Episode 1: Demystifying blended finance with Kusisami Hornberger, Partner, Dalberg Advisors

In our first episode, we speak to Kusi Hornberger who has been an advocate of blended finance for several years. Kusi has been part of the development sector since the inception of his career and has worked at the IFC, Global Partnerships, and now Dalberg. He has seen first-hand how innovative finance can play a role in mobilizing capital in sectors such as agriculture, global health, and financial services. He has also recently authored a book, “Scaling Impact: Finance and Investment for a Better World” in which he talks about how innovative finance can be used to achieve returns beyond mere profit. In this episode, Kusi helps us break down the basics of blended finance and talks about the roles that various stakeholders play in a blended finance transaction.   Timestamps 9:35: Basics and definition of blended finance 16:15: Government capital and its role in blended finance transactions 19:30: Versatility of blended finance: where does blended finance work best? 23:05: Application of blended finance: top to bottom or bottom to top? 24:50: Measures of success of blended finance transactions with illustrations: financial additionality - SDG Loan Fund (Allianz, FMO) and non-financial additionality - Aceli Africa’s blended finance facility 33:15: How can development finance institutions play a more engaged role in supporting catalytic finance? 37:55: Diverting more philanthropic capital towards blended finance 39:15: What’s next for Kusi?