Former investment banker Gareth Davies says UK wholesaler should broaden scope to ‘enhance profits’, one of many sweeping changes he proposes to boost social investment. But BSC says it’s already ‘picking winners’ while putting impact first.
Conservative MP and civil society review author Danny Kruger highlights new funds that social enterprises should watch, adding that Treasury ministers are “very supportive” of social enterprise – but also “very distracted” right now.
PLUS: $100m MacArthur grant to end homelessness; Dutch VC fund backs digital-only fashion house; ImpactAssets custom investments surge; new pooled fund for southeast Asia; Resonance's launchpad loan for mums' mental health; and more.
Financial Secretary to the Treasury rejects calls for a further extension of a crucial tax relief scheme designed to stimulate social investment – but campaigners hope this will open the door to a new, improved policy to replace it.
PLUS: Resonance makes raft of SITR investments ahead of crunch time for relief scheme; first impact fund for French investment firm Founders Future; Dutch social impact bond repays investors; new Conduit EIS Impact Fund; and more.
In the first of a series looking at 'patient, risk bearing' capital, Duncan Brown asks why social investment is so dominated by short-term, rigid debt instruments – and why there's so little support for higher risk, high return social innovation.
Despite its low uptake, social enterprise and investment bodies are fighting to retain Social Investment Tax Relief – with uncertainty around its future already affecting businesses in north-west England.
Last week the UK government announced new funding to help startups survive Covid-19 – and the founder and CEO of impact investment bank ClearlySo says the approach is a 'big step in the right direction'.
PLUS: Vital Capital creates emergency debt facility for Africa businesses, Cadent Foundation launches, Oddbox secures £3m for nationwide expansion, and Brazilian startup makes ‘sensational’ exit.
