

  • Creator
    Alaqa Podcast
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Alaqa Podcast
  • Show Website
    ALAQA