Women Changing Finance

Krisztina Tora
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Women Changing Finance is about the people transforming finance to create a better world. Host Krisztina Tora, a global leader and changemaker, brings her extensive expertise to the conversation, inviting remarkable women from across the globe to share their stories of driving social and environmental impact through financial innovation. Through real-world examples and personal journeys, this podcast reveals how finance can be a powerful tool for change—something we can all engage with and leverage for good. Our guests are women proving that change is possible—whether by investing in underserved communities, developing innovative solutions to address climate challenges, or driving systems-level transformation. Their stories showcase the impact we can create when we align financial resources with our highest aspirations for a better world. If you’re a changemaker, a professional seeking purpose, or simply curious about the role of finance in building a better future, join us to: Get inspired by real stories of impact and innovation Learn how to contribute to systemic change Explore the intersection of finance, purpose, and leadershipSubscribe now and join us in reimagining finance! Visit our website womenchangingfinance.org The show is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network.

  1. E24 - Esther Ndeti, Managing Partner at Unconventional Capital

    2D AGO

    E24 - Esther Ndeti, Managing Partner at Unconventional Capital

    What if financing could adapt to the realities of a business, instead of forcing businesses to adapt to rigid financial models?  In this episode, Esther Ndeti, Managing Partner at Unconventional Capital, explains how she is pioneering new ways of financing SMEs, especially in the agricultural values chains across Africa. Esther shares why traditional funding models often fail entrepreneurs. Many businesses are too early for venture capital and lack the collateral required for bank loans. Her answer? Revenue-based financing. Instead of fixed repayments, businesses repay investors through a percentage of their revenues. When the business grows, repayments grow. When revenues fluctuate, payments adjust. We also talk about the broader ecosystem: • why SMEs are critical for Africa’s future workforce, the growing role of local investors and angel networks, and how technology can reduce bias in investment decisions. What emerges from this conversation is a powerful idea: finance should meet entrepreneurs where they are, not the other way around. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also: Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org Follow Esther on LinkedInTo go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: Unconventional Capital — https://unconventional.capital/ Impact Investing Kenya — https://impactke.org/ GSG Impact — https://gsgimpact.org East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) — https://eavca.org Victoria Business Angel Network (VBAN) — https://www.vban.africa/ Nairobi Business Angel Network (NaiBAN) — https://naiban.com FSD Africa — https://fsdafrica.org Level (investment management platform) — https://levelapp.io Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah, https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/763656/theft-winner-of-the-nobel-prize-in-literature-by-abdulrazak-gurnah/Women Changing Finance is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network.

    48 min
  2. E23 - Susana Garcia Robles, Managing Partner at Capria Ventures

    MAR 4

    E23 - Susana Garcia Robles, Managing Partner at Capria Ventures

    In this episode of Women Changing Finance, Susana Garcia-Robles, Managing Partner at Capria Ventures, speaks about what it really takes to build financial ecosystems in emerging markets. usana began investing in venture capital in Latin America in the late 1990s, long before “impact” was trendy. She shares the hard lessons why early “green funds” failed, and why sustainable impact must include strong financial returns. Susana reflects on backing 90 venture funds, supporting unicorn founders, and creating WeExchange and WeInvest to amplify women entrepreneurs and investors across Latin America. We talk about: how development banks helped shape Latin America’s startup landscape, why local investors must believe in their own ecosystems, and how AI is transforming health, agriculture, and fintech in emerging markets. This episode is about staying through the ups and downs. Because good investors, and good changemakers, don’t trade trends. They build for the long term. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also: Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org Read Susana's full bio Follow Susana on LinkedInTo go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: Capria Ventures — https://capria.vc Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) — https://www.iadb.org IDB Lab — https://bidlab.org LAVCA (Association for Private Capital Investment in Latin America) — https://lavca.org Apprende Institute — https://aprendeinstitute.com Pomona Impact — https://pomonaimpact.com Salkantay Ventures — https://salkantay.vc NXTP Ventures — https://nxtp.vc WeExchange — https://wexchange.co/en/ Emprendedora LAC — https://emprendedoralac.org WeInvest weinvestlatam.org/ Elevar Equity https://elevarequity.com/ 5 C Network https://www.5cnetwork.com/ Agrofy — https://agrofy.com Cariaco - https://caricaco.com/ Global Ventures - https://www.global.vc/ Coming of Age by Noor Sweid - https://www.comingofage.me/ The Power Law by Sebastian Mallaby — https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/309693/the-power-law-by-mallaby-sebastian/9780141988948 The Four Cardinal Virtues by Josef Pieper https://undpress.nd.edu/9780268089894/the-four-cardinal-virtues/Women Changing Finance is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network.

    48 min
  3. E22 - Urmi Sengupta, Senior Impact Investments Officer at MacArthur Foundation (USA)

    FEB 18

    E22 - Urmi Sengupta, Senior Impact Investments Officer at MacArthur Foundation (USA)

    What if the capital we need most is the kind that stays where others won’t? In this episode, Urmi Sengupta from the MacArthur Foundation explains catalytic capital, patient, flexible, and risk-tolerant funding designed to go where traditional investors won’t. We explore how this capital can seed innovation, sustain essential services like affordable housing, and scale solutions in climate and small business finance that otherwise wouldn’t happen. Urmi shares how the Catalytic Capital Consortium is mobilizing hundreds of millions of dollars while bringing funders together in partnership. Urmi shares why collaboration is more costly, yet more powerful. Why community voices must shape investment decisions. And why foundations must move from isolated funding to collective system change. This conversation is a powerful reminder that finance is not neutral. It can exclude or it can include. And perhaps most importantly: change doesn’t require perfect solutions. It requires action. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also: Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org Follow Urmi on LinkedInTo go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: MacArthur Foundation — https://www.macfound.org Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3)— https://catalyticcapitalconsortium.org/research-learning/ Rockefeller Foundation — https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org Omidyar Network — https://omidyar.com GroundBreak Coalition — https://groundbreakcoalition.org/ Invest Appalachia — https://investappalachia.org Chicago Trend - https://www.chicagotrend.com/  Mission Investors Exchange — https://missioninvestors.org GSG Impact — https://gsgimpact.org CapitalPlus Exchange —https://capplus.org Tideline - https://tideline.com/ Half of a Yellow Sun, Americanah and Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie — https://www.chimamanda.com/book/Women Changing Finance is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network.

    42 min
  4. E21 - Sabine Flechet, co-founding Partner of Masawa (France)

    FEB 4

    E21 - Sabine Flechet, co-founding Partner of Masawa (France)

    Mental health is a core driver of how we change the world. What if it was also a smart financial strategy? In this episode, Sabine Flechet, co-founder of Masawa, one of the first funds in Europe dedicated to mental health innovations, shares how she is channeling capital into startups that address emotional well-being, mental illness, and tech-driven solutions, from gamified ADHD awareness to dementia prevention platforms. From cyberbullying prevention to gut-brain innovation. Sabine also shares how 65% of startup failures stem from human capital challenges, like burnout, co-founder conflict, or lack of emotional resilience, and how investors can reduce risk by supporting founders as people, not just performers. But Masawa is more than a fund, it’s a systems-level shift. Sabine talks about how traditional VC models fail founders, and how their approach at Masawa, called “nurture capital”, is designed to protect founders as people and their performance, rewriting power dynamics between founders and investors. It’s a wake-up call for anyone still thinking of mental health as a “soft” issue. Because this conversation proves: it’s systemic, and it’s investable. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also: Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org Follow Sabine on LinkedInTo go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: Masawa  — https://masawa.fund/ BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt — https://www.bmw-foundation.org La French Tech — https://lafrenchtech.com Purpose Foundation — https://purpose-economy.org Ecosia — https://www.ecosia.org Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — https://www.gatesfoundation.org World Health Organization (WHO) — https://www.who.int Outlive by Peter Attia — https://peterattiamd.com/outlive/Women Changing Finance is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network.

    43 min
  5. E20 - Carolyne Kirabo, Founder and CEO of M-Kyala Ventures (Uganda)

    JAN 21

    E20 - Carolyne Kirabo, Founder and CEO of M-Kyala Ventures (Uganda)

    What does it mean to build a gender-smart investment fund in East Africa, and what makes it work? In this episode, Carolyne Kirabo, an investor based out of Uganda and the founder of M-Kyala Ventures, is transforming how capital flows to women-led businesses across East Africa. From funding a plastic recycling business to supporting a million-dollar eco-footwear brand, Carolyne shares what’s working and what’s not in inclusive finance. We dive into why many women don’t get funded, and why funders need to change how they show up. Carolyne talks about the gap between women’s repayment behavior (much better than some may think) and their access to capital, and how she’s bridging the gaps. If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond good intentions to real outcomes in gender lens investing, this conversation is for you. And it’s a call for all of us to always start with listening deeply to women’s needs and experiences. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also: Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org Read Carolyne's full bio Follow Carolyne on LinkedInTo go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: Gender Action Collective https://mkyalaventures.com/service/convening-for-collective-impact/ M-Kyala 5 Year Impact Report https://mkyalaventures.com/2025/10/16/m-kyala-impact-report-celebrating-five-years-of-walking-with-women-entrepreneurs/ Gender Smart Lending Toolkit https://www.gslafrica.org/our-drivers Shona Group – https://shonacapital.co/ FindingXY – https://findingxy.com/ Helton Traders – https://heltontraders.com/ Uzuri K&Y – https://www.uzuriky.com/ Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) – https://www.andeglobal.org The Testaments by Margaret AtwoodWomen Changing Finance is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network.

    46 min
  6. E19 - Alison Taylor, Clinical Associate Professor at NYU Stern (USA)

    12/03/2025

    E19 - Alison Taylor, Clinical Associate Professor at NYU Stern (USA)

    Can companies save the world? In this episode, Alison Taylor, author of Higher Ground and Clinical Associate Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, shares thought-provoking views. She brings two decades of experience consulting with multinational companies on sustainability, culture, stakeholder engagement, and political risk. Together, we explore how corporate responsibility has evolved, why reputational risk is not the same as trust, and what needs to change in how we hold businesses accountable. Alison challenges the myth that companies can solve every global issue. Instead, she urges us to go back to basics and ensure that "do no harm" principles actually translate into reality. Clean up your own house. Be honest and transparent about trade-offs. We also talk about the global disconnect between ESG promises and everyday realities, especially in emerging markets, and the importance of centering voices from those markets in decision-making. This is a conversation for anyone who has ever felt disillusioned by corporate sustainability and still wants to believe change is possible. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also: Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org Read Alison's full bio Follow Alison on LinkedInTo go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: Higher Ground (book by Alison Taylor): https://www.alisontaylor.co/higher-ground NYU Stern School of Business: https://www.stern.nyu.edu Ethical Systems: https://www.ethicalsystems.org Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): https://www.cdp.net Edelman Trust Barometer: https://www.edelman.com/trust-barometer Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment: https://ccsi.columbia.edu Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL): https://www.cisl.cam.ac.uk We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite, by  Musa al-Gharbi: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691232607/we-have-never-been-woke?srsltid=AfmBOopG6upUXUne1RaD75_oh9ESQ1rasEqDWDR_0xLQswWTzFF9GkAF

    43 min
  7. E18 - Constanza Connolly, Co-founder Keidos Impacto Legal (Argentina)

    11/19/2025

    E18 - Constanza Connolly, Co-founder Keidos Impacto Legal (Argentina)

    In this episode, Connie Connolly, impact lawyer, co-founder of Keidos Impacto Legal, and former president of the Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers (GAIL), shares how lawyers are key actors for change across Latin America and beyond. From pioneering social impact bonds in Buenos Aires to helping NGOs and SMEs tap into capital markets, Connie brings concrete examples of what’s possible even in challenging political and economic environments. She unpacks the role of legal innovation in shaping purpose-driven enterprises, and why strong, values-based governance is core to driving change. More than a lawyer, Connie is a movement-builder. Her passion shines through as she talks about teaching the next generation of impact lawyers and the systemic legal reforms needed to enable inclusive, sustainable economies. This episode shows how law is an essential part of driving finance as a force for good and how lawyers, when guided by impact, can help unlock transformational change. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also: Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org Read Connie's full bio Follow Connie on LinkedInTo go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: Keidos Impacto Legal: https://www.somoskeidos.com Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers (GAIL): https://gailnet.org Sumatoria: https://www.fondo.sumatoria.org Pro Mujer: https://promujer.org UN Global Compact: https://www.unglobalcompact.org IDB (Inter-American Development Bank): https://www.iadb.org IFC (International Finance Corporation): https://www.ifc.org World Bank: https://www.worldbank.org Sistema B: https://www.sistemab.org/en Grunin Center for Law and Social Entrepreneurship: https://www.law.nyu.edu/centers/grunin-social-entrepreneurship Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, by Greg McKeown https://gregmckeown.com/books/essentialism/

    46 min
  8. E17 - Lisa Hehenberger, Director of the ESADE Center for Social Impact (Spain)

    11/05/2025

    E17 - Lisa Hehenberger, Director of the ESADE Center for Social Impact (Spain)

    In this episode, Lisa Hehenberger, Director of ESADE Business School’s Center for Social Impact, and a leading voice in Europe’s impact ecosystem, shares her reflections about trends and tensions shaping the sector today. We explore how impact investing is evolving across Europe: from measurement and governance, to the shifting expectations of funders, investors, and social entrepreneurs. Lisa brings deep experience thanks to her journey bridging the worlds of academia and practice, and offers practical guidance on impact measurement: how to start small, why having a theory of change still matters, and how investors can avoid overburdening their investees with reporting. This episode looks at why Europe’s impact ecosystem is one of the most developed today, and what still remains to be done. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also: Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org Read Lisa's full bio Follow Lisa on LinkedInTo go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: European Investment Fund (EIF) — https://www.eif.org/ ESADE Business School — https://www.esade.edu/  ESADE Center for Social Impact — https://www.esade.edu/faculty-research/en/esade-center-social-impact Impact Europe (formerly EVPA) — https://www.impacteurope.net/ Rubio Impact Ventures — https://www.rubio.vc/ Ship2B Foundation — https://www.ship2b.org/ Qida — https://www.qida.es/ Suma Capital — https://sumacapital.com/en/ Impact Shakers — https://www.impactshakers.com/ Who's Afraid of Gender? by Judith Butler - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/452776/whos-afraid-of-gender-by-butler-judith/9781802061062

    37 min
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About

Women Changing Finance is about the people transforming finance to create a better world. Host Krisztina Tora, a global leader and changemaker, brings her extensive expertise to the conversation, inviting remarkable women from across the globe to share their stories of driving social and environmental impact through financial innovation. Through real-world examples and personal journeys, this podcast reveals how finance can be a powerful tool for change—something we can all engage with and leverage for good. Our guests are women proving that change is possible—whether by investing in underserved communities, developing innovative solutions to address climate challenges, or driving systems-level transformation. Their stories showcase the impact we can create when we align financial resources with our highest aspirations for a better world. If you’re a changemaker, a professional seeking purpose, or simply curious about the role of finance in building a better future, join us to: Get inspired by real stories of impact and innovation Learn how to contribute to systemic change Explore the intersection of finance, purpose, and leadershipSubscribe now and join us in reimagining finance! Visit our website womenchangingfinance.org The show is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network.

Information

  • Creator
    Krisztina Tora
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Krisztina Tora, All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    Women Changing Finance

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