The Impact World this Week: 23 October 2026

UK: UnLtd CEO Mark Norbury to step down after 11 years

Mark Norbury will step down as CEO of UnLtd, the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs, next summer, the organisation announced on Thursday. During Norbury’s tenure, UnLtd has developed both an accelerator and a social investment offer alongside its established grant funding and support. Under Norbury's leadership, UnLtd has prioritised providing equitable and inclusive funding and support across the early journey of a social entrepreneur. More than 70% of UnLtd's awards and investment now go to Black, Asian, minority ethnic and/or disabled founders. Alongside this, UnLtd has secured major new partnerships, including a programme backing social entrepreneurs to lead climate action in their communities delivered with the National Lottery Community Fund. Recruitment for UnLtd’s next Chief Executive is under way, with the organisation aiming to appoint in early 2027.

• Watch our interview with Mark Norbury on social impact bonds, asset locks and impact investing

US: Anthropic launches US$48bn fund to address AI safety and harms caused by tech

AI firm Anthropic has said it will put 5% of its shares, worth about US$48bn at its latest valuation, into a new “public benefit fund”. In a statement published on Sunday, Anthropic said the public benefit fund, which would be a wholly owned limited-liability company, would be able to pursue “bolder approaches” to problems such as AI safety, job losses from AI and “might explore large donations to traditional non-profits or direct distributions to specific populations”. The firm said more detail on the fund’s structure and governance would be announced in the coming months. Anthropic is planning an IPO, expected later this year at a valuation of around US$2tn. The IPO prospectus warned investors that AI could pose "catastrophic or existential risks to humanity”. 

• Read more: The social entrepreneur who built a solar-powered AI data centre in his home

UK: Government launches £2bn green energy fund while approving controversial Jackdaw North Sea gas field

The UK government launched a new fund to finance renewable energy projects, create skilled jobs and support Britain's transition to low-carbon power, to be established using tax revenues from North Sea oil and gas production. The Energy Wealth Fund, launched on Wednesday, will be backed by an initial £2bn injection from the Treasury. The government has not yet detailed how much future North Sea tax revenue will be allocated to the fund, or the criteria that will determine which projects receive investment. Chancellor John Healey announced the fund alongside the government's approval of the controversial Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, which is owned by Adura, a joint venture between Shell and Equinor. Labour’s 2024 election manifesto committed to a ban on new drilling licences in the North Sea, but approval for Jackdaw is based on an existing licence. In a statement, the government said: “The Jackdaw project will not prevent the UK from being able to meet its legally binding limits on carbon emissions and achieve net-zero by 2050.”

• Read more: ‘Social impact agency’ defends work in UK schools paid for by oil and gas firm Equinor

Africa: Micro-loans from social investment-funded B Corp help businesses grow revenue by 82%

4G Capital, a B Corp offering short-term working capital loans and business training to micro, small, and medium enterprises in Africa, has enabled its clients to grow their revenues by an average 82% annually, according to a new report. 4G Capital was backed by US$2m of social investment from the Global Innovation Fund. A study by impact measurement firm 60 Decibels, supported by the Global Innovation Fund, found 95% of 4G Capital’s clients repaid their loans on time and 91% took repeat loans. The survey shows that more than 70% of respondents increased investments in their children's education as a direct result of accessing 4G Capital's working capital and 72% of beneficiaries consisted of female micro-merchants running informal retail stalls.

• Podcast: Frank Aswani, CEO of AVPA – ‘Africa is the perfect sandbox for us to really get innovative

England: Fund for Black and racially minoritised-led social enterprises and charities reopened with £4m of additional funding 

The Flexible Finance Fund, which provides blended finance to Black and racially minoritised-led charities and social enterprises in England, reopened for applications yesterday. Grant funding will be provided by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, with the fund delivered by a partnership between Social Investment Business, The Ubele Initiative and Create Equity. The fund is a response to research by Social Investment Business which found lower rates of social investment among Black and racially minoritised-led organisations. Earlier this year the Flexible Finance Fund had closed after running for four years. Through the fund, Black and racially minoritised-led social enterprises and charities can access flexible grant and loan finance, with loans ranging from £50,000 to £1.5m alongside grants worth between 50% and 100% of the loan value, capped at £200,000.

• Read more: UK social investment making ‘slow and disappointing progress’ in meeting social entrepreneurs’ needs – Adebowale

UK: Invisible Cities launches in Belfast and announces plans to expand into London

Invisible Cities, a social enterprise that trains people who have experienced homelessness to become walking tour guides in their own cities, has launched in Belfast and plans to expand into London in 2027. The announcements were made as part of the organisation’s 10th birthday celebrations, which have been taking place throughout October. A short film about Invisible Cities’ work, made by Nowt Creative, has also been released. 

• Read our interview with Invisible Cities founder Zakia Moulaoui Guery: “Tour guiding gives people who have experienced homelessness a purpose in life”

England: Seven in ten Londoners would invest their own pension or savings to tackle homelessness

Seven in ten people living in London would invest their pension or savings in tackling social issues such as homelessness, provided it had minimal impact on returns. That’s according to an analysis published by the Better Society Index, Better Society Capital's research platform on impact investment in public services, on Monday. That figure is the highest of any region and well above the UK average of 52%. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government figures show a record 76,020 London households were living in temporary accommodation in March 2026, costing the city’s boroughs around £5m a day. UK prime minister Andy Burnham has pledged to offer everyone sleeping rough in England a route off the streets by Christmas. Details on funding for supporting people experiencing homelessness are expected in next week’s government budget announcement. 

• Read more: Homelessness emerges as high-impact area for social investors in new research from Better Society Capital 
   

Top image: Mark Norbury, CEO of UnLtd, who will step down from his role in summer 2027 (credit: UnLtd).