ImpactAlpha Podcasts

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week:“Patient capital to establish trust, efficacy and potential for scale in youth mental health startups,” by Hopelab’s Nathaan Demers"After a commercial failure, AIM Horizon goes all in on impact for maritime decarbonization," by Jessica Pothering

Stacey Faella, executive director of the Woodcock Foundation in New York, joins David Bank for an update on Woodcock's decade-long journey toward near-100% mission alignment of its $90 million endowment. They talk about "investing in democracy" through the ownership economy, and the case for foundations to fire their investment advisors.Woodcock is a founding member of Impact LP, impactalpha’s group of more than a dozen family offices, foundations and other allocators for whom LP = Leadership Potential. 

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor Jessica Pothering. Up this week: “As Norges Bank warns of potential losses, can impact investments provide a hedge?” by Amy Cortese"Investors find opportunities in South Africa's rush to renewables,” by Marilyn Waite“Murdoch heir seeks to set All Aboard climate coalition up for long term impact,” by Amy CorteseTo try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Manufactured housing assets and mobile home communities, along with single-room occupancy motels, and multifamily properties, are key sources of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing. On this episode, Proactive Realty Group’s Canaan Williams (ImpactAlpha Edge) tells how he has acquired and renovated nearly two dozen distressed, condemned or nearly abandoned assets and rehabilitated them, including with energy upgrades, while preserving below-market rents. Dr. Van, as he is known, knows housing from growing up in a working-class Bay Area family that relied on Section 8 subsidies. South Carolina-based Proactive’s fixed-income strategy promises monthly payments from the rental stream.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: “Power for AI, mostly renewable, tops the shopping list for big asset managers,” by Amy Cortese, with reporting from Erik Stein“Of agents and agency: An investor’s guide to choice and control across the AI stack,” by Paul Fehlinger"WovenEarth raises $155 million fund-of-funds for early-stage cleantech," by Roodgally Senatus

Todd Khozein of SecondMuse, an impact ecosystem builder and investor that designs and deploys innovative financing for resilient, inclusive and sustainable economies, joins David Bank. Todd’s family fled Iran in 1979 with other Baha'i families, who were persecuted after  the Islamic Revolution. In a recent post on ImpactAlpha, he applied Second Muse’s system-thinking to the provocative topic of the 21st-century reconstruction of Iran - whether that comes in five months or five years.In their conversation, Todd talks about the relational imperative, women’s participation, the Iranian diaspora and the role impact investors.

 Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: How Temasek, the $400 billion state-owned investment fund out of Singapore, positions itself as a generational investor; a look at three impact investing “beach reads,” out this week, that tackle the future of capitalism and the common good; and sustainable farm and timberland manager Alder Point lands $4 million from the Rockefeller Foundation to ramp up land acquisitions in rural communities.To try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠.Story links:“Ford Foundation’s Roy Swan makes the case for 'positive-sum' capitalism,” by David Bank and Isaac Silk“With $400 billion in assets, Temasek leans into emerging markets, climate adaptation and ‘sustainable living’,” by David Bank"Alder Point secures $4 million from Rockefeller Foundation to build climate-resilient forests and farmlands," by Roodgally Senatus.

Eliza Foo, who leads impact investing at Temasek, the Singapore-based global investment company whose asset base recently crossed $400 billion, joins David Bank.They speak about Temasek’s mission, Singapore’s impact ecosystem, and what’s next in emerging markets impact investing. And she shares her advice for asset allocators still skeptical about impact.

Roy Swan, director of mission investments at the Ford Foundation and author of "Positive Sum: How Zero Sum Thinking Broke Capitalism, How We Can Fix It," joins David Bank. They speak about shareholder primacy, "patriotic capitalism", and how AI finally making externalities - positive negatives - visible and actionable. Get a copy of the book today.Disclosure: The Ford Foundation is an investor in ImpactAlpha.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: A look at the cool tech investors seeking sustainable solutions to help billions beat the heat; why impact LPs are buying and selling stakes in the secondaries market; and, debriefing this week’s call, which asked whether faith-aligned investors can become known for what they are for, not just what they’re againstTo try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠. RSVP for next week's Call.This week's stories:“Cool tech fund looks to India for sustainable solutions to beat the heat,” by Jessica Pothering“Liquidity for sellers, discounts for buyers in budding impact secondaries market,” by Amy Cortese“Helping faith-aligned investors direct their assets toward ‘human flourishing,’” by Erik Stein. Watch the full video replay.

The Refugee Investment Network co-founders John Kluge and Christine Mahoney join David Bank to discuss their new book Banking on Belonging: Why Investing in Refugee Entrepreneurs Benefits Everyone. At a time when more than 120 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced — the highest level in recorded history –  the book makes the case for supportive policy and welcoming environment that can deliver gains for both migrants and host countries.  John and Christine bust a few myths along the way and spotlight the enormous economic opportunities in refugee entrepreneurship. Impact capital, they say, may advance the migration conversation where advocacy has fallen short.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Generation Investment Management seeks to stamp AI with a mandate for sustainability; how closing the gender gap could ease skill shortages in Latin America's mobile workforce; and the California pension fund behind Inox Clean Energy’s ambitious rollup of solar manufacturing and generating assets.To try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠. RSVP for next week's Call.This week's stories: “Generation Investment Management seeks to stamp AI with a mandate for sustainability,” by Amy Cortese“Amid trillion-dollar IPOs, impact investors seek pathways to steer technology towards shared prosperity,” by Antony Bugg-Levine“Human agency is the next frontier for impact investing,” by Florian Kemmerich and Randall Zindler“Closing the gender gap to ease skill shortages in Latin America's mobile workforce,” by Erik Stein"CalPERS-backed Inox Clean Energy gets funding from Indian family office to ramp up renewables development," by Jessica Pothering

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Four Agents of Impact offer thoughts on the promise of the American experiment and the role for impact investing in it, ahead of the country’s 250th birthday; a look at Next 50’s strategy for financing GPs and companies that are valuing aging; and how Gaussion is speeding battery charging and boosting performance.To try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠.This week’s stories:“Following in the footsteps of America’s founding financier,” by Antony Bugg-Levine“Investing in the American Dream as a long-term play to strengthen democracy,” by Napoleon Wallace“The accounting reform that could strengthen American capitalism,” by Stacey Faella“Life, liberty and a share of the upside,” by Santhosh Ramdoss“Next50 is cutting checks to GPs seeking alpha in aging across energy, housing and infrastructure,” by Roodgally Senatus and David Bank“Gaussion lands $28 million to speed battery charging and boost performance,” by Lucy Ngige

Rey Ramsey, CEO of the Nathan Cummings Foundation and author of the new book The Tyranny of False Choices: A Guide to Authentic Decision-Making joins David Bank.They spoke about "venture grants," transparency as a prerequisite for action, and how Ramsey has kept Nathan Cummings committed to racial, economic and environmental justice even as some institutions scrub their websites and trim their sails.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor Jessica Pothering. Up this week: How a new playbook for shared prosperity is being written in Zambia, where attempts are being made to redirect its mineral wealth toward local small and growing businesses; what SpaceX and other IPOs mean for Impact LPs and the field of impact investing; and this week’s deal spotlight shines a light on investors designing nature-based investments around natural cycles.To try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠.This week's stories:"Zambia centers small businesses in its bid for a more inclusive economy," by Lucy Ngige"SpaceX, Anthropic IPOs set to unlock billions in liquidity for impact LPs," by Amy Cortese"Investors learn to design nature-based investments around natural cycles," by Erik Stein“Danone-backed Livelihoods lands €124 million for its fourth nature-based fund,” by Lucy Ngige

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor Amy Cortese. Up this week: At SuperReturn in Berlin, asset-light is out, HALO is in as private equity titans focus on AI, energy and defense; a look at public and private approaches to sharing the AI wealth; and, Realize Capital Partners’ fund-of-funds secures $277 million for Canada’s impact fund managers.To try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠. This week's stories:“At SuperReturn in Berlin, asset-light is out, HALO is in as private equity titans focus on AI, energy and defense,” by Amy Cortese and Danielle Rossingh.“Designing broad-based ownership of AI to share power along with wealth,” by Delilah Rothenberg of The Predistribution Initiative"Realize Capital Partners’ fund-of-funds secures $277 million for Canada’s impact fund managers," by Roodgally SenatusRealize's ImpactSpace profile.

Lucy Mortimer of Archipelago Ventures joins David Bank. Archipelago is a UK-based early-stage climate fund investing in materials innovations that enable a truly circular economy. They speak about Lucy about why materials are a sleeper cell in the climate crisis and how Archipelago is innovating in the fund raising process itself, with “collective diligence” - in which Archipelago’s prospective partners work together to ask the hard questions. 

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Why battery makers and investors are pivoting from EVs to grid storage for renewable energy in Europe; a look at Lukas Walton-backed S2G investments following its $1 billion; and, the reasons that the world cup is a sportswashing bonanza.To try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠.This week's stories:“Battery makers and investors pivot from EVs to grid storage for renewable energy in Europe,” by Danielle Rossingh.“G is for growth after $1 billion raise for Lukas Walton-backed S2G Investments,” by Erik Stein“A ‘sportswashing’ bonanza, brought to you by Saudi Aramco,” by Dmitriy Ioselevich

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Is Altérra’s ambitious effort to mobilize climate finance for the Global South working?; how Fervo Energy pulled off the biggest clean energy IPO in Wall Street history; and, Working Capital Fund secures $31 million for its third supply chain resilience fund.To try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠. This week's stories:“Is Altérra’s ambitious effort to mobilize climate finance for the Global South working?,” by Erik Stein, Amy Cortese and David Bank“Fervo’s IPO recipe includes a dash of federal funding and a scoop of catalytic capital,” by Antony Bugg-Levine"Working Capital Fund secures $31 million for its third supply chain resilience fund," by Amy Cortese

Ty Thomas of Primary Housing joins David Bank to discuss NOAH - naturally occurring affordable housing. As an emerging manager, Thomas is looking to preserve and improve  the kind of aging, unrestricted market-rate apartments that house teachers, firefighters, and other essential workers.Primary Housing, has been an active and early user of ImpactAlpha Edge, ImpactAlpha’s premium databases and other investment tools for fund managers and other Agents of Impact.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor Amy Cortese. Up this week: Two different approaches that impact investors are taking to address Big Tech’s AI data center buildout; who wins when access to private equity is opened up to American retirees; and, how 2x is spurring a global race to the top in gender-lens investing.To try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠. This week's stories:“Investors must push for transparency on AI’s water risks,” by Ceres’ Kirsten James."Elemental Impact teams with hyperscalers to deploy clean tech solutions," by Amy Cortese.“In the name of ‘democratization,’ private equity firms eye US retirement savings,” by Isaac Silk and Amy CorteseSubscribe to Impact(ed) on Spotify, Apple or wherever you listen.“Spurring a global race to the top in gender-lens investing,” by David Bank

Impact investing may have originated in the West. Its future is being shaped in the East.  From Singapore to South Korea, Japan to Hong Kong, investors in a mosaic of Asia-Pacific markets are leaning into Asia’s distinctive edge in the global impact investment ecosystem: patient capital, intergenerational stewardship and disciplined innovation.The driver: a rising, intergenerational “now generation” steering the region’s innovative operating businesses and investment portfolios toward sustainability and social impact.“There’s this undercurrent of energy and willingness to try and come together,” Katy Yung, who leads the Hong Hong-based Sustainable Finance Initiative, tells ImpactAlpha’s Dennis Price on the latest Agents of Impact podcast. “The reality is it has to be an intergenerational effort.”

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with Lucy Ngige and Amy Cortese. Up this week: The first edition of ImpactAlpha Africa explores new ways capital is being mobilized for impact on the continent; a spotlight on two African funds investing in human capital and creating high productivity jobs; and, how some LPs are stepping up to help emerging managers cross the chasm to their next fund.

Eric Ries, who inspired many a founder with his book The Lean Startup and went on to found the Long-Term Stock Exchange, joins Amy Cortese on this Agents of Impact podcast. Ries has wrapped up what he’s learned in a new book “Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great.” Many of the so-called best practices in corporate governance, he says, actually destroy value, and Silicon Valley founders ignore governance until it's too late,. Amy speaks with Eric about "spiritual holding companies" — think perpetual purpose trusts, employee ownership trusts and industrial foundations that put a check on for-profit boards. Human flourishing, he says, not profit maximization, should be the true purpose of companies. He has some ideas of how to build organizations that can resist both inside temptations and outside pressure to betray their missions.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: How Los Angeles is working to lower the cost and complexity of capital for affordable housing; the Southern Poverty Law Center controversy, and who really controls the funds in Donor Advised Funds; and, a closer look at a $140 million deal to build a sustainable aviation fuel plant in Egypt.This week's stories:“Los Angeles tries to show how affordable housing can be built more quickly and cheaply,” by David Bank“Choose wisely: Big DAF platforms drop Southern Poverty Law Center,” by Candide Group's Morgan Simon“Jewish investors are calling on PayPal to provide services in Palestine,” by Chicory Wealth’s ari rosenberg and Mission Driven Finance board member Dorianna Blitt"Ninety One arranges $143 million for sustainable jet fuel production in Egypt," by Lucy Ngige

Chris Larson of Alder Point Capital Management, a fund manager focused on working farms and forestlands, joins David Bank. Now a GP, or general partner, Larson used to sit on the other side of the table as an LP, or limited partner, at a single-family office. We discussed the rising value of sustainable real assets for climate mitigation and adaptation, and what it’s like to be a fund - raiser after spending years as a capital allocator.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Navigating the fear and frenzy at Milken’s annual gathering of global institutional capital; how the ongoing war in Iran is increasing the demand for renewable energy infrastructure, to the benefit of private equity giants; and, strange bedfellows invest in a company using ocean waves to generate renewable for offshore data centers.To try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠.Story links:"Renewable energy gains steam despite headwinds, as energy demand surges,” by Amy Cortese and Erik Stein."Climate investors team with Peter Thiel to back ocean power startup Panthalassa," by Amy Cortese

Carrie Endries joins David Bank to discuss the evolution of the place-based local investment ecosystem in Boston. “We have many clients who have more abundant wealth than they need,” Endries says on the latest Agents of Impact podcast. “That means that they can set aside a portion of their portfolio that might have a return that is below market, if they choose."Such clients are among a growing cohort of asset owners who are shifting their focus to making a positive impact in their own backyards. Endries works with high net worth individuals, families and smaller foundations, many of whom are based in Boston and across New England, to design and implement impact‑first, place‑based investment strategies.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editors Jessican Pothering and David Bank. Up this week: The latest in Africa’s carbon markets, from nature-based solutions to clean cooking; which wealthy athletes are getting into the impact investing game; and debriefing this week’s Mission Investors Exchange conference.To try ImpactAlpha Edge for yourself, ⁠⁠click here⁠⁠.Story links:"Outcomes and offtakes spur a 250,000-acre restoration project in South Africa," by Jessica Pothering."Why has it been so hard to crack the code on clean cooking solutions," by Jessica Pothering.“Wealthy athletes are getting into the impact investing game,” by Roodgally Senatus.“Agents of Impact share new narratives and continued resolve at Mission Investors Exchange,” by David Bank and Dennis Price

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: What’s significant about Uganda’s national pension fund’s effort to stand up a locally focused fund of funds; unraveling the controversy surrounding KKR’s lucrative employee ownership exit from CoolIT; and, unpacking the failure of the impact advisory firm Align Impact.To try ImpactAlpha Edge yourself, ⁠click here⁠.For more on these stories:“Let KKR do its thing while we convert thousands more companies to 100% employee ownership,” by Aner Ben-Ami"With shared ownership, $4.8 billion sale of CoolIT gives workers a cut of AI-driven gains," by Roody Senatus"Better financing can make employee ownership a game-changer for workers," by Antony Bugg Levine“Pension fund in Uganda readies a $100 million fund of funds to create jobs – and savers,” by Lucy Ngige“After 12 years, advisory firm Align Impact to shut down at the end of the month,” by David Bank

Dawn Lippert of Elemental Impact joins David Bank. The nonprofit accelerator and investor has for over 15 years been identifying climate solutions grounded in community benefits. Among the topics covered: the gap in financing first-of-a-kind commercial projects, AI and energy infrastructure, and a new role for the environmental movement now that renewable energy is rolling out at scale.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week:"Dear Shareholders: Your votes and your voice are needed more than ever," by As You Sow's Andrew Behar“Impact investors seek to assert human agency over the future of AI,” by David Bank and Dennis Price“Collaboration Fund sparks a conversation around M&A in impact investing field-building,” by David Bank and Amy CorteseTo try ImpactAlpha Edge for yourself, click here.Correction: Sorenson Impact Institute, not Foundation, is hosting the Collaboration Fund as well as the Webinar next week.

Smitha Das of World Education Services, or WES, joins David Bank for this episode. WES has amassed its balance sheet not from a wealthy individual or a major corporation, but from the operations of its own nonprofit social enterprise -- and is now on a path to investing 100% of its $300 million in assets in full alignment with its social mission.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: How the economic impacts of war in Iran are rippling through energy, fertilizer and food systems; a look at ImpactAlpha Edge; and, a public reckoning with an aquaculture investment gone wrong.Relevant links:“With imported gas in short supply, Indian households green their kitchens,” by Shefali Anand"⁠Persian Gulf blockade stokes demand for local, bio-based fertilizers⁠," by Amy Cortese"The ImpactAlpha Edge: Actionable Intelligence for Agents of Impact," by Dennis Price"Aqua-Spark’s founders on lessons learned and the path forward after eFishery scandal,” by Amy Novogratz and Mike Velings

Russell Sprole of Virta Ventures joins David Bank to talk about why Virta expanded its equity-light, software-focused climate-tech investment strategy to include hardware, AI and blended capital stacks. Virta Ventures has been an active and early user of ImpactAlpha Edge, ImpactAlpha’s premium platform of data and tools for fund managers and other Agents of Impact.For more on the firm check out out David's piece on the firm's strategy from last year.

David Bank is joind by Carol Galante of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley and The Housing Lab. Carol is a proud “houser,” as affordable housing practitioners like to call themselves. David speaks with Carol to identify some of the policy and finance levers that can make housing more affordable in California and beyond.

Lyneir Richardson of Chicago Trend joins David Bank for this Agents of Impact podcast. Trend acquires and improves shopping centers in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. The twist:  Investment structures that enable local residents to become co-owners on the same terms as institutional investors. David speeks with Lyneir about how such local buy-in bolsters the properties, why even a $1,000 stake in commercial real estate can change a family’s trajectory, and how broad-based community ownership can help close the racial wealth gap. 

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week:"Conflict in the Middle East creates (even more) refugees in need of livelihoods, services and impact investment," by Lucy Ngige."Valuing Aging" Agents of Impact Call (5:05)." Profit and punishment: The portfolio risks lurking inside private prisons,"by Andrew Behar (10:45).

Bryan Goh of the Tsao Family Office joins David Bank on this Agents of Impact podcast. Goh runs the social impact arm of the family behind Singapore-based maritime company Tsao Pao Chee Group. The company itself says it is guided by a “well-being mandate” and “an awakening journey from I to We.”The Tsao Family Office is a founding partner of Impact LP, ImpactAlpha’s  platform for asset owners for whom LP stands for “Leadership Potential.”For more, read our writeup on Tsao.

Ashley Bell of Redemption Holding Company joins David Bank on this episode of the podcast. Redemption last year acquired Utah-based Holiday Bank & Trust, the first time Black owners had acquired a non-minority-owned bank. From a Salt Lake City suburb, Bell is building a national financial institution.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: "How Anthropic’s standoff with the Pentagon is putting impact investors' AI thesis to the test in real time," by David Bank. “⁠Sharing wealth with workers creates value for private equity buyout firms. So why not share more?⁠” by Roodgally Senatus. (10:15). “⁠Six barriers keeping foundations from impact investing – and how to overcome them⁠,” by Woodcock Foundation's Stacey Faella (17:55).

Tirtha Patel and John Morris of Intentional Asset Management join David for this episode. Intentional is raising the Carib Grow Fund to provide much-needed equity financing for food systems in the Caribbean. Tirtha and John explain the fund's strategy for transforming the region’s food value chain, from production to processing to waste recovery. Intentional Asset Management has been an active and early user of ImpactAlpha’s premium databases and other investment tools for fund managers and other Agents of Impact.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank and producer Isaac Silk. Up this week: As the Trump administration steps back from domestic policy, how states are taking the lead on clean energy, the ownership economy, and AI regulation (09:25); Why smaller funds are leading to bigger returns in Africa (); And, the pivots of Mast Reforestation, as it seeks to sell removal credits on the voluntary carbon markets (14:15).ImpactAlpha's Policy Corner coverage.“Aruwa Capital has the data to make the case for small investment funds,” by Lucy Ngige“From planting trees to burying them, Mast Reforestation follows the market for carbon credits,” by Isaac Silk

The Russell Family Foundation is a regional small fry among the giant pension, insurance and sovereign wealth funds in the Net Zero Asset Owners Alliance, which represents more than $9 trillion in assets. Russell, based in Gig Harbor, Wash., near Seattle, accounts for only about $100 million of that total.  “We can move a little bit faster,” Kathleen Simpson, CEO of the foundation, tells David Bank on this Agents of Impact podcast.Resources mentioned by Kathleen:Russell's latest climate reportAs You SowClarity.aiiconik

The status quo is stupid, expensive and unfair. That’s the first line of David Erickson’s book, “The Fifth Freedom,” which makes the case for good schools, well-funded libraries, safe streets and public spaces, quality health care, spiritual refuges and accessible transportation to help kids and communities thrive.Erickson joins David Bank on this episode of Agents of Impact. His team at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York have turned such ideas into Making Missing Markets, an initiative to connect the builders of health, wealth and vibrant communities with the “buyers,” including hospitals,  insurers and corporations as well as government agencies, such as Medicaid. He says such collaborations could finance “upstream” interventions that deliver such outcomes at far lower cost than downstream remediation.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Highlights from this week’s Agents of Impact Call on Shaping the Algorithm for good AI; how regional housing finance agencies in California are leveraging public funding to crowd private capital into affordable housing (12:20); and the emergence of local guarantee facilities for local investors in infrastructure in Africa and Asia (17:20).Story links:Call roundup“Building regional engines for affordable housing in California,” by Andrew Fremier, Ryan Johnson and Cody Petterson“Local guarantees for local investors in infrastructure projects in Africa and Asia,” by Lucy Ngige

Dimitry Gershenson and Erin Davis of Enduring Planet join David Bank to discuss how their working capital loans help early-stage climate startups meet the milestones need to unlock other financing – and pay them back. They discuss the current state of climate tech, technology-enabled lending, catalytic guarantees and even corporate beekeeping.

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with Jessica Pothering, Dennis Price and Roodgally Senatus. Up this week: Jessica reports from Cape Town on how Africa’s mining industry is leveraging global demand for critical minerals; Dennis shares takeaways from his panel at the Urban Institute on what’s next for place-based investing (12:15); and, Roody reports from Philadelphia on Kensington residents are fostering neighborhood revival without gentrification and displacement (20:15).Story links:"Demand for critical minerals creates new opportunities to put Africa first," by Jessica PotheringDennis' Urban Institute panel."In Philadelphia, Kensington Corridor Trust demonstrates a neighborhood-led model of revival without displacement,” by Roodgally Senatus

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: How patient capital built India’s booming affordable home lending market; Nippon Life Insurance’s step-up to system-level investing in Japan (07:15); and, the push and pull behind growing interest in climate adaptation (13:20).Story links:"Key to India’s booming affordable home lending market: Patient capital," by Shefali Anand“With 'people x planet', Nippon Life Insurance steps up to system-level investing,” by Erik Stein.“Rising risks and returns on resilience are the push and pull for climate adaptation,” by David Bank.

SHIFT Capital, Aedera Companies and Lafayette Square are teaming up to bet on some of the most overlooked corners of the US housing market: Federally subsidized housing in mid-sized cities and rural communities on the east coast, and in the rust belt and midwest.SHIFT's Brian Murray and Aedera's Alison Carey join David Bank to discuss their new fund's strategy of preserving, and improving, affordable housing in underserved markets.