Alternatives to traditional bank lending have scaled 20-fold to £3,388m from £169m in just eight years, with property funds and non-bank lending on the up, reveals annual market update from the UK’s impact investing wholesaler.
PLUS: Social Impact Ventures rebrands and doubles fund size; Save the Children Australia impact fund opens for business; UN’s first outcomes fund; the new $400m 'blank-cheque' sustainability company; and more.
Zamo Capital – the new company backed by Big Society Capital to scale up social investors – confirms its first deal, which will help Social and Sustainable Capital expand its team and raise more capital for its housing fund.
SASC's initial social investment offer was turned down by Hull Women’s Network trustee Lisa Hilder. But Ben Rick was determined to shape a product that worked. The result was an SE100 award-winning investment deal.
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.
Bite-sized stories this week: the future 'S&P 500 index of social impact'; a new barista training academy; fundraising ambitions for a vulnerable housing fund; and community energy awards.
PLUS: New $40m fund to bridge short-term financing gaps, Social and Sustainable Capital makes first investment from its housing fund, tech startup OpenSC raises $4m, CIC secures £250k through social investment tax relief, and more.
PLUS: Generation Investment raises $1bn to invest in “sustainability revolution”, SIS Ventures makes first equity investment, North East Social Investment Fund invests £700k in employability and education, and more.
PLUS: SASC invests in sexual health charity Brook, Big Issue Invest announces £400k social impact bond, Acumen closes $70m energy fund for east Africa, Fair by Design backs challenger credit bureau Credit Kudos, and more.
