News and Views

  • ‘Want to help Afghanistan? Then buy from our small businesses’

    Messages of support are one thing, says Kabul-based entrepreneur, but outsiders can show real solidarity by outsourcing professional media, consulting and tech services to Afghanistan’s startups. 

  • It's time to back black and minority ethnic social entrepreneurs

    Izzy Obeng and Bayo Adelaja both created ventures that make it easier for diverse founders to grow a business. But social entrepreneurs of colour still face barriers, especially in accessing finance. Dr Yaz Osho explores what needs to change.

  • Change Please acquisition to see 55 AMT Coffee sites 'converted' to social mission

    Leading UK social enterprise buys 28-year-old coffee bar chain, taking on 370 staff, as part of pandemic-assisted acquisition strategy to create more social businesses.

  • Everyone in: how a government grant is helping to power ambitious housing funds

    A £30m budget to tackle homelessness may sound tiny, but the social investment pilot is already leveraging millions more in investment. We unpick the details of a complex collection of funds – and find out what they hope to achieve. 

  • Impact Finance Bulletin: $30m to close racial wealth gap; new fund to leverage $1bn for small farmers

    PLUS: Africa's first social bonds; first Women's Livelihood Bond matures; $58m fund to help farmers adapt to climate change; Bridges sells majority stake in World of Books, and more – all the deals you need to know about this month.

  • The social enterprise that takes on ‘Big Air’ with data

    Millions of people need but can’t afford an air purifier. But a social entrepreneur, who just “happened to be in Beijing breathing dirty air”, decided to set off to understand the science, build his own devices and bust the myth that clean air had to be expensive.