Our annual Chicago Impact Investing Showcase is just around the corner in April.

This year we will present four virtual events at noon on Tuesdays about impact investing by four key actors: governments (April 5), individuals (April 12), foundations (April 19), and private funds (April 26).

We encourage you to RSVP today.

What We’re Reading

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Could Cure the World by Tracy Kidder

Senior Associate Sophia Friedman writes: Dr. Paul Farmer, a physician, medical anthropologist and global health champion, died on February 21st in Butaro, Rwanda. Dr. Farmer was a personal inspiration for my own career, as he believed that all human beings deserve equal respect and exceptional healthcare, and he dedicated his life to ensuring this. I first read Mountains Beyond Mountains as a required reading in a Global Health course I took while at the University of Pennsylvania and have read it several times since.

Dr. Farmer helped introduce and promote the basic concept of health equity within the field of medicine and while there are many different ways of promoting health equity, we at Impact Engine seek to invest in companies that provide equal and accessible healthcare to all, concepts that Dr. Farmer spent his career championing. I took his death as an opportunity to pick the book up again and re-read it, to remember some of the important lessons that first inspired me to pursue a career promoting health equity.

Portfolio News

Footprint recently partnered with Gillette to create an earth friendly razor tray for their new line of razors with an exfoliating bar. By replacing the traditional plastic tray with 100% sustainably sourced plant-based fiber, they helped Proctor & Gamble to achieve packaging with a certified recyclable status. The new product was introduced this past month with a Super Bowl ad, and is one of the largest product launches for Gillette in a decade.

Market Wagon CEO Nick Carter was profiled by Startland News about his mission to connect more consumers with high quality fresh produce from local farmers. “We heard from farmers that, essentially, we saved their farms,” Carter says. The company plans to expand to 120 cities across the United States by 2024.

Measurabl will be partnering with Nasdaq to provide its signature ESG data management platform to Nasdaq OneReport clients. "We are delighted to partner with Nasdaq OneReport to complement and extend our existing suite of trusted market-leading ESG software solutions,” said Matt Ellis, Founder and CEO of Measurabl. This month Measurabl also announced a partnership with RealPage, a leading provider of real estate data analytics software to provide more comprehensive information to its clients.

ConsejoSano announced the company will now be known as SameSky Health. The healthcare equity company said "The meaning behind the new name represents the idea that we all live under the same sky — that we're in this together. As a result, we all deserve equitable access to healthcare, and the opportunity to enjoy the best possible health and wellness."