Investing in Impact | Impact Investing

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Investing in Impact interviews impact investors, General Partners, and VC's from around the world on their individual journeys and to connect impact entrepreneurs with insight into funding, scalability, and insights to inspire more impact companies around the world.

  1. Financing Restoration: How Ecosystem Investment Partners Turns Environmental Law into Real Assets

    12/01/2025

    Financing Restoration: How Ecosystem Investment Partners Turns Environmental Law into Real Assets

    This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. ---------------------------------------- In episode 93 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I sit down with Nick Dilks, Co Founder and Managing Partner of Ecosystem Investment Partners (EIP), a firm that has quietly become one of the most important players in large scale ecological restoration in the United States. Nick grew up splitting time between Philadelphia and a family farm on the Chesapeake Bay. That early exposure to land and water shaped a life long focus on conservation. After a decade at The Conservation Fund structuring complex land deals, he co founded EIP in 2006 to answer a simple but difficult question. Can you use private capital, at scale, to restore degraded ecosystems while still meeting the financial expectations of institutional investors Over almost twenty years, EIP has shown that the answer is yes. The firm acquires degraded land, restores wetlands, streams, and habitats, then sells mitigation credits to public and private developers that are required by law to offset their environmental impacts. It is a space where environmental protection, infrastructure, housing, and finance all intersect. In this conversation, Nick explains how mitigation banking actually works, why these markets are fully regulated and compulsory, how a new 400 million dollar fund will expand EIP’s work, and why he believes more young people should bring serious financial skills into the environmental sector. ---------------------------------------- Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

    26 min
  2. Rehana Nathoo on the Future of Impact Investing, Catalytic Capital, and ESG

    11/18/2025

    Rehana Nathoo on the Future of Impact Investing, Catalytic Capital, and ESG

    This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. ---------------------------------------- Welcome to episode 92 of the Investing in Impact podcast. Today you will hear from Rehana Nathoo, the Founder and CEO of Spectrum Impact. Rehana has worked across the UN, Rockefeller Foundation, Bank of New York Mellon, and the Case Foundation, giving her a rare view into how capital systems evolve and where they fall short. Her experience covers development finance, field building, and the realities of pushing impact work into traditional financial institutions. In this episode she breaks down her journey, the lessons she has carried into Spectrum Impact, and the honest truth about what it takes to design impact strategies that actually work. ---------------------------------------- Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

    40 min

  3. 11/17/2025 · BONUS

    Carbon Direct has acquired Pachama to strengthen precision in carbon accounting and verification

    This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. ---------------------------------------- Carbon Direct has acquired Pachama to bolster precision, transparency, and scientific rigor in carbon accounting and verification for the voluntary carbon market. Pachama, recognized for its digital platform focused on monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of forest carbon projects, will integrate its technology with Carbon Direct's science-driven carbon management expertise.​ Strategic Impact of the Acquisition The combined platform aims to deliver higher-quality carbon credits using improved environmental data tracking, advanced digital MRV tools, and AI-powered insights.​ The acquisition strengthens Carbon Direct’s capacity to offer comprehensive, data-driven project evaluation and transparency for both buyers and project developers.​ Pachama’s co-founder and CEO, Diego Saez Gil, and key team members will join Carbon Direct, helping guide strategic engagement around scaling nature-based, verifiable climate solutions.Learn more → ---------------------------------------- Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

    4 min

  4. 11/14/2025 · BONUS

    Quick Brief: The All Aboard Coalition Fund - Bridging the $300 Million "Missing Middle" in Climate Tech Scale-Up

    This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. ---------------------------------------- The All Aboard Coalition is a collaborative investment fund created by a group of established venture capital and private equity firms. It aims to raise $300 million by October and begin investing before the end of the year. Unlike early-stage seed funds, this one focuses on companies that already have validated technology and are now ready to expand into full-scale production. It will make equity or convertible equity investments between $100 million and $200 million per company. In simple terms, the All Aboard Coalition is positioning itself to fill the funding gap between early venture capital and large infrastructure financing, helping climate companies move from concept to commercial scale. Read full breakdown. ---------------------------------------- Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

    4 min
  5. Aligning Nonprofit Mission with Venture Capital - Yigal Kerszenbaum, Managing Partner of JFFVentures

    09/15/2025

    Aligning Nonprofit Mission with Venture Capital - Yigal Kerszenbaum, Managing Partner of JFFVentures

    This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. ---------------------------------------- In this episode of the Investing in Impact podcast, I sit down with Yigal Kerszenbaum, Managing Partner at JFFVentures, to explore how a mission driven investment fund partners with a national nonprofit to expand access, skills, and quality jobs for working adults. Yigal shares his immigrant journey and why it fuels his commitment to opportunity creation. The conversation covers the structure that aligns JFF’s nonprofit mission with a return driven venture fund, the rise of AI in the workforce, and concrete portfolio examples that move people from learning to earning. Jobs for the Future is a forty year old national nonprofit focused at the intersection of education and work. Its North Star is to help tens of millions of adults transition into quality jobs. The organization has deep on the ground expertise, with hundreds of practitioners working across all fifty states and strong relationships with community colleges, employers, and public agencies. JFFVentures is the investment arm aligned to that mission. It operates as a traditional venture capital fund with an impact thesis, backing founders who build products that increase economic mobility for adults earning less than fifty thousand dollars per year. The fund invests in pre seed and seed rounds, typically with an initial check near five hundred thousand dollars and reserves for follow on. Key takeaways JFF is a forty year old nonprofit with deep networks in education and workforce, JFFVentures is its aligned venture fundThe fund backs products that move adults from learning to earning, with a focus on those earning under fifty thousand dollars per yearPortfolio companies like Pace AI, Manifest, and Major League Hacking show the thesis in actionAI can both disrupt and enable, the opportunity is to use it to widen access, lower training costs, and improve job performanceThe structure shares financial upside with the nonprofit, reinforcing the mission as companies scale ---------------------------------------- Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

    31 min
  6. Building Exponential Solutions for Nature: A Conversation with Matthew Stotts, Co-Founder of Cerulean Ventures

    09/02/2025

    Building Exponential Solutions for Nature: A Conversation with Matthew Stotts, Co-Founder of Cerulean Ventures

    This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. ---------------------------------------- The climate challenge has become the defining issue's of our era, unlocking trillions of dollars in climate finance and creating an unprecedented opportunity for bold ideas. But how capital is deployed and the types of founders it backs will determine whether we see systemic change or just incremental improvements. That’s where Cerulean Ventures comes in. Co-founded by Matthew Stotts, Cerulean is a pre-seed venture capital firm investing in founders applying AI and advanced technologies to build exponential solutions for nature. Rather than chasing status-quo climate investments or one-off moonshots, Cerulean seeks leverage points where software, data, and fintech can radically transform entrenched systems. I recently sat down with Matthew to dive into his journey, Cerulean’s unique investment lens, and the transformative startups reshaping everything from agriculture to renewable energy. ---------------------------------------- Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

    57 min
  7. Funding Rounds: $1B+ for Clean Energy, Autism Care, and Public Safety Tech

    08/16/2025 · BONUS

    Funding Rounds: $1B+ for Clean Energy, Autism Care, and Public Safety Tech

    This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. ---------------------------------------- Hey friends, Welcome back to Funding Rounds, where we break down the week’s most impactful startup and venture funding announcements—highlighting the mission, the money, and the impact behind it all. This week, over $1 billion was invested across public safety tech, clean energy, autism care, robotics, carbon removal, and more. Let’s get into it. First Due Secures $355 Million to Scale Public Safety Software Funding: $355 MillionGoal: Expand public safety and emergency response software solutionsImpact: Empowering first responders with technology to improve community safety 🔗 Read more Heron Power Lands $38M Series A to Fast-Track All-Electric Future Funding: $38 millionGoal: Accelerate transition to an all-electric futureImpact: Advancing clean energy adoption across industries 🔗 Learn more beatBread Raises $124M to Empower Independent Musicians Funding: $124 millionGoal: Offer flexible financing to independent musiciansImpact: Expanding access to capital for artists without sacrificing ownership 🔗 Learn more Equatic Secures $11.6M Series A to Scale Carbon Removal and Green Hydrogen Funding: $11.6 millionGoal: Advance permanent carbon removal and green hydrogen productionImpact: Scaling technologies to address climate change at the source 🔗 Read more Vulcan Elements Closes $65M Series A to Boost U.S. Rare Earth Magnet Production Funding: $65 millionGoal: Produce high-performance rare earth magnets in the U.S.Impact: Strengthening domestic supply chains for critical clean energy materials 🔗 Read more Positive Development Secures $51.5M Series C to Advance AI-Powered Autism Therapy Funding: $51.5 millionGoal: Expand access to play-based developmental therapy and enhance its AI model for personalized autism careImpact: Supporting children with autism and their families through at-home, relationship-focused, and development-driven programs 🔗 Learn more Better Nature Lands $1.5M to Expand Clean-Label Tempeh in UK and Abroad Funding: $1.5MGoal: Grow alternative protein product lines globallyImpact: Driving plant-based innovation in the protein market 🔗 Read more FORT Robotics Secures $18.9M Series B Expansion Funding: $18.9 millionGoal: Advance safety and security solutions for robotics and physical AI systemsImpact: Enabling safe, secure, and dynamic control for autonomous machines across industries including agriculture, construction, defense, and factory automation 🔗 Learn more Aira Lands €150M to Accelerate Europe’s Shift to Electric Residential Heating Funding: €150 millionGoal: Accelerate clean home energy adoption across EuropeImpact: Driving decarbonization of residential heating 🔗 Read more Circulate Capital Closes $75.8M Latin America & Caribbean Environmental Fund to Tackle Plastic Waste Funding: $75.8 millionGoal: Combat plastic pollution and scale recycling infrastructure in Latin America & the CaribbeanImpact: Reducing ocean plastic, creating jobs, and building resilient recycling supply chains 🔗 Read more 📢 Final Thoughts That wraps up this week’s Funding Rounds. Over $1 billion invested into systems that touch nearly every part of our lives—from how we heat our homes and power our cities, to how we create music, deliver therapy, and protect our communities. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe, leave a quick review, and check out all the stories mentioned today at causeartist.com. ---------------------------------------- Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

    4 min
  8. Funding Rounds: $650M+ for Space Labs, Medicaid Tech, and Climate Solutions

    07/25/2025 · BONUS

    Funding Rounds: $650M+ for Space Labs, Medicaid Tech, and Climate Solutions

    This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. ---------------------------------------- Varda Raises $187M Series C to Manufacture Medicine in Space 🚀 Funding: $187 millionGoal: Bring zero-gravity biomanufacturing to commercial scaleImpact: Creating life-saving therapies that can only be made in orbit🔗 Learn more AWAKE Chocolate Lands $8M CAD to Fuel Functional Chocolate Growth 🍫 Funding: $8 million CADGoal: Expand caffeinated chocolate snacks as an alternative to energy drinksImpact: Blending deliciousness and wellness in every bite🔗 Learn more SHIFT Invest Hits €92M First Close for Impact Fund 🌏 Funding: €92 millionGoal: Back circular economy, food, and climate startupsImpact: Driving sustainability-focused VC across Europe🔗 Read more GeologicAI Raises $44M for AI-Driven Mining Innovation ⛏️ Funding: $44 millionGoal: Digitize geological exploration with AI and automationImpact: Making mining cleaner, faster, and more efficient🔗 Read more Hadrian Raises $260M to Build Automated Space Factories 🛰️ Funding: $260 millionGoal: Modernize precision manufacturing for aerospaceImpact: Accelerating innovation in national and planetary security🔗 Read more Fortuna Health Raises $18M to Modernize Medicaid Access 📲 Funding: $18 million Series AGoal: Rebuild Medicaid infrastructure with user-friendly techImpact: Empowering millions to access benefits more easily🔗 Learn more Provectus Algae Raises $12.6M for Bio-Based Climate Solutions ♺ Funding: $12.6 million Series AGoal: Scale precision fermentation using algae for sustainable ingredientsImpact: Creating new climate-positive materials through biology🔗 Learn more BetterComp Raises $33M to Advance AI in Compensation Strategy 📊 ---------------------------------------- Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet. Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention. By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

    3 min
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Investing in Impact interviews impact investors, General Partners, and VC's from around the world on their individual journeys and to connect impact entrepreneurs with insight into funding, scalability, and insights to inspire more impact companies around the world.

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