News and Views

  • Mission-led businesses number 150,000 in the UK, but face structural barriers to growth – new research

    Mission-led businesses are more resilient and grow faster than the UK average, but they still only represent a small fraction of the UK’s business landscape, reveals study of Companies House data produced by Allia Impact and Beauhurst Insights.

  • ‘We are acting as pioneers to develop the true capitalism 2.0’ – Markus Freiburg, new chair of Impact Europe

    INTERVIEW: The founding CEO of FASE knows what it means to do impact-first investing that works for social enterprises. As he takes on one of the most influential European impact investing roles, he shares his vision with Pioneers Post.

  • 'Impact due diligence is the blind spot in impact investing'

    OPINION: If impact investment is about improving people’s lives, why are those people's voices often absent from investment decisions? Capital is being allocated on incomplete information.

  • ‘Proof of concept’: Pathway Fund incubator graduates secure investment from British Business Bank

    British Business Bank announces £90m commitment across 10 microfunds led by teams from diverse backgrounds, including three that received funding and support from Pathway Fund’s incubator programme.

  • Impact-first ‘premium’ stands at $0.13 per dollar, but it is the price that must be paid – new Miller Center research

    New research quantifies “tradeoff” between impact and financial return for the first time, but warns not to confuse cost of creating impact with fund inefficiency and calls for more philanthropic capital to back impact-first investing. 

Amsterdam social enterprise tour at SEWF 2023

The Editor’s Post: Remembering David LePage

Our editor reflects on meeting David LePage, a true champion of social enterprise, who died in May. Plus we consider the global significance of the EU elections. This week’s view from the Pioneers Post newsroom.

 

The Impact World this Week: 6 June 2024

The most interesting news snippets from around the world. This week: why deeper investment is needed in our oceans, microcredit funds target growth of ‘socio-bioeconomy’ in Brazil, and a social enterprise radio station launches in Wales. 

The Impact World this Week: 31 May 2024

The most interesting news snippets from around the world. This week: A new fund sets out to help Asia’s underserved communities in the AI job race and
diverse social entrepreneurs face major barriers to access funding in Scotland.

 Nicolas Schmit looking at his watch

The Editor's Post: Waiting for EU

It's the EU Parliament's turn in the 2024 elections series. With the far-right on the rise, supporters of the impact economy will be waiting for the result with anguish. This week's view from the Pioneers Post newsroom.