BRUSSELS BRIEFING: The social economy could face serious headwinds as EU policymakers shift priorities. Now is the time for social enterprises to show they can make the bloc more competitive – with added impact, writes Toby Gazeley.
Yes, blended finance has its flaws, but Mariana Mazzucato’s critical UN briefing creates a misleading narrative around its role, says Joan Larrea of Convergence. The approach’s real promise is not as a gap-filler, but a market enabler.
As Donald Trump pulls the plug on the world’s largest aid donor, the impact investing community warns the existing funding gap to meet the SDGs will widen by billions of dollars. But is China now poised to step forward?
Women entrepreneurs still struggle to raise capital, and it is because of systemic gender bias, says Marta Zaccagnini. Her experience with impact-focused founders proves that women have enormous untapped potential.
This week COP29 paves way for “game-changing tool” to tackle the climate crisis, the UK government confirms no change for dormant assets allocation and the winners of the 2024 Social Enterprise NI Awards.
The Scottish government is aiming for full-scale economic systems change and expects social enterprise to be at the forefront of its new economic model, according to discussions at the Social Enterprise Scotland Summit 2024.
The soft-spoken former civil servant has done more than perhaps anyone to shape the UK impact investing space. As he begins a new role at the LSE, Kieron Boyle shares what he learned in Whitehall – and what keeps him sane in a “marathon” career.
In the aftermath of a Trump victory, champions of the “new economy” in Europe say despair is a luxury we can't afford. Taking action means learning from the success of the right wing – and even businesses need to get political, say some.
What are OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s motivations in restructuring his tech firm into a public benefit corporation? Amendments to the law in the US state of Delaware might give a clue on whether Altman is looking for social impact or profit maximisation.
This week we reveal Scotland’s Social Enterprise of the Year, dive deep with whales and blended finance, highlight a change at the top of Big Issue Invest, and more.
Venture capital funding towards impact startups continues a sharp downward trend as VC investors lose appetite for climate tech, the latest Dealroom figures reveal.
'Makerspaces' in Liverpool that bring creativity to communities and provide hubs for budding artisans and entrepreneurs to flourish have become the first beneficiary of a brand new social investment fund ringfenced for the Liverpool City Region.
Founding a social enterprise is "like having two babies at once": at Ashoka's GetWISER Summit 2024, we hear about the brilliant women social entrepreneurs overcoming challenges on a daily basis – and why we need to change how we measure impact.
